Aroostook Farm Greenhouse Opening for Oct. 13
Contact: Charlene Herrick, Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, 207-581-3204, charlene_herrick@umenfa.maine.edu
ORONO, Maine — The Maine Agricultural and Forest
Experiment Station at the University of Maine will celebrate the
completion and opening of a new greenhouse at the Aroostook Farm in
Presque Isle on Oct. 13. Public bond referendum funds approved in 2003
provided most of the financing for the facility which will be used to
provide year-around services to the Maine potato industry.
The open house event will be held from 10 to 11:30
a.m. and will include tours of the facility and descriptions of
research, including potato breeding and insect and plant disease
studies.
The new greenhouse replaces a structure built in
1942. With 2,800 square feet, it is smaller than the original 4,400
square foot building, but a new layout and heating system give
researchers more working room than was available in the old building.
Moreover, the three individual sections have their own temperature and
ventilation controls, allowing for greater control over conditions
necessary for each research area.
From a maintenance standpoint, the old greenhouse
had become very challenging to repair and service, and it was very
expensive to heat during the winter months,