Agriculture and Horticulture - Facilities

Student Laboratories

In addition to classrooms, faculty and staff offices, the Agriculture Science Building contains student laboratories. There are specialized labs in soils, botany, animal handling, animal anatomy and physiology, microbiology, plant physiology, and veterinary technology. The first floor of this building is home to a comfortable commuter student lounge and study area. There is also a 5,300-square-foot greenhouse adjoining the student area which contains a quiet study area situated among tropical plants and a fountain in the center greenhouse. Other plants used for instruction and landscape displays are found in the adjoining greenhouses.

Anderson Horticulture Center

Students in the Landscape program are involved in the maintenance of the gardens and grounds around the Horticulture Center. The Anderson Horticulture Center is situated on six acres. The facility includes landscape design laboratories, drawing studios, entomology laboratory, a computer laboratory with current horticulture and landscape software, and a spacious sunlit student lounge and study area.

The horticulture center's outdoor laboratories include herbaceous gardens, a five-acre arboretum/lawn area with over 1,200 ornamental trees and shurbs, patio construction/demonistration area, and a one acre nursery with adjoining lath house. Not far from the Alfred campus are state, county, and city parks which are also regularly used in the instructional program.

College Farm

Our current college farm The College Farm is the home to 135 registered Holstein. Sixty-65 cows are milked and produce more than 80 pounds of milk each day. Students experience all aspects of herd management from calves to cows. They also have an opportunity to participate in cattle showing as well as have the opportunity to become a member of the ASC Dairy Judging Team that tours fall and spring. The farm is also home to a small number of horses, both miniature and full size that are used for instruction in animal care and management.

The farm sits on 750 acres of land which is put to use by botany, nutrition, feeds and field and forage classes. The farm is currently the site of two collaborative projects with our neighboring institution composting and a wind turbine generated electricity. We also have solar pump watering systems in the heifer pasture and the lower cow pasture. These are all innovative ways of looking at alternative energy sources and conservation. Students also have the opportunity to work and live on the farm.