J.F Witter Teaching and Research Center

10/13/2026

Visit #1 for National School Lunch Week was to Holden Elementary School to see their new milk barrel😍

This milk barrel was one awarded through our Dairy Refresh School Nutrition Equipment Grant. Kids love the cow spots and say their milk feels cooler!🥛
Thank you to Patricia Henderson from J.F Witter Teaching and Research Center for joining us to answer all the students dairy questions!🐄

08/28/2026

Hello friends! We are hiring for a new farm tech, please share with anyone you know might be interested. 🐄🩷 great benefits and great cows! Come join our team!

The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the Universi...

06/26/2026

05/25/2026

Hi everyone, just a friendly reminder that the farm is open for scheduled visits ONLY. We are no longer open for self guided tours. We have active research projects going on at the farm so we kindly ask you to schedule your visit ahead of time online 🐄 🐴 the cows and horses are looking forward to seeing more visitors this summer, but please schedule your visit online, we’d be happy to show you around.

05/02/2026

Thank you so much to the Maine FFA students who came out to the farm today to practice the dairy judging 🐄

04/23/2026

The end of the program year is approaching and that means it is time for a LIVE CHAT with your calf! Are you from North Carolina, Utah, Maine or Wisconsin? Join us in ONE WEEK for the following Live Chats on April 28, 2026.

🔵 10:30 am EST- Dusty Road Jersey Farm The Dairy Alliance Dusty Road Jersey Farm
🔵 9:30 am MST- Clark Family Dairy Dairy West
🔵 1:30 pm EST- UMaine Witter Farm DrinkMaineMilk.org J.F Witter Teaching and Research Center
🔵 1:30 pm CST- Orthridge Jerseys Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Orthridge Farms

Access the link on our YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBSUDChAb6b7N-WkRcaw3ZvlL2nZqXYXv

04/08/2026

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04/06/2026

Hi everyone! We’re still hiring for a farm tech, please share with anyone who’s interested! 🐄

The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the Universi...

03/18/2026

Congrats David Marcinkowski 🐄

02/20/2026

Go check out the maine farm cast and an update on Witter in this weeks episode! 🐄❤️

Episode 94: Robots, Research & Really Good Chocolate Milk 🎙️🥛

In the latest episode of the Maine Farmcast, hosts Glenda and C**t sit down with Patricia Henderson, farm superintendent of the J.F. Witter Center at the University of Maine.

Henderson shares her journey from growing up on a diversified livestock farm in Aroostook County to becoming a UMaine alum and helping develop the university’s robotic milking facility. The episode explores how innovation, student learning, and faculty research come together to strengthen Maine’s livestock programs.

And yes, there’s also a lively (and surprisingly passionate) debate about the best chocolate milk. 🥛

🎧 Tune in to Episode 94 of the Maine Farmcast wherever you listen to podcasts, https://extension.umaine.edu/podcasts/maine-farmcast/episode-94/