by Kristina DeYong, Communications Specialist at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
New Ground for Growth
It has been just over a year since the Danforth Center acquired the 140-acre farm that became the home of the new Danforth Center Field Research Site. Located in St. Charles, this historic farm is being used as a space for scientists to develop field-based experiments to understand how crops interact with their environment.
In addition to space for field experiments, the Field Research Site is home to several barns and a historic home built in 1883. While some renovations are necessary to make the farm a functional home base for field research, many of the historic elements of the space will be maintained. For example, the historic farmhouse will eventually be restored as a home base for on-site offices, and care will be taken to retain its charming features.
“The scale of field work necessitates a lot more space for everything, from growing to storage,” says Senior Research Scientist Molly Hanlon. “We’ve worked to design something that will meet those needs. It’s going to be a huge undertaking, but it will be worth it.”
