Biological Husbandry Unit (BHU)

The Biological Husbandry Unit (BHU), based near Lincoln University, has been operating since 1976 as an education and research facility for organic food production. 

The Biological Husbandry Unit (BHU) was established in 1976 by Bob Crowder, an academic working at Lincoln University (LU).  This area was originally started on a small portion of land known as Home Block North. After Bob’s retirement at the end of the 1990s, the BHU was re-launched in 2001 as a charitable trust as a joint venture between Lincoln University and the New Zealand Organic Movement.

The BHU farm and research activities were initially managed by Dr Tim Jenkins as part of a duel academic position at LU. Funding from MAF Sustainable Farming Fund and AgMardt that enabled the position was largely research based developing and promoting techniques for commercial scale organic agriculture. As the position developed the extension aspect of this was able to be expanded with well attended workshops aimed mostly at small farmers/growers and the development of a large published (web and print) resource of practical and technical information for commercial growers. Academic material was also developed for formal LU courses. The BHU employed and hosted summer students and overseas interns as well as working with LU and visiting researchers.

The BHU is now used for training organic horticulture students, research, preservation, demonstration, and hosting community allotments.

Two peacocks have graced the grounds of the BHU and Arboretum for many years!