Dr. Ed Harwood

Dr. Ed Harwood

Dr. Ed Harwood passed away the morning of July 22, 2021 at home with his family. Ed is husband to Sally, father to Ashley, Sarah, Oliver, and Joey, brother to Alden, father-in-law to David and Anthony, future father-in-law to Sophia, grandfather to Emmy, Otis, Rosie, and Sophie, first cousin to Barbara, Timmy, Chris, Marlynn, Susan, Anne, Bill, Judith Anne, Ted, Brian, Sue, Hamilton, and Leroy, uncle to Caetlin, Tucker, Katie, and Kevin, and brother-in-law to Zoie, Dave, and Regan.

Ed was born in Massachusetts where he attended Stoughton High School except one year at Burr & Burton Seminary in Manchester, VT. He attended Colorado State University getting three degrees, a bachelors in microbiology and animal science, and a masters in animal science. Before beginning his masters, he married Sally. He went to work for Dairy Systems (DSI) of Longmont, CO and helped create the first on farm computer, solid state detacher, milk meter, cow ID, and automatic estrus detector. When Dairy Equipment Company of Madison, WI bought out DSI, he became a product manager for them. He was general manager of Colorgraphics, Inc. of Madison, WI during the recession in the 1980s helping them to convert TV stations from weather graphics on mini computers to micro computers. He returned to Dairy Equipment and after two years he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, getting a PhD in dairy science. He was the host and content producer for a live satellite delivered TV show called Dairy Live and then CEO of Topline Waikato in Janesville, WI. He was at Cornell Cooperative Extension for a decade holding positions of Associate Professor of Animal Science, Program Leader, and Associate Director for Agriculture. He started his own business, GreatVeggies, LLC and invented a process for growing leafy greens aeroponically in collaboration with Travis Martin. It was funded in 2009 and became Aero Farm Systems, LLC (AeroFarms) to sell the aeroponic systems. AeroFarms later merged into Just Greens, LLC retaining the company name and using AeroFarms as the DBA. He then became their CTO, landing many patents including one for growing in cloth. He died as CSO of Aerofarms just prior to its initial public offering.

Ed was a lifelong learner and teacher. He taught himself and his children to sail, he gave blood, volunteered, and tried to be useful. He was a licensed soccer coach and served as president of the Ithaca Youth Soccer Club. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, writing poetry, and boogie boarding in Ogunquit. He always had time to help others with plumbing, tools, and cleanup.

Ed's family was very proud and honored to have him as a partner and father. In remembrance of him, be kind, curious, useful, and find your passions in life. As he said…

When the weeds are dealt each day

Some so sly, some with power, some at bay

When weeding brings knowledge to stay

Time to fly, time to flower, real life's in play.