"Defined by variety, curiosity and infectious energy."

Courtesy of UNH Marketing Department

Some people spend years searching for the work they were meant to do. Others realize in hindsight that every experience prepared them for it. Raised between family traditions of education and agriculture, Kendall Kunelius grew up believing both were part of everyday life. She entered the University of New Hampshire imagining an equine career, but national and international competition through the UNH Woodsmen Team broadened her understanding of agriculture and opened possibilities she had never considered. Today, her work is defined by variety, curiosity and infectious energy.

As UNH Extension’s Hillsborough County field specialist in agricultural business management, Kendall develops educational programs and works alongside farmers, agricultural businesses and rural communities. Extension provides university knowledge and practical education; she approaches that mission as a partner—helping people navigate challenges and celebrating their successes. 

Kendall believes agriculture is built on possibility: what might happen if someone is given the opportunity, knowledge and language to express what they need. She wants everyone who hopes to participate in agriculture to know they belong, and she is equally comfortable discussing tractor ergonomics, educational programming, business management or the future of New Hampshire agriculture.

Kendall’s contribution is not simply teaching people how to do something; it is helping them believe they can. That is what makes her both an advisor and a farming partner.

“I like to help all farmers. It doesn’t matter if you make one thousand dollars a year or ten million dollars a year. That’s part of the beauty of Extension.”

One example is Extension’s Agricultural Equipment Education Program.

“We got a very generous grant from the State of New Hampshire, and we were able to purchase a tractor, a trailer, some implements and a suite of tools so that we could teach tractor maintenance. I travel around New Hampshire and do maintenance and operation classes.”

Her approach to choosing that tractor revealed how she thinks.

“I’m 5 feet 8 inches tall, have a big stature and don’t struggle with hand strength. When I went tractor shopping for the tractor that we use for our teaching unit, I was very cognizant of the fact that I needed somebody to go tractor shopping with me who was much shorter and had a different life view. The person I brought is five feet tall and a certified lactation consultant, and she brought into the equation the fact that [some] women are probably farming while pregnant. So, if somebody shows up to this class and they’re pregnant and going to be learning to drive a tractor, what considerations do I need to know?”

One woman in Kendall’s tractor class affirmed the importance of equal opportunity.

“A woman in my tractor class told me, ‘I only signed up because I saw that a woman was teaching the class.’ She said she felt comfortable coming, and that meant a lot to me. I’m not somebody who readily accepts limitations. I definitely think the tide is changing, and social media has played a huge role. I meet just as many women farmers as I do men farmers in New Hampshire.”

That perspective shapes her conversations with farmers across the state.

“These are some things I talk to farmers about if they’re going to hire labor, if they have interns on their farm or volunteers: ‘It’s in your best interest to keep everyone safe.’ Sometimes it’s as simple as spending thirty dollars on a shovel that isn’t going to wear out their joints or throw out their back. It just takes a little time investment.”

Asked what makes New Hampshire agriculture unique, Kendall thought first of its farmers.

“Creativity. Innovation. Diversification. I think we have to be naturally diversified because of the diversity of our terrain and the different ecosystems our land sits within. One common theme I hear from farmers is the topography in New Hampshire, so equipment is very important in our farmers’ lives and business models.”

When agriculture came up as an umbrella term, Kendall offered a metaphor.

“Agriculture is one word to cover an absolutely massive industry. It makes me think of the equine industry, then the adjacents are things like the feed and grain industry, farriers, veterinarians. It’s like a giant Venn diagram that has all these bubbles. It’s very complex. If one part struggles, everybody feels it.”

Her own route into agriculture was equally interconnected.

“When I came to UNH, I got involved with the Woodsmen Team, which really changed everything. I had never imagined I would end up doing that, and it opened doors that I didn’t even know existed. Looking back now, every one of those experiences prepared me for where I am today. I traveled, met incredible people, competed nationally and internationally and learned so much from people with completely different backgrounds.”