John Porter was raised on a dairy farm in Lebanon, New Hampshire.  He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. Degree in Animal Science, and then went on to get a Master’s Degree from Cornell University in Animal Nutrition and Farm Management. In 2005, he earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Bob Jones University. He served as a Dairy Specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension from 1974 until his retirement in 2006. He still works part-time for UNH, specializing in structures and farmstead planning. In 2001, he co-authored the book “Preserving Old Barns” and in December of 2007, was editor and contributing author of “The History and Economics of the New Hampshire Dairy Industry”, and in 2011 was a contributing author of “Crosscurrents of Change”, an updated history of Concord, NH.