Community Corner
Ask the Experts About Farming in Windsor
Farmers and members of the general public interested in learning more about farming can attend this free event in Windsor on Thursday.
The Hartford County Farm Bureau is hosting a free, informative event on Thursday, an “Ask the Expert” panel at the bureau’s offices in Windsor. The event is especially beneficial for beginning, backyard and casual farmers but anyone interested in the topics is welcome to attend.
Topics for the session include beef, swine, goats, poultry and horses. A local specialist in the five respective fields will address each topic, according to farm bureau member Kathy Dunai-Thibedeau.
The panel includes Tom Dexter, the Hartford bureau’s president, who will focus on swine and Diane Karabin, a Southington farmer, discussing beef. Becky Clark of East Granby’s Griffin Farmstead will provide information on goats, Brad Nicholson, who also farms in East Granby, will share his expertise with horses. Attendees will also get information on feed, animal care and nutrition.
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“These people have been doing it for years,” Dunai-Thibedeau said.
She said the bureau has noticed a growing interest in farming, especially from part-time farmers and people cultivating backyard gardens.
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“[The bureau] help[s] farmers get started,” Dunai-Thibedeau said.
The Hartford County Farm Bureau is a non-profit, grassroots agency that provides information, assistance and advocacy for farmers.
“[The bureau is] kind of a voice for agriculture,” she said. “[It’s] a sounding board, a go-to for information.”
Dunai-Thibedeau said the bureau recently and successfully advocated for a farm and food bill that allowed farmers to sell pickles and jellies from farm stands and at farmers’ markets.
The bureau also lobbied for Public Act 490. That act allowed farms, forests and open space land to be assessed at a lower rate for local tax purposes, letting more farms open and continue to operate.
The “Ask the Expert” event takes place Thursday at the farm bureau offices located at 775 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor. It begins at 7 p.m. Entry is free but registration is required. For more information and to register call 860-844-8444 or send a message to hcfb@cox.net.
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