Category Archives: Renewable Energy

Massaro Community Farm celebrates third successful season with Family Fun Day

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MASSARO COMMUNITY FARM CELEBRATES THIRD SEASON

WITH FAMILY FUN DAY

Woodbridge, CT – Massaro Community Farm will celebrate the successful conclusion of its third growing season with a fantastic lineup of activities at its annual Family Fun Day, October 13 from 1-5pm. Rain date is October 14.

This year’s event will eclipse years past with an impressive array of interactive exhibits, games and music. In addition to the usual pumpkin painting, scarecrow building and hayrides, a variety of food and music will be on tap. Sweets and treats from Wheeler’s Market Café, Green Well Organic Tea & Coffee, Nicky’s Toffee, Vegan Bobbi and Quinn gourmet popcorn will be available. Music will be supplied by Beecher Road School, dance caller Bill Fischer and members of the Wry Bred band, along with The Fiddleheads and Chris Keevil and family.

Special features include instructional workshops, the Peabody Museum’s On the Road exhibit and Rainforest Reptile Shows. A Condiment Contest invites farm members and epicurians to enter their favorite salsa, relish or sauce for prizes. The Connecticut Beekeeper’s Association, the Woodbridge Garden Club and the Woodbridge Land Trust will be represented, along with the Rotary Club, who will be conducting its annual coat and clothing drive.

The farm celebrates a series of successes in 2012: receipt of organic certification, the installation of a solar array on the restored dairy barn, the expansion of cultivation and offerings through its CSA (community supported agriculture), a summer camp program in August, and an impressive farm-to-table dinner in September that doubled attendance over last year.

This event would not be possible without the support of our members, volunteers and the following: Burpee Seed Co., Chabaso Bakery, The Early Family, Peoples Bank and Subway.

Massaro Community Farm is a non-profit farm on a 57-acre parcel of land in Woodbridge, Connecticut, 10 minutes northwest of New Haven. Our mission is to keep farming, feed people, and build community. Our vision is to enhance the quality of life for generations to come.

Moving Planet Solar Bike Tour

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Despite the warnings for rain, over a dozen folks joined MCF Board Member Jon Gorham last Saturday morning, for a unique solar panel installation bike tour around the town of Woodbridge, to learn who is saving energy and how, as part of the huge Moving Planet Day that happened in Connecticut and around the world on Saturday, September 24th.

This is the third year MCF has been part of Bill McKibben’s 350.org global celebration. The goal is to get moving beyond fossil fuels—both symbolically by pouring into the streets in the thousands on foot, bicycle and other means of sustainable movement, and politically by bringing powerful demands to our leaders that day to move beyond fossil fuels to a 350ppm world.

The idea for Moving Planet came from 350.org, a global campaign and network that works with grassroots organizers in 188 countries to mobilize against climate change and for a just future. Moving Planet is a collaborative effort of many organizations, movements, and individuals.


Here are descriptions of each stop along the tour.

Stop # One:               Arrive around 10 AM, the Solar Heated and Solar Powered ceramics studio of Trevor and Marlys Youngberg at the corner of Ansonia Road and Ford Road.

Stop # Two:              Arrive around 10:45 AM, the Wisconsin barn at the Massaro Community Farm – a 5 kW solar array that was earned by the Woodbridge Clean Energy Task Force (with additional funding and support from the town of Woodbridge.)

Stop # Three:            Arrive around 11:30 AM, the Savino Vineyards at 128 Ford Road. The vineyard was established in 2000 and the first year of production was in 2006.  They grow two white grapes, Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc, and four red grapes, St. Croix, Frontenac, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Their wines are all produced on site under a 100-year-old historic barn.