News & Upcoming Events

Eastern CT RC&D Annual Meeting is scheduled for Monday June 24th at 11:00am-2:30pm at Tolland Ag Center, 24 Hyde Ave, Vernon, CT 06066.

2012 Eastern CT RC&D Strategic Plan (pdf)

2012 CT Zoning Regulations & Ordinances for Livestock is now available. As a focus on local agriculture continues to grow in popularity and residential development pushes further into areas that were previously exclusively agricultural, Connecticut communities have struggled with managing these land uses. The RC&D Council, in partnership with American Farmland Trust, USDA-NRCS, Connecticut Farm Bureau, University of Connecticut Extension, the AGvocate program, and numerous agricultural stakeholders, developed this guide to assist municipalities in working through the considerations when seeking to permit, encourage, and regulate the keeping of livestock. To view it click on CT Livestock Manual (pdf)

2012 ERT Survey if you haven't sent in your ERT Survey Card please do so. Your input is very valuable, please take a moment now to complete this brief survey. 2012 ERT Survey (pdf)

2012 CT Farm to School Survey Results are now available. The Eastern Connecticut RC&D Area and the CT Department of Agriculture Farm to School (FTS) Program Baseline Survey Report 2012 is now available. Three surveys were developed and sent to farmers, school food service directors and wholesalers/distributors to better understand participation and interest in Farm to School and to identify the best opportunities to increase sales of CT Grown products to K-12 schools. The project was funded through a grant from the USDA and the regional group Farm to Institution New England (FINE). Survey Results (pdf)

Juno SB GPS Units with ArcPad 10 are available for use from the Eastern CT Resource Conservation and Development Area. The GPS Units are available for use, free of charge, by the municipal, regional, and non-profit community of the Eastern CT RC&D Area. The 3 Trimble Juno SB GPS units are equipped with ESRI ArcPad 10 software. The units were purchased to support trail documentation and data contribution to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) CT State Trail Geodatabase. GPS Usage Policy & Sign Out Sheet (pdf)

Event Calendar

Past Events

CT Farm Energy 2013 Workshops
Need a way to save money on your farm, curious about lowering your energy bills?
 All Workshops were Free to attend and all AG Producers were welcome. Topics covered in the workshops included the Connecticut Farm Energy Program, USDA - Rural Development REAP, USDA - NRCS EQIP, various Connecticut Energy & Financing Programs currently available and learned about other Farms who have implemented energy measures from professional energy contractors. 
 Workshop Postcard (pdf) More information can be found at www.CTFarmEnergy.org

Second Annual AGvocate Conference: Conference Information & Links:
Harvard Law School’s “Good Laws, Good Food” Guide

Connecticut “Planning for Agriculture” guide – 2nd Edition

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act Information

2012 CT Farm & Energy Expo December 1, 2012 from 10am - 3pm at the Glastonbury Riverfront Community Center at 300 Welles Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Pictures from this Statewide Event are available at www.CTFarmEnergy.org

*Event* 2012 Eastern CT RC&D Annual Meeting was held on Monday June 25, 2012 from 11am-3pm @ Stonington Vineyards in Stonington, CT. Annual Meeting Program (pdf)

*Event* 2011-2012 Connecticut Farm Energy Grant & Assistance Workshops: From December 2011 - March 2012 1 in each Connecticut County. Workshop Postcard (pdf) FREE to Attend
To register call (860) 345-3977 or email CTFarmEnergy@aol.com

*Event* CT Agriculture Commission Conference— Growing Farms in Your Community
An AGvocate Conference
Gather Information Share Resources
Saturday, March 24
EastConn, Hampton, CT
9 am to 3:30 pm
If you would like more information about this conference see the Conference Flyer (pdf), or contact Jennifer Kaufman, AGvocate Program Director at 860-450-6007 or at AGvocate@yahoo.com.

*Event* Connecticut Land Conservation Council 2012 Annual Conference: March 24, 2012 @ Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT for more information go to their website.

*Event* Community & Natural Resources Planning Program November /December 2011 Workshops
Burlington Workshops - Brochure (pdf)
CT River Estuary Workshops - Brochure (pdf)
Thank you to everyone who attended one or more of the Community and Natural Resource Planning Program's fall workshops in the CT River Estuary region. Allso thank you to cosponsors and partners, including the CT Environmental Review Team and the CT River Esturary Regional Planning Agency for making this possible. FYI, the presentations from the workshops are available at the following link. http://www.greenvalleyinstitute.org/previousseminars.htm CNRP is in the process of preparing another workshop series for this spring in the northwestern and southeastern corners of the state. If you weren't able to attend all of the workshops or see something else you're interested in, please feel free to attend those workshops and pass the word on to others in your community. Look for new program information later this winter.

*Event* Healthy Soils Workshop: Using cover crops to improve soil health. After the success of the first Soil Health Workshop, we decided to host another. Scout Hall, 28 Abbe Road, East Windsor, CT   www.scouthall.com November 14,15 and 16 2011. Each day of this multiple day workshop covered a different facet of land use, and topics were directly relevant to the land use type of the day. 
Monday, November 14th- Row Crops and Livestock Agenda (pdf)
Tuesday, November 15th – Perennial Crops (Orchard, Vineyard, Xmas Trees) and Greenhouse Growers Agenda (pdf)
Wednesday, November 16th – Small Scale Farming, the Residential Landscape, and Permaculture Agenda (pdf)

*Pesticide applicator recertification credits are available each day!
11/14   5 credits for Private Applicators (PA), 11/15   5.5 credits for PA and 3A(Ornamentals & Turf), 11/16   5.5 credits for PA and 3A

*Event* 2011 Connecticut Farm Energy Fair was held on thursday July 21, 2011 from 4-9pm hosted by CT Farm Energy Program in partnership with the Institute for Sustainable Energy to be held at Eastern CT State University. For more information go to www.CTFarmEnergy.org

*Event* 2011 Eastern CT RC&D Annual Meeting was held on Monday June 13, 2011 from 11am-3pm @ Fort Hill Farms in Thompson, CT.

June 16th 2011 the SNEC SWCS summer meeting was held at the University of Connecticut. Speakers will be making presentations and there will be an am and pm tour of the Eagleville Brook Impervious Cover TMDL.  Additional information regarding the Eagleville Brook Impervious Cover TMDL can be found at: http://clear.uconn.edu/projects/tmdl/findings.htm Click on “Retrofit Sites & Recommendations” then click on “Eagleville TMDL Project Sites” to view an interactive map of all project area BMPs.

*Event* Soil Health Workshop: The Healthy Soils workshop was held February 18th at the Lebanon Fire Complex in Lebanon, CT.  The workshop covered how Healthy Soils can reduce both cost and labor, while maintaining high productivity. For more information call 860-774-8397 x 2.  Soil Health Flyer (pdf)

*Event* Protecting Dark Skies in The Last Green Valley
February 28, 2011 @ 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Chaplin Fire Station. Co-Sponsored by Green Valley Institute & Eastern CT Resource Conservation & Development Area.
Registration: $15, includes a light dinner
Please register by 2/18/11
Contact Susan Westa at 860-774-9600, ext. 24 or susan.westa@uconn.edu

In many communities you can no longer see the stars at night.  Communities in The Last Green Valley struggle with how to keep the region's sky dark.  There are techniques and lighting alternatives that communities around the country are using to address this concern.
Come here what your town can do to protect TLGV's night sky.  Leo Smith, a member of the International Dark-Sky Association Board of Directors, will present a model ordinance and share lessons learned from other communities who are working to protect their nighttime skies. Flyer (pdf)

2011 Annual RC&D Leadership Forum in Washington, DC. This Forum is presented by the National Association of RC&D Councils and is a good opportunity to learn more about tools that RC&D councils can use. For more information on the Leadership Forum, go to the NARC&DC Website at http://www.rcdnet.org

CT Farm Energy Program held 5 free workshops in January 2011 about technical assistance and financial incentives that are available to AG producers as it relates to energy.  Topics included the CT Farm Energy Program, the new CT Farm Energy BMP Guide, NRCS EQIP program and grant and loan programs offered through USDA Rural Development REAP Grants (Renewable Energy for America Program) for renewable and energy efficiency projects.

J anuary 5, 2011 @ 6 pm
Tolland County AG Center                                              
24 Hyde Avenue (Rte 30)                               
Vernon, CT 06066

January 10, 2011 @ 6 pm
Middlesex UConn Extension
1066 Saybrook Road (Rte 154)
Haddam, CT 06438

January 19, 2011 @ 3 pm
Norwich USDA Service Center
238 West Town Street
Norwich, CT 06360

January 24, 2010 @ 6 pm
Windham UConn Extension
139 Wolf Den RoadBrooklyn, CT 06234

January 26, 2011 @ 3 pm Rescheduled due to snow to Feb 9th
Windsor USDA Service Center
100 Northfield Drive, 4th Floor
Windsor, CT 06095

This series of workshops was made possible through the partnership of Eastern CT Resource Conservation & Development Area (RC&D), USDA Rural Development (RD), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the CT Farm Energy Program (CFEP). USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider                      
The workshops are free and open to the public to attend. Event Flyer (pdf)

Forestry and Wildlife Habitat Workshops and Demonstrations on November 20, December 5, and December 11, 2010. This workshop series is sponsored by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) with instruction by UCONN Cooperative Extension, Forestry. Invite Flyer (pdf)

Connecticut Farm Energy BMP Guide Roll Out Sessions: The Connecticut Farm Energy Program along with Ensave, Inc. unveiled the new Connecticut Farm Energy Best Management Practice Guide. This guide outlines energy efficient measures, renewable energy options and funding resources for AG Producers in Connecticut. For more information please call 860-345-3977 or go to www.CTFarmEnergy.org. Event Flyer (pdf)

SWCS - SNEC 2010 Winter Meeting held on Friday December 17, 2010 at the UConn Bishop Center, Storrs, CT. For more information go to www.swcssnec.org

AGvocate Event - Tax Incentives to Protect Family Farms Without Breaking Your Budget. An AGvocate Workshop Monday, November 29, 2010 6:30 to 9 pm Hampton Community Center. Flyer (pdf)

*News* Seven projects that will benefit southeastern Connecticut's coastal areas are among those chosen to receive some of the $2.4 million in Long Island Sound improvement grants announced November 12, 2010. The Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area, partnering with the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Coordinating Committee and the three towns of Salem, East Haddam and Lyme received a $37,046 grant to conduct stormwater mapping and planning. Go to Greenways page for more information.

2010 Working Lands Alliance Annual Meeting & Luncheon was held on November 17th, 2010 at the State Captiol in Hartford, in the Old Judiciary Room. Eastern CT RC&D sponsored a table at the event. More info about WLA can be found at their website www.workinglandsalliance.org

Eastern CT RC&D Area, Inc. sponsored Table

Govenor Jodi Rell speaks at the WLA Meeting

*News* Congressman Joe Courtney sends Congratulations to Eastern CT RC&D Area, Inc. on receiving 3 New England RC&D Awards in 2010. Letters (pdf)

2010 New England RC&D Conference: "Feeding Ourselves, Fueling Ourselves" was held on October 28-30, 2010 Go to www.newenglandrcd.org for photos and information from the event. Eastern CT RC&D won 3 awards this year.

RC&D in Connecticut Table

Photo of 2010 New England RC&D Award Winners

2010 CIPWG Invasive Plant Symposium: Thursday, October 14, 2010, the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG) presented a symposium entitled Challenges and Successes: Working Cooperatively to Manage Invasive Plants.  The symposium, open to the public, took place from 8 am – 4 pm at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn.  Keynote speaker, Dr. Bernd Blossey, presented "The Power of Choice: New Frontiers in Invasive Plant Management and Conservation.” The program agenda and registration information are available at www.hort.uconn.edu/cipwg.  For additional information, contact Donna Ellis at (860) 486-6448. The Eastern CT RC&D was a co-sponsor.

Manure Technology Tour was held on October 20th at Laurel Brook and Freund Farm. The workshop focused on the phosphorus removal and compost systems at Laurel Brook Farm and the CowPots factory and initiative at the Freund Farm. Tour Agenda (pdf)

Governor Rell proclaims the week of September 19-25, 2010 as Resource Conservation and Development Week in Connecticut (pdf)
Hartford Courant Article

2010 Eastern CT RC&D Annual Meeting: 2010 Eastern Connecticut RC&D Annual Meeting was held on Monday June 21st, 2010 from 10:30am-3:00pm at Goodwin College-The River Campus in East Hartford, CT.  The agenda included: an RC&D business meeting, 2010 RC&D partnership awards, a presentation on Brownfields and the work that has been done at Goodwin College by Robert Carr of Zuvic Associates, An introduction to Goodwin's Environmental Program and a tour of the new campus by Bruce Morton, lunch, and the afternoon concluded with a cruise along the Connecticut River aboard the Hartford Belle with special guest Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni. Award winners this year included Joanne Demars - USDA/Rural Development, Berkshire Pioneer RC&D Council - Massachusetts, Kathy Johnson - USDA/NRCS and Congressman Joe Courtney.

A Design Workshop with Randall Arendt: Reinventing the Commercial Strip & Creating New Mixed-Use Centers. On May 17th, 2010, a workshop at the Chaplin Firehouse was held. Great examples from around the country of how other communities are addressing commercial growth issues and creating new villages. This program was co-sponsored by the Green Valley Institute and the CT Environmental Review Team. More information can be found at www.greenerprospects.com

Agvocate Workshop
On March 31 a FREE workshop, sponsored by the AGvocate program, to learn about communicating the value of agriculture in your Town was held. The workshop will covered: -Effectively communicating the economic and environmental benefits of farming and the value of farms as local businesses. -Direct experiences of farmers and municipal officials on navigating Town Hall to make their farms viable businesses. Questions about the AGvocate Program please ontact Jennifer Kaufman, AGvocate Program Coordinator, 860-450-6007 or AGvocate@yahoo.com.

Soil and Water Conservation Society Southern New England Chapter Winter Meeting Energizing the Rural Landscape—Renewable Power and Energy Efficiency Opportunities for Our Farms, Homes, and Communities - February 18, 2010 from 9:00am-3:30pm was held at Periwinkles Restaurant & Banquet Hall in Auburn MA. Please visit their website for more information on the organization www.swcssnec.org Below are pictures from the Event.

Connecticut Farm Energy Program: Farm Assistance Seminar
Join us January 26th, 2010 for the Connecticut Farm Assistance Seminar from 10:30am-2:30pm in Lebanon, CT.
Be sure to call and RSVP by January 20th by contacting Amanda Fargo-Johnson @ 860-345-3977 or email ctfarmenergy@aol.com.
CT Farm Assistance Flyer (pdf)

2009 Eastern Connecticut RC&D Area Annual Meeting & 40th Anniversary Celebration of Eastern CT RC&D and CT Environmental Review Team
Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated our 40th Anniversary of the Eastern CT RC&D and CT ERT at the Annual Meeting that was held this year at Heritage Trail Vineyard located in Lisbon, CT. We would like to thank Chef Harry for providing us with a great location at Heritage Trail Vineyard and a wonderful local gourmet grilled lunch as well as a nutritional food demonstration sponsored by the Watermelon Promotion Board. Also a big thanks to Linda Pitrowitcz from the CT Department of Agriculture who came and gave a great presentation on the Farm to Chef Program. Below are photos from the event. Also you can read about the Anniversary Event in the Norwich Bulletin Article.

2009 Eastern CT RC&D Area Partnership Meeting
Thanks to all those who attended the Partnership Meeting on May 4th, 2009. The attendance was over 20 attendees. There was some great ideas and brainstorming at the meeting that the Eastern CT RC&D Council will consider for this year's Annual Plan of Work and the future Area Plan of Work.

Daffodil Labyrinth Project Tolland , CT
Spring has sprung as the daffodils in the Ecological Landscaping Network (ELN) and Tolland County Master Gardeners Labyrinth Project have come up. The Eastern CT RC&D Council partnered with the ELN to plant 790+ daffodil bulbs in a 5-circuit labyrinth at the Tolland County Agricultural Center. The goal is to have a springtime labyrinth that creates a contemplative space that would complement other demonstration plantings at the site. You can visit the ELN on the web at: www.ct.nrcs.usda.gov/eln.html also read about it in the National NRCS Newsletter at: http://www.thebulbproject.org/blog/?p=123 or stop by and take a walk through during the springtime.

LULA Spring 2009 - Quinnipiac River Watershed Area
This training session of the Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program is sponsored by Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development Area (RC&D), Connecticut Environmental Review Team Program (ERT), The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the Quinnipiac River Fund, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund. The participants are respected and objective leaders in their communities with the ability to build and manage coalitions of interested people. The program is designed to teach participants how to use the land use system, consensus building skills, and comprehensive planning techniques to accomplish smart growth and watershed protection.
The four-day program is being held on the Fridays of March 13, 20, April 3, and April 17 from 8:30am – 4:30pm. Day 1 and 2 are at the Quinnipiac University Lender School of Business Mancheski Executive Seminar Room. Days 3 and 4 (April 3 and 17) are at the Woodbridge Library’s Community Room. For more information go to the LULA Page

The Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources 2009
The Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources (CCNR) will be held on Monday March 9th in the Student Union on the University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus. The 3rd Conference that will bring together individuals working with natural resource and environment management in Connecticut to share research, information and ideas. The theme for this years conference is Many Resources One Environment. If you would like more information on this event or to register go to their website at: www.ccnr.uconn.edu

5th Annual Paddle Smart Safety Event
A unique family affair of safe paddling demonstrations and information sessions including in-pool demonstrations, self rescue, choosing the right craft and activities for kids.  March 7, 2009 from 10:00am-4:00pm at the Wilbur Cross High School, 181 Mitchell Drive, New Haven, CT. For more information contact Jacky Gorman at 860-434-8638. Or go to the DEP Website.

Connecticut Farm Energy Program
Attention Agricultural Producers and Small Business Owners, tired of paying those high utility bills? Join us on January 14, 2009 @ Eastern CT State University as USDA, Rural Development, Institute for Sustainable Energy, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund present information on programs that save energy and programs for renewable energy with funding opportunities.

Connecticut Farm Energy Program Informational Workshop
Join us for a followup to the January 14th Meeting at ECSU. Come ready and prepared to start the REAP Grant process. Grant writers will be on hand for an introductory meeting to the process and you will begin your grant that evening. We will also be making followup appointments to complete the grant application. Be sure to call and save a seat for yourself.

Development Strategies: that protect what we value workshops
Eastern CT RC&D is once again partnering with the Green Valley Institute to host two workshops that deal with Development Strategies that protect what we value. Across The Last Green Valley, communities that range from rural to urban are trying to grow smarter by focusing new growth in centers and protecting important natural resources and agricultural lands. Come
hear from innovative leaders who are successfully addressing the issues. Ask the questions that you want
answered during the round-table discussions. The cost for each workshop is $15.00 and includes a light dinner.

November 20, 2008 Brownfields Redevelopment Workshop

December 2, 2008 Transfer of Development Rights: Making it Happen Workshop

4th Annual Connecticut Forest Forum "Public Benefits from Forests: What are they worth?"
This year's theme is "Public Benefits from Forests: What are They Worth?"
Speakers will explore the many "ecosystem services" that forests provide, from cleaning our air and water to sequestering carbon and fighting climate change. We'll discuss the tangible benefits of these services, why they are seldom valued in today's land markets, and what we can do in both the economic and policy worlds to make them better understood and recognized. The afternoon will offer six outstanding concurrent sessions on priority forest resource issues identified in Connecticut's State Forest Resources Plan.

2008 New England RC&D Association Regional Fall Conference Mystic, CT

2008 New England RC&D Association Regional Fall Conference Webpage

South Branch Park River Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Hartford , CT

2008 Eastern CT RC&D Tour des Farms Simsbury, CT

This years ride had 125 riders at the event and the Eastern CT RC&D will be presenting Working Lands Alliance with a check of $3500.00 from the proceeds of the ride. To find out more about the Tour des Farms in Connecticut go the website at: www.tourdesfarms.org

2008 Eastern CT RC&D Annual Meeting at the Connecticut River Museum Essex, CT

Planning for Brownfield Reuse and Redevelopment

Planning For Brownfield Reuse and Redevelopment Opportunities Brochure (pdf)

South Branch Park River Groundbreaking Ceremony May 9, 2008

Greenway Journey Begins (Hartford Courant Article on the South Branch of the Park River Project)

Group breaks ground on the South Branch of the Park River Trail

2008 National RC&D DC Leadership Forum, Washington, D.C.
Members and Staff of the Eastern CT RC&D Council recently attended the February 2008 National RC&D DC Leadership Forum in Washington, DC. They also made visits to Capitol Hill to Connecticut Congressman and Senate Leaders letting them know about the importance of the RC&D program. If you would like more information on this and other National RC&D Events checkout the National RC&D Website.

Advanced Approaches to Land Protection:
These workshops were sponsored by The Green Valley Institute and Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development.

Workshop 3: November 28, 2007 6-8:30 pm Transfer of Development Rights. Speakers from the event included:

Susan Westa, AICP, Co-Director, Green Valley Institute
Susan presented an introduction to TDR or “TDR 101”. Transfer Development Rights Presentation (pdf)

Courtenay Mercer, PP/AICP, Director of Planning, N.J. Department of Community Affairs, Office of Smart Growth
Ms. Mercer shared the lessons N.J. communities have learned with TDR. She explained N.J.’s unique enabling legislation, the history of TDR in N.J. and the incentives the state offers. New Jersery Transfer Development Rights Presentation (pdf)

Workshop 2: October 30, 2007 6-8pm Development Techniques that Protect. More information on this workshop can be found at www.greenvalleyinstitute.org/landuse.htm#intro

Workshop 1: September 19, 2007 6-8:30pm Understanding the Money Facts. Speakers from the event included:

Reena L. Shaw, Ph.D., State Agricultural Economist with the Natural Resources
Conservation Service, shared the results of the Fiscal Impact Analysis she
conducted for Woodstock CT. Fiscal Impact of Future Development in Woodstock, CT Presentation (pdf)

Paula Stahl, Land Use and Finance Educator, Green Valley Institute, presented the
fiscal impact of buildout in 20 years of Lebanon, CT, this project was funded by
a grant from the Department of Agriculture. Fiscal Impact of Future Development in Lebanon, CT Presentation (pdf)

Dr. Robert J. Johnston, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics,
University of Connecticut talked about the results of his study for Woodstock,
Thompson, Brooklyn and Pomfret and the implications for municipal land protection
bonding. This study was funded by a CT Dept of Ag, Agriculture Viability Grant. What is the Willingness to Pay fo Open Space Protection Presentation (pdf)

2007 New England Regional RC&D Meeting:
The Annual New England Regional RC&D Meeting was held October 18-20, 2007 in Narragansett, RI. Below are some photos from the weekend.

(Above from left to right: Amanda Fargo-Johnson and Elaine Sych stand alongside the Connecticut Environmental Review Team Display board which won and award for Outstanding Display, Turkey's on the Watson Farm in Jameston RI, Cows on the Dutra Farm in Jamestown RI with the Newport Bridge in the background, Sharon Ruggi National RC&D President with John Guszkowski Eastern CT RC&D President, Gilbert Stuart birthplace, Amanda Fargo-Johnson, Elizabeth Rogers(Eastern CT RC&D), Norma O'Leary(Eastern CT RC&D), Rebecca Augur(Eastern CT RC&D), Elaine Sych, Mark Cummings(King's Mark CT RC&D), and James Sipperly(King's Mark CT RC&D) take time for a pose during the conference friday night dinner, Gilbert Stuart birthplace Gristmill, Sharon Ruggi with a pirate of the Narragansett, Elizabeth Rogers alongside the Eastern CT RC&D Display Board, A window in the Narragansett Towers, The Point Judith Lighthouse, and the Narragansett Towers, Sharon Ruggi with Elaine Sych.

For more information on the New England RC&D Area Association visit them on the web at www.nearcd.org

Tour de Farms: www.tourdesfarms.org

The King's Mark Ride was held October 13, 2007 in Guilford. CT.

The Eastern CT Ride was held on Saturday September 29th, 2007 and the ride took place in Glastonbury, CT.
Below are some pictures from the event.

Celebrating Agriculture: was held on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2007 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
A day filled with agricultural displays, events, food and entertainment!
Free and Open to the Public, held at the Woodstock Fairgrounds in Woodstock, CT.
www.celebratingagriculture.org
For more information, contact the
USDA Service Center in Brooklyn
(860)774-8397, Ext. 109 Celebrating Agriculture Brochure

Eastern CT RC&D 2007 Annual Meeting: The Eastern CT RC&D held it's Annual Meeting on June 25, 2007. There were over 30 people who attended the meeting at the Lebanon Historical Society Museum in Lebanon, CT. The business meeting was followed by presentation of awards, boxed lunch on the patio, self guided tour of the museum and then a tour of Graywall Farms(Farmer's Cow Dairy Farm) also located in Lebanon,CT. It was also nice to see DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy in attendance. See you next year!

Grace from the Lebanon Historical Society welcomes everyone to the Museum	John Guszkowki(Eastern CT RC&D council president) looking on as DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy addresses the attendees
John Guszkowski Presents Gerry Maine with a Distinguished Service Award	John Guszkowski Presents Robin Chesmer with a Distinguished Service Award
John Guszkowski Presents the Green Valley Institute a Distinguished Service Award, Paula Stahl and Sue Westa accept on behalf of GVI	John Guszkowski Presents Margo Wallace a Distinguished Service Award
Everyone enjoying lunch out on the Lebanon Museum Patio	Everyone who attended the Eastern CT RC&D Meeting stops a moment to strike a pose
Robin Chesmer giving everyone a little background on his farm Graywall Farms in Lebanon,CT	Lincoln Chesmer telling folks about how things work on the farm
"The Cows that make the Milk" at Graywall Farm taking a little break	Robin Chesmer giving everyone on the tour an inside look at the feeding and comfortable habitat for the cows on his farm