#Middlebury #MLT
Left to right, Ben, Mike, Noah, Kerry and Owen Jedd proudly present some of the autumn decorative crops now growing in the Middlebury Land Trust’s Bronson Meadow. Members of the Kalenauskas Farm family, they planted the crops, in a joint venture with the MLT, that will provide fun family weekend activities in September and October. (Janine Sullivan-Wiley photo)
By JANINE SULLIVAN-WILEY
For over 30 years now, the 6.3-acre field on the north side of route 188 near Pies and Pub – Bronson Meadow, a Middlebury Land (MLT) property – has been farmed by the Kalenauskas family. Most years, they grew hay there, but this year passersby noticed something new growing there. The change in crops came about in part due to the pandemic.
Mike Jedd, one Kalenauskas Farm owner, noted how COVID-19 was fostering more interest in safe outside family activities. He also noted the hay they grew in Bronson Meadow was losing quality. Putting the two together, he got the idea he suggested to the MLT – a joint venture with a changeover to crops that had decorative and family fun potential.
That fun will take place over four weekends in September and October when the farm and the MLT will host a series of weekend family pick-your-own opportunities. Dates will be September 18 to 19 and 25 to 26 and October 2 to 3 and 9 to 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Among the autumn decorative and family activity crops that soon will be ready for purchase are traditional carving pumpkins, white pumpkins, five types of gourds, three different varieties of popcorn, three varieties of Indian/ornamental corn and sunflower heads. Unusual crops include corn with purple and red stalks or husks. Examples will provide inspiration for decorations.
Mike, his wife Kerry and their three children were there on a recent afternoon, checking out the field. Noah, the oldest at five, commented “It’s beautiful. We helped plant it. I think it’s gonna be a fun place.” His three-year-old brother Ben agreed. The youngest just enjoyed playing with everything.
On weekends that welcome visitors, families will be able to go through the field and fill bags in three sizes with some of the smaller items, or pick and purchase larger things like corn stalks or pumpkins. Instructions will show how to dry and pop corn (you can’t just stick it in the microwave), maps on where to find things, and information about the MLT and the farm.
Proceeds from the first weekend will go to the MLT, which also helped cover some of the costs of this community-focused venture. Pies and Pub has graciously agreed to let visitors to this event park in their lower lot; you will see a canopy, and the entrance to the meadow will be just up the hill from there.
Kalenauskas Farm itself dates back to 1914, well before the MLT existed. It was a dairy farm until 1986, when they sold all of their cows and spent the next 10 to 15 years in transition. Today the diversified farm’s products include beef cattle, hay, wood shavings for horses, cattle corn for their own stock, and most recently, lamb for meat and fiber. The fields are in Middlebury, Watertown, Morris, Naugatuck and Oxford.
The farm store at 360 Sandbank Road in Watertown, off Watertown Road, sells beef, lamb and fiber products. It is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m., or by appointment. The phone number there is 860-274-8132.
Check the Middlebury Bee or MLT Facebook pages for more information. You can contact this writer at jswspotlight@gmail.com and visit the Middlebury Land Trust on Facebook or the website at middleburylandtrust.org. Happy hiking!.
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