Auerfarm Provides W. Burr Landscape and Design, Inc. Apprentice’s with Irrigation Experience on UConn Extension’s Master Gardener Greenhouse
The Auerfarm greenhouse is in full bloom thanks to the efforts of Mark Twiss, Irrigation Manager and his crew from D.W. Burr Landscape and Design, Inc. This spring, Mark Twiss brought in his irrigation apprentices to the Auerfarm Master Gardener greenhouse for a much needed irrigation upgrade. Before the upgrade, water was hand-carried every day from the kitchen area of the farm all the way to the greenhouse. In the true fashion of Auerfarm, the D.W. Burr employees “learned by doing” and received hours of experience needed for their professional irrigation license by installing the irrigation system in the greenhouse.
The UConn Extension Master Gardener Program at Auerfarm has provided horticulture training and a community outreach component over the last 40 years. Master Gardeners share their knowledge and training with others through community outreach programs. Aside from the Master Gardener training, the produce harvested from the vegetable garden is donated to Foodshare. Auerfarm is the only farm in the state to grow specifically to serve Foodshare. On average, over 3,000 lbs of organic vegetables are donated from Auerfarm to families in need per year.
For 46 years, Auerfarm has been committed to engaging people of all ages to learn about farming, science, and the environment. Erica Fearn, Executive Director said, “The future of agriculture education is bright. Although less than two percent of the U.S. population is involved in production agriculture, our food, fiber, and natural resource system requires the services of people that are well educated in the agricultural sciences. Our UConn Extension Master Gardener volunteer program and our relationship with D.W. Burr Landscape and Design, Inc. as well as countless other community partners allow Auerfarm to continue to offer access to hands-on experiential learning and leadership development training in the context of agriculture and gardening.”
Visiting and experiencing life on a farm has plenty of benefits for our physical and mental health, including enabling us to eat better, stay fit, and de-stress. Auerfarm is open to the public daily from 7am – 7pm. We invite you to come visit the animals, the gardens, walk our trails and enjoy all that the 120 acres has to offer. For more information on educational programs, events, corporate outings, please visit www.auerfarm.org or call us at 860.242.7144.
The 4-H Center at Auerfarm is a privately funded, registered, 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our mission is to inspire children and adults to engage in, learn about, and enjoy agriculture, science and the natural environment.