Events for the Autumn Months

Although summer unofficially ends for most on Labor Day, the true first day of autumn is September 23rd. With the leaves about to change and cooler weather on the way, I thought it would be a good time to let readers know about a variety of events throughout Connecticut during the autumn months.

The State Department of Agriculture and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) have calendars on their websites that list a number of fall events in our area of the State and beyond. I will highlight only some of these exciting and educational happenings.
A full list of events can be found at http://www.dep.state.ct.us/calendar/listevs.asp?selecttype=all and http://www.ct.gov/doag/cwp/view.asp?a=1366&q=259026&doagNav.

Many people are not aware, but the University of Connecticut began as an agricultural school and it’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is still one of the best in the country. On October 8th, the College hosts its twelfth annual Cornucopia Fest in Storrs. There’s fun for the entire family including a tour of the UConn horse barn, hayrides, a horticulture show, tips on gardening and planting, and fresh food.

On a similar note, in our part of the State the Northeast Organic Farming Association is holding its annual Fall Harvest Festival on November 4th at 123 Huntington St. in New Haven. The event is free and open to the public.

There are also several Educator Workshops for young students that the DEP helps promote. On October 10th at the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Sanctuary in Litchfield, experts will teach those children in attendance how humans affect aquatic habitats as well as the basics of water science and the variety of structural adaptations in wetland systems.

Later that month, on October 19th at the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby, the topic will be everyday plants found in the schoolyard or at local farms that many may be unaware of. In addition, in an effort to help instill traits of conservatism of our natural environment in our youths, a workshop is being held on October 25th at the Connecticut Forest and Parks Association in Middlefield. A variety of activities designed to introduce concepts essential to the preservation of our forests, water, soil, and biodiversity will be discussed.

Finally, on November 18th, all kids that are involved with scouts are invited to take part in A Day in the Wild, an event held at the Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby. For only $3 per scout, boys and girls can have the opportunity to earn a badge. Activities include wildlife watching and identifying animal tacks. If you are the parent of a scout or know someone who is, this promises to be a fun and educational day.

There is not enough room to list all there is to do in Connecticut for adults and children during these fall months. I encourage you to log on to the websites I mentioned above to get a full list of events and make plans to attend.

As always, I welcome your phone calls and e-mails on any state issue that may be of concern. You can call my office toll-free at 1(800) 841-1421 or e-mail me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.