A judge at the Cannon Grange Fair in a previous year, reviews vegetable entries for the fair. Wilton’s oldest community organization, has launched “The Grange Exchange,” a free swap shop of heirloom gardening, along with nature books, plants, and seeds.
Contributed photoCannon Grange, Wilton’s oldest community organization, is launching “The Grange Exchange,” a free swap shop of heirloom gardening and nature books, plants and seeds.
Cannon Grange has been educating and advocating for best practices and broad opportunities in local agriculture since its founding in the late 1800s. Although its membership has evolved from big agriculture to backyard farming and gardening, its mission remains the same: to support the community, with a focus on conserving our natural resources, being good stewards of our environment and supporting local, regenerative and sustainable agriculture.
Dearta Fusaro, Cannon Grange’s president, notes that the “community has shown great resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic,” and a sharper appreciation of the vital roles farming, food and nutrition play in maintaining healthy immunity. She contends that people are more sensitive to where our food comes from and how it’s grown and more families are starting or expanding gardens. There’s a need for plant material and knowledge, and community connection - needs our new “Grange Exchange” will help meet.
The “Grange Exchange” can be found in front of the historic Cannon Grange Hall at 25 Cannon Road in Wilton, by the Cannondale Metro-North station. The opening ceremony for the Grange Exchange will be on Sunday, June 6,, at 1 p.m. in front of Cannon Grange Hall, during the Grange’s local crafts fair.
“We hope this new community effort will become a spot where folks can drop-off their extra books, plants and seeds for others, as well as pick up a few items that help with own their gardening and food growing projects. The best seeds are local seeds,” Fusaro said.
Cannon Grange is also known for its much anticipated annual agricultural fair, to be held this year, 2021, on Sunday, Aug. 29.
Cannon Grange welcomes new members. Contact the organization on www.cannongrange.org, Facebook at Cannon Grange 152, or Instagram at (@thegrangeexchange).