Rep. Fishbein, Sen. Cicarella Get Update from Geremia Farm

A little more than a year ago, when state-mandated business closures were being enacted and the full scope of the Covid-19 pandemic was impossible to know, State Rep. Craig Fishbein met with farmer Joe Geremia to discuss how the state could assist the wholesale and retail flower industry in a time of incredible uncertainty.

This week, Rep. Fishbein was back at the farm with State Senator Paul Cicarella for an update on how Geremia Farm, and the industry, handled new health and safety protocols, state-mandated closures, reluctant shoppers, difficult Easter seasons, and ever-increasing energy costs.

As Joe led the legislators through the massive Barnes Road greenhouse complex and past rows of thousands of sprouting and blooming varieties displaying more colors than a child’s Crayola box, they talked about farming in New England, diversification of crops to increase harvest and financial yield, automation and the costs of doing business in Connecticut.  Energy costs are always a concern, he said, noting the farm installed a state-of-the-art wood-burning system that uses recycled wood chips to heat the complex when oil prices soared a few years ago. Now, oil prices have come down a bit but he said their system saves them from using thousands of gallons of oil per week.

Rather than sulk about the expense of that system, Joe said the farm was able to leverage that incredible capital investment and produce more than just heat.  The system is so efficient that it allowed the farm to take a risk and grow varieties not previously considered due to strict temperature requirements and high cost to sustain those temperatures.

“It’s truly remarkable to see a large greenhouse in operation, from the automated seed planting machines to the filtered, recycled-water irrigations systems, to the workers who make it all grow,” Rep. Fishbein said. “The ability to innovate and adapt has kept Joe and his hard working staff going through the pandemic, and we benefit by seeing those gorgeous blooms.”

Like many farm markets and stands, his staff continues to maintain social distancing and offering pre-orders and curbside pickup and payment. You can find more information on their Facebook page.