Lamont Gets an Earful at Gathering to Discuss Farmland Values
A friendly, then heated discussion
The meeting was held at Bishop’s Orchards, a family farm founded in 1871, in a cider hut styled like a tap room. The atmosphere was at first relaxed. Politicians, officials and their staff chatted before the meeting. Host Keith Bishop welcomed Lamont, who poured himself apple cider.
Among those present were Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey, Connecticut Farm Bureau head Paul Larson and State Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford.
But only 10 of the 40 attendees were farmers – according to an informal showing of hands prompted by a member of the audience – despite the event being announced as an opportunity to talk with farmers.
“You should have been coming into October 1st with a four or five-day beard because you were up all night long trying to figure out what the hell went wrong,” Grijalva said. “Do you, Commissioner Hurlburt, have our back as farmers? Because if you don’t, we will not be here. And it’s not in 20 years or 50 years. It’s like in five years we will not be here.”
