TRANSITION GRANT IN ACTION
DESANTIS FARM PROMOTES PIG AND POULTRY PRODUCTION
Desantis Farm of Watertown was established by Mike Desantis in 2012. Mike founded the farm with little to no equipment--just some
pigs and a love of farming. By 2019, Mike and his wife, Joann, and three daughters, raised over 100 pigs a year, meat birds and turkeys, sold eggs, grew ten acres of produce, 5,000 bales of hay, and over 40 acres of corn for the pigs and poultry.
Though the farm had expanded tremendously since 2012, the Desantis family felt the farm could do more. Mike says, “Every year, we aim to grow a little bit bigger. We take pride in growing bigger, but staying within the limits of what our family can do. We have many plans for the future. This year, we are looking to grow even more with our farm stand business and offer more to the community at the local farmers market.”
Further expansion of the farm was limited by the existing pig and poultry barn, which had suffered damage during a snowstorm that collapsed a majority of the roof.
The awarding of a 2020 Farm Transition Grant enabled Desantis Farm to construct a 60’ x 80’ x 16’ pole barn—plenty of room to increase pig production by 50%, hay storage by 30-40%, and poultry production by 50 additional birds. Completion of the project resulted in a space where the animals can safely be housed and allow for a productive farming environment. Mike says, “We came to the state of Connecticut hoping to be able to secure funds to help us improve our farming goals and needs. We would likely not have been able to accomplish this without the help of this grant, and we appreciate the opportunity this has afforded us.”
The FTG is a competitive matching reimbursement grant for Connecticut agricultural producers and agricultural cooperatives. The Farm Transition Grant is provided through the State of Connecticut Farm Transition Grant Program, established in 2005 through Public Act 05-228, An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Land Protection, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation.