Home Care In Higganum, CT

HADDAM – A $1.8 million state grant to clean up a late-19th-century manufacturing site in Higganum Center for redevelopment is just the start of plans for the area, according to Haddam First Selectman Robert McGarry, if the town can secure another grant for a diverse list of projects along Saybrook Road.

Haddam secured the Brownfield remediation grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development last Friday to clean up the Scovil Hoe Company complex at 11 Candlewood Rd., to allow a developer to repurpose the two long, brick buildings on site.

McGarry said the town has lined up a developer willing to take over and develop the site after it’s remediated – a requirement to receive one of the grants. Farmington-based Parker Benjamin was the only bidder on the town’s request for proposals for a developer that has experience with Brownfield sites, McGarry said.

The firm developed the mixed-use Upson Market Place in Unionville, the Winsted Edge Works retail and office space, and the Greenway Apartments in New London – and are developing a retail and office space called Phoenix on Main in Killingly.

McGarry said he isn’t aware of specific plans to fill the site yet, but it could be similar to the firm’s other developments that include offices, retail, a makerspace, art gallery and restaurant space.

There aren’t vacant shops in the center, and some businesses are looking to expand without space to do so, which means more retail space could be welcome, McGarry said. But the main idea is to develop something that will bring people into Higganum Center to help support the other retail in the area.

“I’ve called this property the diamond in the rough for Higganum Center because it’s got so much potential to bring traffic in, which is ultimately what we’re trying to accomplish,” McGarry said.

McGarry said he doesn’t expect that the development of the Scovil facility would connect to the community septic project planned at the town-owned Haddam Elementary School property across Saybrook Road from the Scovil complex if Parker Benjamin develops something like an office space with low water usage that the existing septic on the property could accommodate.

But if they brought in something like a restaurant or brewery, they might need to hook in to the community septic, and that leach field would be expanded into the town green, McGarry said.

The complex was the fourth and final mill Scovil built in Higganum, erecting the first building on the site in 1880. The two buildings that remain were built in 1887 and 1905, according to Preservation Connecticut.

By the 1940s, Scovil – best known for its “self-sharpening” hoe – was consolidating its manufacturing and sold the site to the Connecticut Department of Transportation in 1942. The DOT modified the buildings into garages and still owns the property today.

McGarry said most of what needs to be cleaned up is from the site’s time as a DOT garage – mainly salt and hydrocarbons. The $1.8 million Brownfield grant will fund the remediation.

The town will have to purchase the property from DOT, and the assessed price is $436,540, according to town property records. The town will then sell the property to Parker Benjamin, though it hasn’t decided yet whether it will sell to the developer at a discount, he said.

“If we make that investment to turn what are basically two abandoned and deteriorating buildings into income-generating, tax-paying properties for the town – that’s a plus,” McGarry said.

Seeking another grant

The Scovil redevelopment isn’t the only change McGarry is envisioning for Higganum Center. On Thursday, the town submitted a request to the Department of Economic and Community Development for another $1.2 million Community Challenge Grant for several projects on the other side of Saybrook Road from the Scovil property.

The plan is to remodel the Haddam Elementary School building into a senior center and replace the unsafe existing playground with a “multi-generational space,” including a modern playground, a dog park, pickleball court, and attractions for older people, McGarry said.

“Probably typical of most towns in Connecticut, our older population is growing and our younger population is shrinking,” McGarry said. “So we’re envisioning a multi-generational park where seniors can come with their grandkids and not just sit on a bench.”

That project would also include installing a sidewalk from the school into the center of town, and then down Depot Road to the recently remediated town property on Higganum Cove – where the town is working to make the area more accessible, he said.

“The nice thing about the Community Challenge Grant is it’s multifaceted,” McGarry said. “The grant for Scovil is strictly a brownfield grant, so we can only use it for cleanup. If we wanted to build sidewalks associated with it or remodel a building, then we’d need another grant. I think it’s good that [the Department of Economic and Community Development] realizes that, particularly to revitalize a small community, you need a grant where you can address multiple areas – as opposed to getting multiple grants.”

The town is also interested in buying the property at the corner of Saybrook and Depot roads – formerly the Rossi Corporation lumberyard, and now home to various tenants, including the town, which uses a building as storage for its public works equipment.

“No offense to Rossi, but they haven’t been paying that much attention to it. The site’s deteriorating, it looks blighted,” McGarry said. “I’ve always felt it’s been a detriment to really getting development in Higganum Center, because it’s right there at the center, and it’s an eyesore.”

There is a developer interested in the site, and McGarry said they envision keeping retail on the front third of the property along Saybrook Road, then potentially a mixed-use development or town storage in the back – depending on what comes up in environmental surveys of the property.

“It all depends on the cleanup and what’s economically feasible, but if we just made it look attractive with retail on Saybrook Road, it’d be a great improvement,” McGarry said.

Brendan Crowley covers energy and the environment for CT Examiner. T: 860 598-0050

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HADDAM — The Candlewood Farm Arts Foundation next month will be hosting the Solstice Symposium 2023, its fifth music festival promoting the study and celebration of classical guitar. These include master classes, expert instruction and world-class performances, according to a press release.

It will be held between June 22 and 26, at Candlewood Farm, a charitable organization located at 95 Jacoby Road; and Higganum Congregational Church, 23 Parsonage Road; both of which are in Haddam.

Held in conjunction with June concerts, these performances of chamber music are free and open to the public, the news release said.

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Joe Zipoli, who graduated from Wesleyan in the 1980s, started the foundation with a retired Wesleyan professor in 2008 with several goals in mind, including supporting chamber music and young musicians, he said.

Solstice Symposium 2023 offers students expert instruction and performances by internationally acclaimed artists, including Grammy-award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux, Dr. Isaac Bustos, University of Texas at San Antonio guitar chairperson; Adam Levin and Dr. Andrew Zohn.

In addition, a special feature of this year’s festival is a presentation on early New England architecture by Connecticut historian James T. Powers.

Registration includes lessons, master classes, presentations and performances, and meals (lunch/dinner), and costs $300. Partial registration is also available.

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A participants’ concert will be held the morning of June 26 at Candlewood Farm. Each performance begins with a show by a Solstice Symposium student, and includes an intermission. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the concerts.

Farm concerts take place at 7 p.m. The lineup is the Li & Zohn Duo, June 22; Duo Sonidos, June 23; and Isaac Bustos, June 24. Jason Vieaux will play the June 25 show at 4 p.m. at the church.

In June 2018, CFAF held its inaugural Solstice Symposium, which now takes place every June at venues throughout Connecticut, according to the website.

The Candlewood foundation mission to support live chamber music and the study and preservation of early New England architecture, especially vernacular structures in the Connecticut River Valley, according to the news release.

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It is located at the Capt. John Smith property, a farmstead in Higganum listed on the Connecticut State Register of Historic Places.

For the farm shows, reservations are recommended by emailing [email protected]. For other information, visit candlewoodfarmartsfoundation.org or call Joe Zipoli at (347) 415-5900.

HADDAM — It may have a new name and new(ish) owners, but a Higganum favorite is coming back for the summer.

Higgs (formerly known as Higgies), reopened for the season April 27, following an abrupt early closure last June due to legal and financial issues with the former owner, according to new co-owner Rebecca Rossitto.

The Facebook post announcing the sudden shutdown of the takeout eatery left questions about the future of the popular mainstay and what happened, with many commenting with their condolences and asking what they can do, she said.

Some iteration of Higgs has been around Higganum since the 1940s, changing hands over the years, but remaining a staple for the community. In 2020, Rossitto and her husband Michael Otlowski took over the seasonal, roadside restaurant, reintroducing it to the town after being closed since 2016.

Last weekend, Rossitto and Otlowski reopened the endeavor. The sign outside still bears the name of the old business, but will soon change, she said.

“We are actually in the carnival business, and during COVID, that wasn't a thing,” Rossitto said, referring to pandemic restrictions. “Originally, we were just looking for a place to set up one of our stands for some roadside concession vending and we were not having much luck, but we happened upon Higgies.”

Rather than open up a stand with cheesesteaks and Italian sausage as they planned, the couple breathed new life into the local institution. Over the last three years, they have run the restaurant at 236 Saybrook Road / Route 154, keeping up with old favorites while also adding in some new surprises (namely updating the chili recipe, a holdover from the forties and one desperately in need of fixing).

“It was actually really convenient,” Rossitto said. “We were nervous about (COVID) regulations and stuff, but that honestly was never an issue. Everyone was respectful. We weren't really sure what to expect from the start, but we were welcomed with open arms, and the town was really supportive in that they were happy to have it open after it’d been closed for so long.

"They were looking forward to having us there and reopening,” she said.

But then, on April 1 of last year, Higgs fans got some good news: Higgs posted again on their Facebook page, announcing that they were back and this time for good.

The couple decided to close down the business last year after finding out about the issues, Rossitto said. “We never wanted to step away permanently. It was sad to have to close so abruptly.”

Higgs now delivers on the same old familiar favorites locals have come to love. The menu will still feature classics such as burgers, hot dogs, fried fish, lobster rolls, and ice cream in flavors including moose tracks, peanut butter pie, and maple walnut.

There’s also the possibility of adding new specialty items, but in the meantime, Rossitto and Otlowski are enjoying the thrill of welcoming back their customers.

“We have new customers every day," she said. "We have regulars that come back and get the same thing. It’s nice to catch up with them. Everything’s been fantastic.

"We’re very grateful for the response we got from town. We weren’t sure what to expect, but they’ve been very, very helpful,” Rossitto said.

The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For information, visit Higgies on Facebook or call 203-985-9518.

May 2, 2023|Updated May 3, 2023 11:12 a.m.

Erin Kayata was formerly a reporter with Hearst Connecticut Media Group. She was most recently the city hall reporter for the Norwalk Hour. She previously covered education for the Stamford Advocate. Erin got her start as a Hearst fellow covering Darien and New Canaan. She previously worked at the Boston Globe as part of its co-op program. Erin grew up in southeastern Massachusetts and graduated from Emerson College with a degree in journalism.

Halfinger Farms welcomes visitors to experience Dancing Daffodils — one of the few pick-your-own daffodil farms in the country.

Patch Staff

Information via Halfinger Farms

HADDAM, CT — Halfinger Farms, located in Higganum, welcomes visitors to experience Dancing Daffodils — one of the few pick-your-own daffodil farms in the country. The daffodil farm’s Opening Day is slated for March 28, 2024 and the season will run through the month of April. A quarter million daffodils will be in bloom, ready to pick your own bouquets, snap some photos, and enjoy themed events throughout the typically four-week picking season.

“As soon as we see daffodils, we know spring is here,” say both Jennifer and John Halfinger, first-generation farmers, who bought the 12 acre farm in 2017, and began to create their pick your own daffodil farm. “Picking your own daffodils is something different for people to do outside in the springtime. If they are wanting to enjoy some ‘me’ time or looking for a family-friendly destination to create a spring tradition and some beautiful memories, then the daffodil farm is the perfect place to visit.”

The couple planted 8,000 daffodil bulbs in the fall of 2019, and opened Dancing Daffodils at the height of the pandemic in 2020. Each year since, they’ve added more bulbs. The 2024 season has over 100,000 bulbs in more than 25 varieties in the fields. Since many of the bulbs will create multiple blooms, the couple anticipates a quarter million flowers this year in three main picking areas: the fireplace area, secret garden, and back yard.

Wearing sensible shoes is recommended for walking in the farm fields. And there is no need to bring scissors — just pluck the old-fashioned way, with your fingers. The cost is 70 cents per stem, with no minimum one must pick. Water is available on-site, yellow ribbons to tie up bouquets, and a vase boutique, showcasing a collection of reclaimed and rescued vessels of all shapes and sizes. The sizable selection is offered on a “pay from your heart donation basis.”

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After picking daffodils, explore the greenhouses where the Halfingers produce and grow a wide variety of plants. Everything from herbs, flowering annuals, perennials, combinations, hanging baskets, and patio planters are available for purchase.

Dancing Daffodils is open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm at 489 Candlewood Hill Road in Higganum, CT. Be sure to call the picking hotline before traveling — 860-345-4609 — for daily updates on conditions. The following family-friendly events will run throughout the month:

Bunnies and Blooms: Join us for a delightful day of hand-gathering farm-fresh daffodils and visit with local rescue bunnies, guinea pigs & chickens. Immerse yourself in the beauty of spring as you pick your own vibrant blooms grown by Halfinger Farms and shop the pop up farm stand by Merryweather Farm—Come celebrate the season at our Spring Fling on the Farm!"Sunday, April 7, 202410 am to 1 pm

Stuffed Animal Day celebrates love and relationships. Bring your stuffed friend to the daffodil farm to experience the magic of PYO daffodils. Capture the moment with a visit to the selfie spot and visit the stuffed animal adoption area, where all the stuffies need someone.Sunday, April 14, 202410 am to 4 pm

Living History Day offers a step back in time. Long before Dancing Daffodils, the stately farm set across from Candlewood Hill, was The Bonfoey family homestead. The Cromwell Historical Society and The Dirty Blue Shirts Living Historians, transport us back to the turn of the 19th century with their beautiful period clothing, entertaining period lawn games, and a glimpse into the lives that Bennanuel, Constance, and their 13 children enjoyed in this riverport town.Saturday, April 20, 202411 am to 3 pm

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HADDAM — A man from the Higganum section of town is combining two very different elements of his life into a volunteer effort to beautify his hometown.

Mike Karam, a 42-year-old brand strategist who knows the importance of image and perception, has launched the Haddam Beautification Committee to improve this small town’s appearance through his passion for landscaping and gardening.

“We need to consider how people view Haddam in relation to other area towns, and how we should project ourselves to businesses and people,” Karam said.

The goal is to “show we have pride in our community. I know we have people in town who care about the community, but you just don’t see it when you drive through the center of Higganum,” he added.

While Karam has gotten a couple of other volunteers, “it’s really just me.” He uses the Haddam Beautification Committee Facebook page to try to attract the effort, which launched in April.

Karam said his initial focus is on on Higganum Village. He has already cleaned up trash and debris, and weeded a median strip in front of a food market that “was an eyesore, and it’s what you see when you drive into the center of town,” he said.

He also mowed and weed whacked a vacant property that formerly served as a bank. He trimmed the area a second time this past weekend, Karam said. A property across the street on Route 154 / Saybrook Road also was overgrown with weeds six feet high that were encroaching on the sidewalk.

Karam cut all that out, mowed and edged the property. “Now you can walk on the sidewalk,” he said.

He also wants to help area merchants. “I want to work with local businesses to offer design help,” he said, “basically to present properties in a curb-appealing way.”

If Karam gets more volunteers, the group may actually be able to do some more for the businesses themselves, he said.

One of Karam's goals is to get the town to focus more on beautification. “We don’t have to settle for mediocrity,” he said, adding that he has, and will continue to work with First Selectman Bob McGarry.

Haddam contracts a landscaper to do the landscaping work, although, McGarry said, the vendor has fallen behind. In the meantime, additional vendors have been used.

In addition, McGarry said the weather has made it hard to seek outside help because landscapers were sidelined by all the rain in the area. Now they are playing catch-up and it’s hard to find an available landscaper, the first selectman added.

“We’re trying to find a few contractors to get us through this difficult period,” McGarry said. He expects a new contract for beautification to be out for bid later this year.

McGarry said the town supports Karam’s efforts, and the economic development office has set aside $500 to reimburse his expenses.

The first selectman appreciates Karam’s volunteer ethic. “Small towns would not exist — with the character and qualities they have today — without volunteers who give so much of their time."