Haws, Stark offer outdoor plots at Bannockburn Farm

COLD SPRING — Not everyone has the space for a garden, but to counter that issue, Kelly Haws and Dan Stark have been providing their own space on Bannockburn Farm near Cold Spring.

Having been supported by the community for decades through their involvement with farmers markets, Haws and Stark are returning the gesture by ordering seeds and letting people rent field parcels to grow their own food.

“We have really happy families,” Haws said. “They just appreciate the opportunity to come out as a family on a regular basis and work together. Many of them are returning summer after summer and saving their spot, getting rid of the devices and spending hours working together.”

O’Brien curates antique equipment collection

MAZEPPA —  A peek inside the outbuildings at Dennis O’Brien’s farm reveals a rainbow of tractors representing brands and models going back over 100 years.

O’Brien, who is a 93-year-old retired dairy farmer, has been collecting tractors since the 1980s. Today, his buildings are filled with 46 tractors of every make and model as well as many antique implements.
O’Brien retired from farming around 2010, but he can still be found in the shop fixing and restoring.

“I just like tinkering with them and the challenge to get them running,” O’Brien said. “That’s what I go for.”

O’Brien’s tractor collection is almost 50% restored, and the rest are in original condition. He has predominantly done the work himself, including most of the sandblasting and painting.