During the Aug. 5 Hudson School Board meeting, the School Board received a presentation from Alvirne High School Principal, Steve Beals, and Farm Manager, Emery Nadeau, about the five-year plan for the Alvirne Farm.
It was explained by Beals that the Farm continues to be an educational opportunity for students noting that the farm was the site for a kindergarten field trip this year, saying that CTE staff “put on an incredible program.”
“It certainly is our laboratory for our veterinary science program,” Beals said about the farm.
Beals explained during the meeting that about two years ago the Alvirne Trustees were approached by farm staff with the hopes of making a plan for improvements to the Farm.
As part of the farm, the objective is to “ensure the farm remains a source of pride for Alvirne, the Palmer CTE Center, and Hudson.”
One of the goals of the plan is to improve animal well-being and safety.
Another goal is to improve farm safety for staff, students, and visitors.
“We wanted to improve the safety for staff,” Beals told the School Board.
Other goals, as part of the plan, are to “protect investment of equipment and machinery,” and to update structures.
Beals noted that the Alvirne Farm Trustees have been generous over the years by helping to make improvements to the farm. In the past couple of years, they have spent around $250,000 on the farm improvements.
One of the main improvements that is pending at the farm is the machinery barn.
Beals explained that the machinery barn is in rough shape and any of the equipment is open to the weather.
He explained that they are looking to be able to replace the barn to be able to fit the equipment they have; in order to protect the new equipment they have from the elements.
As part of the improvements, it would include a concrete floor and they would have electricity run to the new building, along with a water line that would run to the new hydrant outside of the building.
For the hay barn, pending improvements include the replacement of the roof, doors, and trim, and it would add electricity, lighting and ceiling to the building.
At the farmhouse, pending improvements include repairing of trim, the replacement of siding, along with the home being reinsulated.
There are also pending improvements that may take place for the driveway in the future including paving it from the top of the gravel driveway to the milk barn and the existing access roads.
At the equine facility, some potential improvements that may take place that are pending include the removal of the old livestock barn and building a new one.
The next School Board meeting is slated to take place on Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m.