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JOHN VISNY was born in Connecticut with a love for farming. He joined 4H in Newtown, CT. Because of his extraordinary accomplishments in 4H he was admitted to Connecticut Agricultural College even though he had only 8 years of school.
While in College, he miked cows to earn money to defray expenses and eventually achieved a BS Degree. During those 4 years he continued to get support for expanding 4H in Connecticut. His efforts paid off and he was asked to speak to the members of the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture in Washington, DC in 1928. |
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After graduating he worked as a farm manager at the UNH Highfield Farm in Kensington, NH and later at the Blue Chip Farm in Hampton Falls NH. In later years and until his death, he owned and managed the 70 acre farm here in Sandwich. A place he dearly loved and would later donate to CSVW to be enjoyed for generations to come.
John always planted 2 large gardens and as the crops would mature he would invite the neighbors in to the garden to pick his towering Silver Queen corn or his abundant green bean crop. He would accompany you and instruct you how to dig your own potatoes. Among the neighbors who were not invited were the raccoons who lived very near by.
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He waged a never ending battle that he never won. Beaver were also unwelcome neighbors as they would cut down his fruit trees. Today there are still a few trees wrapped with hardware cloth to protect them from those sharp teeth. To accommodate the beaver John hired Randy Brown to dredge out a pond upstream from Tea Cup Lake so the beaver could have a place to call their own. John affectionately named it Randy's Pond. |
Back on his upland property he planted Black Walnut and Chestnut trees for future generations, along with balsams for anyone to cut down for Christmas. Generations of bear, moose and fox were often seen enjoying the blueberries in the large field overlooking Tea Cup Lake.
As mentioned before, upon John's death he gifted the woods, field, and Tea Cup Lake to CSVW asking that the land he so meticulously hand groomed be preserved in its undeveloped conditions for everyone to enjoy and love as much as John did.
John was recognized for the part he played as a member of 4H County Club Committee in his home state of Connecticut. Around 1923 he was awarded second place in the contest for the Moses Leadership Trophy at the International 4H Club Congress. In presenting John's name the State Club Leader said: "John Visny is one of the most outstanding boys we have come in contact with in club work in Connecticut. John has been a deciding factor in improving the conditions within the home, within the community, within his county, throughout the state and eastern states. The story of his work has been an inspiration to
many young people."
It was shortly after this John was admitted to Connecticut Agriculture College as an experiment to demonstrate that he could do college work. He went on to graduate. This was achieved without a high school education.
June 1930
Connecticut Agricultural College
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Visny Woods, Tea Cup Lake & Field
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John Visny's family on a
recent visit to CSVW.
L to R: John's nephew, Robert Visny; John's grandson Scott Visny;
and John Victor Visny
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Research and text provided by Sue Rowan, Chapman Sanctuary Board of Directors.