Community Corner

Small Business Profile: Karabin Farms

Christmas season is right around the corner and where better to cut your own tree than right here in Southington with Karabin Farms.

It's Christmas Season once again and for many n the Southington area, cutting your own Christmas tree down is part of the holiday fun.

So what better place to go to cut down your own tree than a local business with 10-acres of Christmas trees including nearly every fir tree you can imagine? Don't feel like cutting your own tree? No problem, because live pre-cut trees are also available for the taking.

Karabin Farms is one of only a handful of places in the greater Southington area where residents have the choice for either, but don't forget to stop by their main store and pick up the ingredients you need for your holiday pies and treats while you are there.

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According to the farm's website, the business started in 1972 and has grown ever since. Take a look at the full bio:

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The farm began as a hobby to instill a sense of responsibility for their children, when Michael and Diane Karabin moved to Southington in  1972.

Before long they had over twenty head of cattle, ponies and sundry other animals. The family, along with retired Plainville High School Principal Ivan Wood, was producing hay for the herd at the Zebrowski farm on Cooke Street at Tinty’s old Plainville Stadium, the Edman farm on Ledge Road and the Pavano property on Pavano Drive. After a day of ‘haying’,  Mike and Diane would go home exhausted, while Mr. Wood would go to a high school reunion, and dance the night away!

Moving to their current location in 1984, meant finding creative ways to keep the kids busy as well as making their newly acquired 50 acres ‘pay-back’. Again, farming was the answer, and it became the  family’s focus. 

Leo D’Antonio, Diane’s father, helped Michael build the barn and fences. Gradually the kids and their Dad planted nearly 2000 fruit trees and over 10,000 Christmas trees. Through the years, Josh and Luke had a vegetable stand the way other kids sell lemonade. Rebecca and Stormie raised replacement Holstein heifers for dairy farms. When they were seven years old, Priya and Tessa asked Santa for baby cows for Christmas. All have been involved in the growth of the farm. As they graduated from college, the Karabin kids brought home marketing and management skills as well as a horticultural degree.  

The current nutrition major credits a lifetime of fresh, healthy food to her choice of major.

Today, in addition to the orchard, there are four greenhouses, 10 acres of Christmas trees,  and a new store area.  Besides fresh fruit and vegetables, we offer local honey, maple syrup, jams, pickles, soup mixes, and gourmet treats such as Crowley Cheese, the oldest cheese-maker in America! We have numerous country furniture items by hand-made artisans in Pennsylvania and Maine.

We offer an extensive selection of specialty candles and soaps.  Home baked pies are available August through December. Flowers are available from early April with custom designed planters available to meet the needs of your yard. In addition to Mums for fall color, we offer an extensive selection of Poinsettia's for Christmas, wagon rides to Pick-Your-Own apples, peaches, and pumpkins beginning Labor Day weekend. Karabin Farms provides special programs for school groups during the fall harvest.

Thanksgiving weekend begins the Christmas season when the store is transformed into a Christmas Wonderland! Choose and cut as well as pre-cut Connecticut trees are available. The store is open daily 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

From early September until late October Open Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hayrides to PYO apples and pumpkins Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Christmas Tree season will begin on Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving, and continue right through Christmas Eve. The price for 2012 has been set at $55 and includes free netting and Christmas tree lock.

Cut-your-own wagon rides will start Saturday, Nov. 24, and will continue, weekends only, until trees are gone. Pre-cut Connecticut trees include Balsam, Douglas, Canaan, Fraser and Blue Spruce.

For more information, visit the Karabin Farms website or follow the Facebook location page by clicking the links provided.

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