Craig Floyd
Craig Floyd is a tenth–generation farmer from Stonington. Currently, he is the Farm Manager at the Giving Garden at Coogan Farm which is owned by the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic. A social activist and regenerative no-till, no spray farmer, Craig is a Ted Talk presenter as well as a frequent speaker on regenerative farming techniques. He teaches a year-long course in regenerative farming and his volunteer-run Giving Garden has donated more than 65,000 pounds of produce over the last five years.
Rob "Digga" Schacht
Huntsbrook Farm owner and operator Rob Schacht (better known as “Digga”) studied natural resource management in college, which eventually led to his journey as a farmer. While rebuilding the original homestead on his current property, Digga often admired the beautiful fields across the street. He realized, by farming those fields, he could live his passions for good food and love of the outdoors. To support the farm’s development, Digga worked in special education and construction, eventually establishing and owning a contracting business.
Eunice Sutphen
Eunice is the director of the Eastern Connecticut Community Garden Association (ECCGA). ECCGA is a non-profit organization that helps other organizations and residents build raised beds for community gardens to grow fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables. All materials, plants, fencing, and seeds used to help establish the ECCGA’s gardens are either donated or purchased through grant funding. The ECCGA supports environmentally sound practices, such as rain barrel collection for water, composting, soil testing, soil amendments and gleaning. By encouraging small community gardens, the ECCGA educates the public on health issues and their relationship to food.
Bruce Cohen
Bruce Cohen, PhD is currently a small farm owner in East Lyme having retired from 34 years of oncology research and development at Pfizer Inc. His current passion is to expand his knowledge of regenerative farming to merge a scientific approach to a better understanding of how what we eat is directly linked to good health. He is currently on the Board of Directors at the East Lyme Giving Garden and serves as the Director of Education and Site Operations.
Sally Uden
Sally is a resident of East Lyme and serves on the Board of Directors at the East Lyme Giving Garden as the assistant garden manager. Sally is an accomplished beekeeper with several hives at her home and has given local seminars on the basics of bee keeping. Sally is a member of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association and a former member of East Lyme’s Pollinator Pathway group.
Rebecca McKeown Cave, MS, RDN
Becky Cave, MS RDN, a Niantic resident, is a Corporate Registered Dietitian for Subway® Restaurants. Becky is a 2008 graduate of East Lyme High School who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut before receiving a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Buffalo. While in Buffalo, Becky focused on sports nutrition and worked with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Since returning to Niantic, Becky has tapped into her passion for helping others by supplying nutrition and ingredient information to Subway restaurants around the world. Becky is also passionate about wellness and loves to create simple, healthy recipes for busy families.
Sally Ruggeri
Sally Ruggeri, PhD, a resident of Waterford, retired after 30 years as a research chemist at Pfizer Inc. She is certified as a Master Composter and Advanced Master Gardener in the state of Connecticut and spends her time volunteering at the East Lyme Giving Garden and Harkness Park. She also mentors interns in the University of Connecticut Master Gardener certification process and works in the office at the New London County Extension, fielding queries from home gardeners.
Lizanne Farley
Liz is the Director of Garden Management and Vice President for East Lyme Giving Garden which produced 7,700 pounds of regeneratively grown organic vegetables in 2022 for those in need. She has over 20 years of home gardening experience. Before coming to the garden, Liz has extensive prior business experience as controller of several Fortune 500 companies. After raising her family in East Lyme, she currently resides with her husband in Salem.