WOODBURY – Walking outside this winter feels different as Connecticut has seen a huge spike in snowfall compared to previous years. This winter has actually been the heaviest we’ve seen in ten years, according to the Northeast Regional Climate Center, with some, more rural, areas surpassing 20 inches from a single storm. Though this extreme weather has caused difficulties for some, others, Nonnewaug students included, are benefiting from it. With nearly 25% of the state’s total population being people over 60, shoveling their driveways can often be too much for them to handle when we’re getting tons of snow almost every weekend. 

This is where ag students with skills in operating equipment necessary for combatting snow come in. 

With many already owning their own businesses, finding clientele is definitely easier for Nonnewaug students as their business is their SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience). One of these students being Andrew Venturini, co-owner of My Two Sons Lawncare and a junior in the agriscience program.

 “We tend to have a lot of the same clients from the lawncare side carry over to the plowing side of our business.” said Venturini, “I think it’s because they already know that we are reliable and it’s just easier when you already know who you’re working with.” 

Though snow plowers can be overlooked, they definitely shouldn’t be taken for granted. Plowing often requires waking up in the middle of the night or early morning to clear snow before others wake up. This builds discipline and a “don’t quit” attitude, which is helping to set these students up for their future. This winter has also been a highly profitable one, with more families than usual quickly realizing that shoveling their driveways by hand just wasn’t going to cut it when you’re already looking at 15 inches of snow, and it’s still snowing. 

Another Nonnewaug student who had his work cut out for him this winter was Lucas Potucek, another junior in the agriscience program.

 “I helped out My Two Sons Lawcare a couple times over the past two months when they needed it,” said Potucek, “A lot of people (clients) reached out last minute or some planned in advance when they saw how much snow we were actually supposed to get. Either way, we were out basically the whole weekend plowing.” 

This winter definitely brought a lot of opportunities for students to create connections with possible new clientele, make money, and help build character along the way.

“It’s definitely a demanding job,” said Venturini, “But you get to hang out with your friends and make money all at the same time, and that makes it worth it.”