By Sally Stauffer
Bruce Kidder has been a significant feature on the landscape of Chautauqua County for many years.
And a beautiful landscape it is too, as you stand in the living room of his spacious home, high on a hill, on Nutt Road. You can see a breathtaking view of two states, spectacular foliage and 1,100 lush green acres of Kidder land, a splendid picture of a farm and greenery for which Western New York state is known.
And Kidder is known for many reasons. He's a successful dairy farmer, a former county legislator, was once a school board member and lives a faith-based life on the Kidder Farm. He's retired from most of these involvements today and devotes himself to the farm entirely.
Reflecting on those years of intense service to what he believes in, what Kidder feels makes him thoughtful. As he looks back on all that he has done and the gratification that he recalls, he feels good. His years as a legislator, ('76 to '84 and '88-96), are good memories. Kidder was chairman of the Finance Committee and overseer of the county budget, as set forth by then-county executives John Glenzer or Andy Goodell. Serious considerations were part of the budget allocations; whether to the sheriff's account, the roads or county highways or the one-half of each county budget that goes to public assistance.
These are guidelines which the state of New York has set. It involves, says Kidder, what was always his motivation, ''to be able to influence the quality of life in people of the county.'' The work of the Finance Committee took much time; he recalls going to finance meetings 14 times in one month.
He does not regret a moment of the time he spent as a legislator but thinks fondly of his years in public service as years well spent.
''Democracy in action'' is how he terms his work with government which appealed to his own innate sense of fairness.
He also spent six years as a member of Southwestern's board of education which, he reflects, ''is a position every parent who has kids in school should be a part of, for any term they wish.''
It is his life as a successful farmer that most stokes interest and enthusiasm in Bruce Kidder. His dairy farm, with 325 cows to be milked three times a day, 500 acres of corn and 500 acres of hay to be tended and harvested, are his duties every day. Every farmer knows this; every farmer accepts these duties as etched in stone, as understood.
The pride in what he does, diligently tending to his animals, is pleasantly drawn on Kidder's face. He states proudly: ''All the milk that leaves our farm every day is tested.'' If the tests are troublesome, all the milk for that day is abandoned. Soil testing is also available for forages and feed.
Modestly, he maintains, ''There are many farms in Chautauqua County where state of the art agriculture is practiced.''
Bruce Kidder is an accomplished man, in all ways. He is a Cornell graduate, class of 1966, with a degree in animal science. He is married and he and wife, Charlene, have three daughters. Tara, along with her husband, Shawn, are part owners of the expansive farm. Jill, like Tara, lives close by. Erin, daughter #2 lives in Delaware. Eight lively grandchildren provide more blessings for Bruce and family.
State of the art farm buildings, lazy cows and lush fields of crops and nature's beauty surround this farm and the life of Bruce Kidder and his wife is enhanced every day.
