By Analiese Paik

Dinners at the Farm are a mecca for local food lovers in search of a unique, seasonal meal enjoyed at the source.

Back in 2007 Jonathan Rapp, chef/owner of River Tavern in Chester, and Drew McLachlan, then chef/owner of Feast Gourmet Market in Deep River, recognized the vast, untapped potential of reconnecting people with their food and the land. The two entrepreneurs partnered to establish Dinners at the Farm, a series of plein air, farm-to-table, community dinners held on select Connecticut farms every July and August for the last 5 years. The perennially sold out events are powerful fundraisers for the very organizations working to preserve farmland and create a more equitable food system –  Working Lands Alliance, City Seed Farmers’ Market, and Connecticut Farmland Trust. They’re also a mecca for local food lovers in search of a unique, seasonal meal enjoyed at the source.

Dinner at the Farm's signature red food truck is a kitchen on wheels.

For 2012 Dinners at the Farm is adding a third farm, Scott’s Farm & Greenhouses in Essex, and holding dinners there for eight nights in September. July and August host farms will once again be Barberry Hill Farm in Madison and White Gate Farm in East Lyme.

Click here for the 2012 dinner schedule and to pre-purchase your tickets. Now through March 30, all Thursday and Sunday dinner tickets are $100, a 33 percent discount off the regular price.

Dinner under the tent at White Gate Farm, a 100-acre organic family farm specializing in produce, poultry, eggs and flowers.

The Farm Apprentice program at Wakeman Town Farm is designed to teach the ins and outs of organic farming and gardening to middle schoolers through hands-on instruction from seed to harvest. During the Spring Session, students will be challenged to plan, design, prepare, and plant the Wakeman Town Farm gardens.  Some of the activities that students will participate in alongside instructor Michael Aitkenhead include garden planning, seed starting and planting, and garden preparation and maintenance.  Aitkenhead, a Staples HS Environmental Teacher and 2009 Westport Teacher of the Year, oversees the Farm where he lives with his wife and children. Students will also help to care for farm animals (chickens, rabbits and honeybees) while also learning about sustainable farm practices like composting and renewable energies.

Wakeman Town Farm's edible gardens in season.

This is a unique opportunity for students to learn about science and nature in ‘nature’s classroom’ instead of the typical school environment. This program is perfect for students who like to get their hands dirty while learning about the environment.  It is also a great opportunity for students to practice problem solving skills and critical thinking in preparation for their high school experience ahead.

*To extend the experience, students are encouraged to register for the farm apprentice summer session, which runs through July and August, or the fall session, which starts in September.  For more information about this and other Wakeman Town Farm programs, visit them online at www.wakemantownfarm.org

• Fee:  Standard Charge $175
• When:  Most Thursdays from February through June, 2012.
• Specific Dates:  2/2, 2/16, 3/1, 3/15, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17, 5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28
• Time:  3pm – 5pm
• Location:  Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport Public Schools
• Ages:  Middle School Grades 6-8
• Registration Dates:  Rolling (January 1, 2012, 9:00am through June 28, 2012)
• Register by mail: Checks made payable to Town of Westport, with “Wakeman Town Farm” in the memo.
• Please mail your payment to: Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport, CT, 06880
• Questions? Call us at 203-557-9195 or email wakemantownfarm@gmail.com

Where is the local-sustainable food movement heading? What trends can we expect to see in our locale and beyond in the coming year? We asked our blog contributors and a few of our friends to weigh in and the results are as diverse as the bounty our local lands and waters provide.

“I see more people than ever growing at least some portion of what they eat in home and community gardens and more home cooks preparing food from local sources (and consummate growth in demand for cooking classes).” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“The organic food category will continue to see double digit growth and higher prices will become evident as we compete for precious land and natural resources. I see strong growth in large landowners leasing a portion of their estates to young farmers (think Speckled Rooster in Westport) to increase local production and provide young farmers with the experience they need without requiring them to buy their own farms.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“There is a groundswell of interest in heritage and heirloom foods (a boon to biodiversity), including cheese made from milk from rare Devon cows (heritage milk cheese), heirloom fruits and vegetables, and meat and poultry from rare cow, sheep, pig, turkey and chicken breeds.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“The high-end specialty food category will continue to see strong growth and new product introductions as consumers slow down and begin to taste and appreciate the unique flavors and sense of place (terroir) reflected in single origin, single varietal chocolates, teas, coffees, olive oils and honeys.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“New and exciting craft beers and micro-distilled spirits will continue to experience huge successes as consumers show preferences for  traditional beverages with interesting back stories. Once-lost crops – like beer hops now being grown by farmers in New York state – will usher in a new era of restoring lost local brewing and distilling traditions.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“Artisan foods, including cheeses, charcuterie, jams, jellies and specialty sauces, will continue to replace industrial choices in the homes of discerning consumers willing to pay more for higher quality, handmade products which showcase the finest local and organic ingredients.” Analiese Paik, founder/editor, Fairfield Green Food Guide

“Pop-up food. Seasonal foods made in small batches. Now you see them, now you don’t. When they’re gone, they’re gone.” Lloyd Allen, The Double L Market, Westport. http://www.doublelmarket.com/

“The trend we’re seeing at the Milkbar is non-caffeinated, ‘natural’ beverages. Herbal tea (hot & cold) and juice consistently outsell coffee. Many customers come in saying, “I’m not doing caffeine anymore,” or “I quit coffee for health reasons.” Perhaps this is because we’ve become known for our sweet herbal tea blends, but 7 out of 10 people ask for tea over any other beverage, regardless of gender and time of day.” Jeena Choi, Babycat Milkbar and MamaCat’s Q Tea, Wilton http://www.mcqtea.com/Home.html

“Diners are jumping at the opportunity to eat at the source. Dinners at area farms have been so successful because we want to know our farmers, see the crops in the field, and enjoy flavors at their peak.  As these farm to table dinners, at the farms and in area restaurants, gain popularity, I believe we will see them offered more frequently.  Getting diners to the source of their food will encourage them to make shopping their farmers’ markets a weekly habit, too.” Liz Rueven, founder Kosher Like Me, www.kosherlikeme.com

Naked Wine. “This past year, I have noticed more wineries producing wines that have been made with less intervention on the part of the winemaker. Many are using grapes that have been grown more sustainably, or have been grown using organic and/or biodynamic methods. Less intervention usually means the wine produced is more reflective of its terroir. One of the most exciting non-intervention trends I have seen is an increase in winemakers using indigenous, or wild, yeasts as opposed to cultured yeasts. Wild yeast is naturally present on grape skins and in the air. Although many winemakers eschew their use due to difficulty predicting the taste of the end product, indigenous yeasts produce wine that is more reflective of its terroir.” Cheers! Renee B. Allen, founder, Wine Institute of New England http://wineinstituteofnewengland.com/

Stop and Taste the Honey…all the honeys. “We are clearly seeing a defined trend in the way customers choose their honey. They are consciously tasting and choosing single-origin honeys by their individual flavor profile preferences. They are also understanding that pure honey is an agricultural product with limited availability.” Marina Marchese, founder of Red Bee Honey, Weston, CT. http://www.redbee.com/

“I’ve seen a huge increase in DIY foods- from make your own bread and butter, to kits for making cheese and pickles at home- even brewing your own kombucha! Another trend is school gardens.  I’m hearing about more and more schools throughout Fairfield County that are putting in small gardens to help teach children where their food comes from.  Kids help plant, tend and harvest the produce, as part of their regular school day.  I love it!” Jennifer Spaide, founder/editor, Simplicious Magazine www.simpliciousmag.com

Consumers are Catching on about Sustainable Seafood “Consumer awareness of poor management of our fisheries is on the rise thanks to responsible educational campaigns from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Whole Foods. Shoppers are beginning to understand whether or not the fish on their plates (or in the fish case) was sustainably harvested or was caught through poor management practices, and making more responsible choices.”  Betsy Keller, MS RD

What trends do you see? Please share them below, on our Facebook page, or submit them via email to info@fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com.

Most of us pour it on our pancakes and waffles without a second thought, yet maple syrup is an agricultural product with a long history in the eastern US. European settlers learned to harvest sap from sugar maples and make syrup and sugar from Native Americans. Various Native American legends offer differing accounts of how the sweet sap was discovered, but my favorite is a more recent version. Maple Moon borrows from legend to weave the fictional tale of a young boy whose natural curiosity about nature led to his discovery of maple tree sap. It’s a wonderful book to read by the fire with a young child.

Bill Hill of Warrup's Farm demonstrating how a maple tree tap works

Maple syrup is only produced in Connecticut during a few short weeks in February and March, just as the spring thaw begins. A good harvest depends on weather conditions so yields will vary. According to the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut, freezing nights and warm sunny days are necessary for sap to flow and be collected from taps during the day.

Asian Longhorned Beetles can devastate maple trees. Please report any sightings immediately and do not bring in firewood from other states.

Just recently, a  study conducted by Cornell University raised the specter of decreased maple sap production in the eastern US by the turn of the century due to climate change. Our beloved and iconic maple trees are also at risk of attack from Asian Longhorned Beetles, an invasive species with no natural predator that is making its way across the northeast. Please help protect our trees by reporting any beetle sightings via email to CAES.StateEntomologist@ct.gov or contact the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven:

Dr. Lou Magnarelli – 203.974.8440
Dr. Kirby Stafford – 203.974.8485
Dr. Victoria Smith – 203.974.8474

Pouring off the freshly made syrup from the evaporator once it's reached the right stage

Vermont may be our country’s biggest maple syrup producer but many farms in Connecticut tap their trees (the sugar bush) and hold maple sugaring demonstrations in their sugarhouses for the public’s enjoyment. In Fairfield County Warrup’s Farm in Redding, Ambler Farm in Wilton, and the Stamford Museum & Nature Center (Heckscher Farm) invite the public to visit and watch as large vats of sap collected from their tapped trees are boiled in wood-fired evaporators to reduce the water content, concentrate the sugar, and produce thick, delicious maple syrup.  Try tasting sap still sitting in a collection bucket (don’t use your finger!) and comparing it to the same sap that’s been processed into maple syrup. It’s a great way to appreciate the volume of sap necessary to produce a gallon of syrup – 40 to 1 according to the Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut. Visit their website for a complete list of Connecticut sugarhouses open to the public.

Brookview Sugar House makes wood fired maple syrup that they sometimes bottle for gift giving.

Now that you fully appreciate how special Connecticut maple syrup is, why not buy a few bottles as holiday gifts? I picked up a beautiful  glass bottle etched with a maple tree, bucket and falling leaves from Brookview Sugar House at the CT Wine Festival this past summer. I know it will make the perfect gift for someone special. Visit a winter farmers’ market to buy a few bottles or visit Brookview Sugar House, Rick’s Sugar Shack or McLaughlin Vineyards online to place an order.

Are you inspired to tap your own trees? Tap My Trees is a company dedicated to helping do-it-yourself types harvest their own sugar maple sap and turn it into homemade maple syrup. Perhaps you have a DIY family member or friend on your holiday gift list? Tap My Trees sells all the equipment and instructions (a book and DVD) necessary to help anyone through the entire process from preparation to cleanup. Maybe you’ll even get a bottle of their syrup as a gift next year.

By Analiese Paik

Autumn has arrived and with it come the final weeks of many favorite farmers’ markets. A few will morph into indoor winter markets, giving local residents a means to continue buying local food from each farmer throughout the winter (more on that soon). As you head out leaf peeping, plan to visit local, organic farms to shop at their farm stands, some of which are located inside toasty barns. A visit to a local farm stand is a fun family outing that reconnects you with the source of your food and helps you discover the unique and delicious flavors of CT Grown foods.

The following farm stands are located on family farms that are either certified organic or are committed to using organic growing practices. Each spring and summer they open their farm stands to the public to enjoy the healthy vegetables and fruits they’ve grown for the community. Quite a few are open through late fall.

Ambler Farm, Wilton (follow organic growing practices)

257 Hurlbutt Street, Wilton, CT, 06897

http://www.amblerfarm.org/

amblerfarm@gmail.com

Follow the farm on Facebook.

On October 29, 2011, Ambler Farm announced their last farm stand of the season from 10:30 until 3:00 pm. Check their website for upcoming classes and events at the farm.

The big red barn at Ambler Farm is one of several historic buildings on this community farm that have been preserved and restored through the work of Friends of Ambler Farm.

Close your eyes and imagine the quintessential New England farm you’ve read about in books. Picture the rolling fields and stone walls adorned with a farm house, red barn, ice house, and white carriage house. Open your eyes and you’re at Ambler Farm, a gem of a 200-year-old working farm in Wilton where Farmer Ben grows organic produce.

Farmer Ben's organic fields and tools are mostly safe from critters behind the fence.

A community farm open 365 days a year, Ambler Farm in Wilton holds a regular farm stand on Saturdays from 10:30-3:00 from late May through early October and is a regular vendor at the farmers’ market at the Wilton Historical Society (currently closed for the season). During the spring Ambler takes orders for a wide variety of vegetable transplants, including heirloom varietals, easing the work of backyard gardeners. The summer brings tables piled high with freshly picked organic cucumbers, peppers, onions, summer squash, tomatoes, eggplant, beets, basil, cilantro, Swiss chard, garlic and more.

Broccoli maturing in the educational garden.

The Friends of Ambler Farm have made it the farm’s  mission to celebrate Wilton’s agrarian roots through active-learning programs, sustainable agriculture, responsible land stewardship, and historic preservation. Their high quality, hands-on learning programs for children and adults take place year round and include popular summer farm camps. Special events like their annual farm-to-table dinner and annual Ambler Farm Day, are important fundraisers which help sustain educational programming. Among my favorites seasonal events are the honey harvest and maple syruping. If you haven’t yet tried their estate maple syrup, grab a bottle for yourself and another as a gift. Check the farm’s event calendar and sign up for their e-newsletter to stay informed. To learn more, read our feature article about the farm.

Garden of Ideas, Ridgefield (Certified Organic)

647 North Salem Road  Ridgefield Connecticut 06877

http://www.gardenofideas.com/farm_stand.html

Open 8am to 7pm daily through Thanksgiving. The farm stand is located behind the barn and easily accessible from the parking area.

The farm stand at Garden of Ideas carries an attractive assortment of fruit, honey and maple syrup from area farms, including Amber Farm's maple syrup.

Open daily from March through Thanksgiving, this one-acre family farm goes “beyond organic” standards, and even employs some principles of biodynamic farming, to provide their customers with the most environmentally friendly and nutrient dense produce possible. Garden of Ideas promotes plant biodiversity by growing a large variety of crops, including immensely popular heirlooms, alongside beautiful non-edibles that bloom sequentially to supply their bees with nectar throughout the season.I like to call this sanctuary the Garden of Eden because it’s so beautiful and tranquil. Visit our Garden of Ideas photo album on Facebook to see gorgeous photos from our Summer 2011 visit.

In springtime, the farm sells seeds and starter plants to help you get your own backyard garden started. Join the 2012 CSA waiting list if you live in the area.

Guy’s Eco-Garden, Shelton (Certified Organic)

Open dawn to dusk through early November

Holbrook Farm, Bethel (follow organic growing practices)

45 Turkey Plain Road (Route 53 South), Bethel, Connecticut 06801-2874
Tel (203) 792-0561
Fax (203) 744-6748
Email info@holbrookfarm.net

http://holbrookfarm.net/index.html

Now open daily 9-6 except Sunday, when they’re closed.

Holbrook Farm in Bethel sells a wide variety of organic produce grown at the farm, plus goodies like tart cherries from CT orchards, dairy from CT dairy farms, and baked goods from local artisans.

Holbrook Farm Market & Bakery is located inside the big red barn and feels more like a mini grocery store than a farm stand given the diversity of product available. Fresh produce is displayed in the open cooler and adjacent shelves along with a wide variety of fresh-baked goods including artisan breads from Bantam Bakery. Eggs from the farm’s free-range chickens and dairy products from several different farms including raw milk from Stonewall Dairy in Cornwall, pasteurized milk and cream from Arethusa Farm in Litchfield, and fresh goat’s milk from Butterfield Farm Dairy in East Granby, can be found in the double refrigerator cases. Cheese fans will rejoice in seeing favorites like Cato Corner Farm and Beltane Farm along with Sprout Creek Farm from NY, which makes both goat and cow’s milk cheeses. I tasted a selection of Sprout Creek’s cheeses twice recently and found Sophie, a bloomy rind goat’s milk cheese, to be a standout.

Dairy products from at least three CT dairy farms are available at Holbrook Farm Market, including milk and cream from Arethusa Dairy.

You can make a complete and quick at-home meal from your shopping trip to Holbrook Farm. After you’ve selected your vegetables, bread and dairy, check the refrigerator and freezer cases for smoked sausages and bacons from Mountain Products Smokehouse in Lagrangeville, NY plus chicken meatballs and turkey burgers made from naturally-raised, free range birds. You can even order fresh fish from Frankie’s for pick up at the market. Visit the product page on their website for a complete listing of vendors and products.

Head straight to the open coolers for farm-fresh, organic vegetables like these beautiful parsnips.

Among the dry goods you’ll find pantry staples including honey, maple syrup, oils, vinegars, salts, and jams and jellies, including an impressive selection from award-winning, artisan producer Winding Drive. Their apple pie jam won first place in the  CT Grown category at this year’s CT Specialty Food Awards Competition, but I prefer their peach jam for its pure, peak-of-ripeness flavor. Be on the lookout for Winding Drive’s Habanera Gold Jelly and Roasted Garlic Caramelized Onions spread, both of which tied for second place in the savory condiment category at the same competition.

Sport Hill Farm, Easton (follow organic growing practices)

596 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT 06612

http://www.sporthillfarm.com/

Now open daily 9-6 except Thursday when they’re open 10-7:00. Hours change throughout the season. Visit Sport Hill Farm on Facebook.

Sport Hill Farm's farm stand is located inside the air-conditioned barn to keep the food fresh and visitors comfortable.

Open 7 days a week, the farm stand is located inside a state-of-the art barn where visitors can shop in comfort for everything from asparagus and lettuce in the early spring to garlic, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and squash in high summer, to hardy greens, at least three kinds of winter squash, celeriac and pumpkins in the fall. Fruit from local farms and Red Jacket Orchards is brought in as a one-stop shopping convenience. This year the cherries, plums and strawberries were fantastic. Apples, including rare heirloom varieties, and Seckel pears have arrived for fall.

Organic, hard-neck garlic is available at the farm stand each year.

Sport Hill Farm is well-known for their popular CSA, crop cash and Farm to Chef Connect programs, but they offer much more. Campers from the  summer farm camp run by The Unquowa School visit the farm to learn where their food comes from. A wide variety of on-farm programs and special events, including canning classes and lunches at the farm, help reconnect adults with out food roots and  teach us new skills (private events are welcome). A boutique selection of artisan food products available in the barn includes Fairfield Bread Company’s Flaxette, Peace Tree Desserts’ line of cajeta caramel dessert sauces made with CT goat’s milk, Arethusa Farm’s milk and yogurt, plus organic, vegetarian side dishes and vegan cookies from GreenGourmettoGo.

In early October squash, green beans, arugula, cucumbers, leeks, sorrel, Swiss chard and turnips were available at the stand along with new crop garlic.

Update as of 11/5: The farm stand is located in the main barn and is open 7am -6 pm, 7 days a week closed except for their harvest of Jerusalem artichokes which were harvested last week and are delicious raw or cooked. It is set up for the honor system, but someone is usually there.

October offerings includes arugula, Scarlett Queen salad turnips, radishes, Trombocino Squash,  sorrel, Swiss chard, garlic, parsley, oregano, and tarragon picked daily.

Sticks and Stones Farm is a 60-acre organic sanctuary famous for its stone and moss gardens. This stone masonry farm and retreat features a wide variety of habitats—a mountain, meadows, woods, cultivated areas, and fields, and wetlands—all loaded with their associated wild plants and mushrooms. “Wildman” Steve Brill comes to the farm to lead foraging tours three times a year -early spring, summer and fall – as each season offers different wild edibles to scout and collect. The farm offers cabins for rent, and offer year-round events and artists workshops.

The Hickories, Ridgefield (Certified Organic) closed for the season

126 Lounsbury Road, Ridgefield CT 06877
tel: 203-894-1851
fax: 203-894-1851

http://www.thehickories.org/

The farm stand at The Hickories is neat and tidy and worth visiting to pick up fresh-picked vegetables and a one of their tasty chickens.

The farm stand located on Loudon Road is the only way, other than a CSA share, to fully enjoy their certified organic vegetables and ground fruit. Limited produce is available through Ancona’s Market. The farm stand will be open daily from 11am-6pm in spring 2012. We will update this post next year to provide you with complete farm stand information.

An early August visit yielded beets, carrots, lettucs, garlic, broccoli, potatoes, and tomatoes. The peaches were for CSA shareholders only.

If you live in Ridgefield, you surely know that Dina Brewster’s USDA/Baystate certified organic farm, The Hickories, is the only farm left in Farmingville. When you hear Dina talk about her CSA families, it’s clear that building community gives her joy and satisfaction. Dina increased the number of CSA shares offered on farm last year to 200 so some families had a rare chance to get a share last summer. Please register directly on the site to join the waiting list for 2012 now. Both fruit and vegetable shares are offered including 113 varieties of vegetables plus strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples and peaches. Share add ons include bread, eggs, meat and locally produced cheese.

Warrup’s Farm, Redding (Certified Organic)

11 John Read Road, Redding, CT 06896, 1.2 miles north of Redding Center, off Route 107.

Organic vegetables available at the stand in August included newly harvested garlic, a wide variety of heirloom and other tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and cabbage.

Visit this farm stand throughout the season for organic vegetables and cut flowers, in mid July for organic peaches, and in October for potatoes, garlic, onions, pumpkins and hay rides. Come back in March for maple sugaring demonstrations that the whole family will enjoy. Be sure to get on their CSA list for next season if you live nearby. Warrup’s produce, fruit, and flowers can also be purchased at the Weston farmers’ market on Saturdays where they are a vendor (currently closed for the season).

The farm is also open seasonally for pumpkins and cut your own Christmas trees. Maple sugar demonstrations are typically held the first three weekends in March from 11-5. Warrup’s Farm announced a summer/fall CSA Program last year and it quickly filled up with 30 families.  Please click here to add your name to the waiting list for 2012. It’s best to visit Warrup’s website for posted schedules or call 203-938-9403 to plan your visit.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

1:00pm-3:00pm

at Sport Hill Farm, 596 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT

Sustainable Pastry Chef Robyn Eads, founder of Peace Tree Desserts, invites you to an artisanal honey tasting celebrating the single nectar source honeys of Weston-based Red Bee Honey. The three course eco-luxe tasting menu prepared by Chef Eads features Red Bee’s artisanal single-nectar source honeys and foods from local artisans and organic farms in Connecticut. Each course will be paired with wines from Connecticut wineries (selections TBA).

The afternoon will begin with a Prosecco and cheese reception featuring artisan and farmstead cheeses from Connecticut’s own Cato Corner Farm and Beltane Farm paired with Red Bee’s honeys. Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm, will lead guests on a tour of her organic farm. Guest speaker Marina Marchese, honey sommelier, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, will masterfully pair her line of artisanal honeys throughout the tasting and share the captivating story of her personal journey into beekeeping.

Chefs Eads' plated desserts are works of arts that pay tribute to the local, sustainable and artisan ingredients which make them so unique.

ARTISANAL HONEY TASTING MENU

Cheese and Honey Bar

Artisanal Cheeses from Cato Corner and Beltane Farm, Red Bee’s Single-Nectar Source Honeys, Locally Sourced Accompaniments

1st Course

Lady Apple, Grapefruit, Whipped Crème Fraiche, Bee Pollen, Mint, Ginger,

Apple Honey-Lime Vinaigrette, Honeycomb, Pomegranate

2nd Course

Pumpkin Honey, Goat Cheesecake, Warm Bamboo Honey Candied Pumpkin, Pistachios

3rd Course

Taza Chocolate, Beets, Chocolate Stout,

Cocoa Nibs, Buckwheat Honey

$75 per person

Seating is limited to 30 guests.

To reserve your seat online, please visit www.peacetreedesserts.com

For more information about Chef Eads, click here: Peace Tree Desserts: Local, Luxe and Luscious

For more information about Marina Marchese, beekeeper, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, click here.

Foraging Tour at Sticks and Stones Farm

with Naturalist/Author “Wildman” Steve Brill

Sunday, Oct. 2

2:30-4:30

Wildman Steve Brill foraging for edible mushrooms at Sticks and Stones Farm. Photo contributed by Sticks and Stones Farm.

“Wildman” Steve Brill has been leading foraging tours for years at Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, a 60-acre organic sanctuary famous for its stone and moss gardens. This stone masonry farm and retreat features a wide variety of habitats—a mountain, meadows, woods, cultivated areas, and fields, and wetlands—all loaded with their associated wild plants and mushrooms. Steve Brill comes to the farm to lead tours three times a year -early spring, summer and fall – as each season offers different wild edibles to scout and collect.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, naturalist/author “Wildman” Steve Brill will lead one of his world-famous wild food and ecology tours at Sticks and Stones Farm. Bring a paper bag and small trowel, wear good walking shoes and a hat, carry a water bottle, and apply insect repellent.

Annie Stiefel from Sticks and Stones has a message for anyone interested:

“Nuts are at their peak now, and we’ll be on the lookout for black walnuts, shagbark hickories and white oak trees, all delicious, and unavailable commercially. Autumn fruits will also be in season. We’ll be looking for wild raisins, which taste like bananas and prunes; American hackberries, which taste like the candy coating of M&Ms; flavorful wild apples, hawthorn berries, somewhat similar to apples; and common spicebush berries, an allspice-like seasoning. Herbs, greens, and roots such as sassafras, lamb’s-quarters, burdock, common evening primrose, field garlic, sheep sorrel, mullein, and wild carrots may also be in evidence.

This is a great time for mushrooms, especially if there’s been lots of rain beforehand. We’ll look for honey mushrooms, chicken mushrooms, hen-of-the-woods, honey mushrooms, puffballs, meadow mushrooms, and oyster mushrooms.”

The house boat is one of the rustic residence available to guests looking for a quiet retreat.

While you’re at Sticks and Stones, enjoy the farm stand which is open 7 days a week in the main barn from 7am until dusk. Organic tomatoes, haricot verts, garlic, banana fingerling and Yukon gold potatoes, sorrel, Swiss chard, herbs, Trombocino and yellow squash can all be found at the farm now. Visit the moss and stone shop,  experience the 54′ labyrinth, and check out the cabins for rent.

The 30-minute talk and 90-minute tour begin at 2:30 PM, Sunday, October 2, at Sticks and Stones Farm at 201 Huntingtown Rd. in Newtown, CT. Wear good walking shoes, bug repellant if desired, bring a small trowel, paper bag and knapsack.

The fee is $25/adult, $10/child under 12. Please bring cash. Please call (203) 270-8820 at least 24 hours in advance to sign up.

Questions? Call or email Annie at anniesands@gmail.com and visit the website at http://sticksandstonesfarm.com/.

Visit http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/ for more information about “Wildman” Steve Brill and his foraging tours and book.

The big red barn is one of several beautifully restored buildings at Ambler Farm. It's a great place for kids and families.

The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) is putting on a Honey Bee Jamboree at Ambler Farm in Wilton on Saturday, September 17, 2011 from 10 am to 3 pm. Guests will be given a passport with all the honey bee events listed on it and are encouraged to get their passport stamped as they visit each station.  Guests who visit all the stations get a prize! A suggested donation of $10 per family to Ambler Farm will help sustain their honey bee program. BYBA may charge a nominal fee for a couple of the stations to cover their expenses.

Honey Bee Jamboree activities led by BYBA master beekeepers include:

• Teaching Hive (Beekeeper’s equipment, photos of frames showing various things you might see inside a live hive, empty real equipment,veils, smokers, etc. to talk about and try on)
• Observation Hive w/ live bees “under glass”
• Honey Tasting (varietal honeys to taste and compare.  Held indoors  so as not to attract neighborhood bees in great numbers)
• Honey Extraction (also held indoors, same reason. Jars available for folks to bottle some to take home.)
• Bee’s Wax Candle Rolling
• Bee Toss (a bean bag game)
• Pollination Game (a flower-to-hive relay game)
• BYBA Farmers’ Market
• Bee Tent, Videos (screen-sided tent w/ nuc hives inside and beekeepers to “inspect” and show to spectators outside
• Honey Ice Cream Making
• Face Painting

You may also shop the Ambler Farm farm stand from 10:30-5 pm. Be sure to bring your own bags or boxes.

Ambler Farm is located at 257 Hurlbutt Street in Wilton, CT. There is ample parking at the farm, which is open to the community 365 days a year.

About the Back Yard Beekeepers Association:

The Back Yard Beekeepers Association (BYBA) has been educating the public about honey bees and beekeeping for fifteen plus years.  With over 300 members, our association has grown to become one of the nation’s largest regional clubs for beekeeping hobbyists. Some of our members are just getting started as beekeepers, and some have enjoyed this hobby for years. All share an interest in the wonderful and remarkable world of the honey bee. This regional club is dedicated to promoting beekeeping as a hobby, and spreading the good word about the remarkable honey bee.

The purpose of the BYBA is to provide its membership with interesting and practical information about the “how-to’s” of beekeeping. The club also provides the general public with educational programs about honey bees and the benefits of beekeeping in our communities. The BYBA is a not for profit, 501C-3 charitable organization.

There are 9 monthly meetings that begin at 7:30 pm on the last Tuesday of the month in January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October and November and are held at the Norfield Church Community Room, 64 Norfield Road, Weston, Connecticut. There is usually a meeting designed specifically for new beekeepers at 6:30 pm (prior to our regular meetings).  The Wannabees is a program offered for children.  These events are free and open to the public.

For more information visit the Back Yard Beekeepers Associations’ website, www.backyardbeekeepers.com.

Barbara Kingsolver advises us in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to make and jar tomato sauce and other “convenience” foods now so we can prepare quick meals in the winter. I’m taking her advice. Memories of arriving home on cold, dark winter evenings with hungry kids in tow is not that distant a memory. I remember being grateful for the jars of organic tomato sauce I had bought from Riverbank Farm each Thursday at the winter farmers’ market in Westport. They were my ticket to a fast, slow food meal. Now it’s time to bump it up a notch and can my own. Goodness knows the farm stands and farmers’ markets are still overflowing in fresh-picked tomatoes.

If canning and preserving are not your strong suits, fear not, because you are not alone. You now have a chance to learn from the pros at Millstone Farm during a preserving workshop on Saturday, September 17, from 1-3 pm. You can even bring your own tomatoes for canning. I had planned to freeze a lot of food for the winter, but the recent, extended power outages caused by Tropical Storm Irene have given me pause. My corn kernels and plums are safely frozen only because I was able to get bags of ice to avoid a freezer meltdown. Canning requires no ongoing use of energy and is immune from power outages. :)

This is the first in a series of workshops Millstone Farm will be hosting about preserving food. Please RSVP directly to Farah at 203-834-2605.

“Wildman” Steve Brill Wild Food and

Ecology Walking Tour

Sunday September 4, 2:30-4 p.m.

Sticks and Stones Farm, Newtown

Wildman Steve Brill foraging for edible mushrooms at Sticks and Stones Farm. Photo contributed by Sticks and Stones Farm.

“Wildman” Steve Brill has been leading foraging tours for years at Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, a 60-acre organic sanctuary famous for its stone and moss gardens. Steve Brill comes to the farm to lead tours three times a year -early spring, summer and fall – as each season offers different wild edibles to scout and collect. Bring a paper bag and small trowel, wear good walking shoes, carry a water bottle and apply insect repellent. You never know where Wildman’s going to go as he follows his nose. Maybe there will be chestnuts on the American chestnut tree (a rare and delicious treat as most American chestnuts were wiped out by blight in the early 1900s). Finds from past years include meadow and other mushrooms, hawthorne berries, lamb’s quarters, wild carrots, field garlic, acorns (white oak), and shagbark hickory nuts.

During Wildman’s” 90 minute tour you will learn to find, identify and gather seasonal edible shoots, leaves, weeds, mushrooms and more from the land. You keep what you gather. Fees: $25 per adult, $10 per child under 12. Kindly RSVP to Annie at 203-270-8820.

The house boat is one of the rustic residences available to guests looking for a quiet retreat. Photo contributed by Sticks and Stones Farm.

While you’re at Sticks and Stones, enjoy the farm stand which is open 7 days a week in the main barn from 7am until dusk. Organic tomatoes, haricot verts, garlic, banana fingerling and Yukon gold potatoes, sorrel, Swiss chard, herbs, Trombocino and yellow squash can all be found at the farm now. Visit the moss and stone shop,  experience the 54′ labyrinth, and check out the cabins for rent.

Questions? Call or email Annie at anniesands@gmail.com and visit the website at http://sticksandstonesfarm.com/.