Marina Marchese, Honey Sommelier, author and founder of Red Bee Honey, will be a special guest at the Weston Grange winter farmers' market on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Honey Sommelier and Author Marina Marchese of Red Bee Apiary will be the featured guest at the Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange in Weston on December 3 from 10am to 2pm. During this event, Marina will host her Signature Artisanal Honey Tasting at “The Drizzle Table” and be signing copies of her international selling book, Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper, which will be available for purchase. Also available for purchase will be a wonderful selection of Marina’s Red Bee Artisanal Honeys, gift items, and her honey-based skin care products including lip balm, soaps, honey facial scrub, and beeswax balms.

Marina Marchese is a passionate and inspirational speaker who has dedicated her life to honeybees and educating chefs, foodies and beekeepers about the culinary delights of artisanal honey. The founder of Red Bee® Honey as well as The American Honey Tasting Society, Marina is an unparalleled connoisseur of honey from all over the world. Ms. Marchese is the current president of the Back Yard Beekeepers Association of Connecticut and enjoys sharing her personal story and journey into beekeeping with domestic and international audiences including beekeeping and gardening clubs, woman and motivational groups, libraries and general audiences.

The indoor, heated Winter Farmers’ Market at Norfield Grange kicked off its second season on November 12th and provides local residents with fresh local produce and products through the winter season. The market is open on Saturdays through April 7, 2012 from 10:00am-2:00pm (closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve). Each weekend nearly 20 vendors will set up shop inside the Grange during the market so visitors can enjoy shopping in a warm and comfortable environment. Guests are encouraged to bring reusable bags and their holiday shopping list to purchase local artisan foods and other specialty products, which make great gifts.

This Saturday several new vendors will join the market: Du Soleil (hot soups, tapas, and prepared gourmet food), Pasta Heaven (gourmet pasta), Stoneware by Krisa, Designs of the Season miniature boxwood trees, Laszlo Accessories (belts and headbands), and Weston High School Crafters for a Cause.

Along with the REGULARS: Gazy Brothers Farm (produce), Daffodil Hill Growers (produce + jelly, jam, syrup and more), Eaglewood Farms (meat & eggs), Butterfield Farm (Promote the Goat with cheese, milk, yogurt and more), Whistle Stop Bakery (cakes, pies, muffins & cookies), Pemaquid Seafood, Connecticutly Grown Hot Sauces, The Bites Company, Sticky Nuts, Jesse’s Kettle Corn and Nod Hill Soap, Kareen Kanaga (handmade jewelry), antique & collectible holiday gifts, hand knit infant & kids hats, handmade boxwood wreaths by Weston Girl Scout Troop, picket fence artwork, and more.

The winner of the market’s HOLIDAY TREE RAFFLE will be drawn at 2:00 pm on Dec. 3. Weston Gardens generously donated the 6-7 foot Balsam Tree. Tickets are free with a purchase from any of the market vendors or 3 for a dollar.  If you didn’t win they have 440 more trees for sale down the street; stop on your way home.

HOLIDAY SEAFOOD RAFFLE – 8 Maine Lobsters!  Drawing Saturday, December 17th at 2:00pm.

The Norfield Grange, located at 12 Good Hill Road in Weston, Connecticut, is a community center that hosts events for the residents of Weston. It serves as a meeting place for members of the community to socialize. It also hosts fairs and other farmer’s markets throughout the year, where local vendors sell fruits, vegetables, baked goods, art work, needlework, rugs, photographs and more. It is also home to the Grange Coffee Club, where local artists meet to share their works of art and is available for private events.

For additional information about the Winter Farmers Market visit www.wintermarket-ct.com or www.norfieldgrange.com or call 203-226-8233.  For additional information about Marina Marchese and Red Bee Honey visit www.RedBee.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

Cauliflower is in season. Shocking orange, green and purple varieties beckon from farm stand shelves and farmers’ market stalls. Heed their calls to make this healthy and delicious vegetable the centerpiece of your next meal. A member of the Brassicaceae family, cauliflower and its cruciferous cousins like broccoli, cabbage and kale, are prized for their cancer fighting properties. Purple cauliflower is unique in that it contains anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in red wine.

Steaming and sautéing cauliflower are fine, but roasting coaxes and concentrates its flavors, yielding a tender, sweet vegetable even a kid could love.  To make roasted cauliflower as a side dish, just follow step 3 in the recipe below. Tandem cooking the cauliflower in the oven while the lentils and rice are each cooking on the stove makes for a speedy dinner. You’ll have plenty of leftovers for a convenient lunch or dinner later in the week.

Freekeh is an ancient grain that's recently become more available to the consumer.

Freekeh is a roasted green, or immature, rice, that has a very rich and nutty flavor. It’s toothy texture, not unlike that of whole barley, adds contrast to soft lentils and tender cauliflower. Available in the bulk food aisle at Whole Foods Markets from New York grower Cayuga Organics, Freekeh is prepared the  same way as brown rice, with a ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part grain. I cook all my grains in a rice cooker so I can set it to cook and then open it when dinner’s ready. Rice cookers automatically sense when the grain is cooked and switch to the “keep warm” setting.

Feeds 6-8

Prep time: 15 min.

Cooking time: 25 min.

Cooking requirements: 4 quart saucepan, 2 quart saucepan or rice cooker, baking pan or sheet pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked lentils, green, brown or black (not red)
• 1 head fresh white, orange or purple cauliflower, cut into florets of roughly even size
• 1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
• 1 cup Freekeh (green rice available at Whole Foods Markets in the bulk aisle)
• 1 small head garlic (optional), separated into cloves and peeled (leave cloves whole)
• 2 tablespoons good curry powder (mild or ¾ mild and ¼ hot)
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 bay leaf
• Extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt

Cooking Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and put rack in the center of oven.
2. Rice: Pick out any stray leaves or stones from the Freekah and rinse. Add 1 cup rice and 2 cups water to the rice cooker and set to cook. Or bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan, add 1 cup Freekah, lower to a simmer and cover and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes. The grain does not need to split open and become fluffy to be done.
3. 

   Roast two batches of cauliflower if you like to double up on vegetables as I do.

   Oil the bottom of a baking pan or sheet pan large enough to hold the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Add the florets and whole garlic cloves, drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (enough to coat each floret), sprinkle with sea salt and toss well. Place in 400 degree oven on the middle shelf and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. They’re done when they are easily pierced with a paring knife.

4. Set the 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tsp olive oil, then add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Pick out any small stones from the lentils, rinse, and set aside.
6. Add ginger, curry power, and optional chopped garlic (add only if you will not be roasting the cauliflower with garlic) to the onions. Stir until the spices are aromatic, about one minute.
7. Add the lentils, 4 ½ cups water, bay leaf and salt, raise the heat to high and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered about 20-25 minutes. Taste test the lentils after 20 minutes to check for tenderness. Add more water if it becomes too dried out (you want the lentils to have some liquid in them).
8. Remove the bay leaf from the lentils when done. Remove  the cauliflower from the oven and gently stir into the lentils. Check for seasoning. Serve with Freekah.

When news of the passage of Public Act 10-103, An Act Concerning Farms, Food, and Jobs, began to spread last year, I put in a call to the CT Dept. of Agriculture’s legal expert to get an interpretation. Was it true that farms certified by a CT State Poultry Inspection Program created under the law would now be able to process their own birds and sell them to restaurants? That would mean poultry farmers would be spared the inconvenience and expense of taking their chickens, turkeys and ducks to the only USDA slaughterhouse in the state for processing. Processing their birds themselves, in the farm’s facilities, would indeed be legal I was told, but only after jumping through the necessary hoops to become certified. I wasn’t holding my breath.

I’m thrilled to report that this law is working to strengthen the local food movement in Connecticut. Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky announced today that two farms have been approved by the state Department of Agriculture through this new Poultry Slaughter Inspection Program, making more Connecticut Grown poultry more available to consumers, restaurants, and hotels. MarWin Farm in New Hartford and Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm in Sterling are the first two Connecticut poultry farms to be inspected and approved through the new state program. MarWin Farm is raising approximately 2,500 chickens, 125 turkeys, and 200 specialty birds such as guinea hens and ducks. Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, the state’s largest grower of pastured turkeys, has 3,000 turkeys and 1,200 chickens in production this year.

Commissioner Reviczky said the new program “opens a new door for restaurants looking to serve Connecticut Grown turkey, chicken, and duck on their menus because they are no longer limited to using USDA inspected poultry in order to comply with the public health code.” This is music to the ears of chefs who have been frustrated by limited availability of local poultry. “I just served my first Connecticut Grown turkey from Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm last week,” said Wayne Kregling, executive chef at Brownson Country Club in Shelton. “The quality and flavor were superb, and I am excited to now be able to offer this delicious poultry to my customers.”

Shortly after the law passed, Jonathan Hermonot of Ekonk Hill was asked what it would mean to their farm.

Anyone who’s purchased a chicken from a farm in Connecticut knows that the only way to legally obtain one that’s not USDA certified is to order the bird directly from the farmer and ask them to do you the favor of processing it. This custom slaughter exemption does not apply to restaurants, however, significantly impairing the growth of poultry farms. This new state program allows poultry producers who successfully comply with requirements, pass inspection, and become approved to sell their poultry to an expanded customer base. To comply with the state program’s strict sanitation requirements, which are comparable to those of the USDA program, both Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm and MarWin Farm made improvements to their existing facilities and developed written Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) and recall plans. Ekonk Hill applied and was approved for $10,000 in matching funds through the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Farm Reinvestment Grant to help pay for the facility upgrades.

Note: Ekonk Hill turkeys are available through two sources in Fairfield County. Visit our 2011 Guide to Local & Heritage Turkeys for more information.

The Winter Farmers’ Market at the Norfield Grange will reopen for the season this Saturday, November 12, from 10am to 2pm. The following vendors will be at the market opening, and more will be joining in a few weeks. If you are interested in becoming a market vendor, please check that your products are complementary to those already offered before contacting admin@wintermarket-ct.com.

Gazy Brothers Farm, an IPM, family-owned farm in Oxford, will again be offering a Winter CSA share that can be picked up each Saturday at the market. The fee for 8 weeks  is $160, plus a $40 delivery fee. Download a CSA application from Gazy Brothers’ web site. CSA pick up dates are: 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, and 3/5.

The EPA defines IPM as “the coordinated use of pest and environmental information with available pest control methods to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.”  This process involves three main components: Identifying and monitoring pests, preventing pests from becoming a major problem, and controlling them in the least harmful way possible.

Norfield Grange Farmers’ Market Vendors

Bistro Du Soliel
Butterfield Farm
Connecticutly Grown Hoardable Hot Sauce
Daffodil Hill Growers
Eaglewood Farm
Gazy Brothers Farm
Nod Hill Soap
Pasta Heaven
Pemaquid Seafood
Smith’s Acres
The Bites Company
Weston Gardens
Whistle Stop Bakery

When:
Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm
Opening November 12

Where:
Norfield Grange
12 Good Hill Road
Weston, CT
(off Route 57)

Please visit the website for more information. http://wintermarket-ct.com/

By Analiese Paik

The Slate or Blue Slate variety was formally recognized in 1874 by the American Poultry Association and is growing in popularity according to the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste. Photo c/o Slow Food USA

Thanksgiving is just weeks away and plans for creating delicious and memorable family feasts are in full swing.  Apples, pumpkins, winter squash, quince, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, turkeys and just about anything else you’d need for this harvest celebration are available locally. While buying pasture-raised turkeys from local farms as well as Heritage breed turkeys has gotten easier, some advance planning is still required. Since these turkeys are highly coveted and in short supply, my best advice is to consult this guide and place your order immediately.

The following guide lists all know sources for locally grown and Heritage breed turkeys in Fairfield County that we were able to reach at publication time. I compile the guide each year to make it easier for you to find and order the bird of your choice. While Heritage birds are considerably more expensive than broad-breasted whites, the once-yearly splurge is worth it when guests tell you it’s the most flavorful turkey they’ve ever tasted.

Turkey Cooking Advice

Turkeys are tricky to cook because the breast meat is always cooked through before the thighs are. Every chef I have spoken to advises removing the thighs and roasting them longer than the rest of the turkey to avoid overcooking the breast. There’s no undoing overdone! So whether you cut off the legs before or after roasting, cook low and slow at 325 degrees, and take the turkey out of the oven when it reaches 150 degrees. Let it rest tented in foil and the temperature should gradually rise by 10 degrees or more. If any juices are not running clear as you begin to carve the bird, return the pieces to the oven until they do. Note: Always take the temperature of the stuffing to make sure it’s reached 165 degrees when removing the turkey from the oven. If it has not, remove the stuffing from the cavity and spoon it into a casserole, then bake it until it reaches 165. I prefer cooking the stuffing as a side dish that even my vegetarian relatives can enjoy and filling the cavity with aromatics instead.

A Word about Heritage Turkeys

According to Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste, the Black turkey originated in Europe as a direct descendant of the Mexican turkeys brought back by explorers in the 1500s. The turkey made the voyage back to the Americas with early European colonists where it was crossed with Eastern wild turkeys to create the Black. Photo c/o Slow Food USA.

Almost all the turkeys grown in the US are broad-breasted whites, an industrial breed created with the singular goal of producing a bird with more white meat that matures as quickly as possible. Although these birds don’t taste like much when grown in confinement on commercial farms, they have become so popular that other breeds of turkeys nearly became extinct. Less than 10 years ago, a concerted effort was made to save these endangered Heritage breeds by convincing consumers to buy them from the few farmers that were still raising them.

Not only are Heritage turkeys richer and more flavorful, they’re part of our cultural and culinary patrimony. These are the turkeys that generations before us ate before broad-breasted whites became ubiquitous. Heritage turkeys bear a close reassemble to their wild ancestors so expect long and lean-looking birds with a lot of dark meat. Heritage birds are raised on pasture on small sustainable farms, allowed to roam freely and forage, are supplemented with organic feed, and take twice as long as broad-breasted whites to mature. The price tag will reflect these additional costs. Note: You won’t typically find Heritage turkeys weighing more than 24 or so pounds.

The Naragansett is named for Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island where it was first developed by early colonists who crossed Eastern Wild turkeys with domesticated European turkeys (that were originally brought to Europe from Mexico) according to Slow Food USA. photo c/o Slow Food USA

I’m happy to report that the efforts of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and Slow Food to return Heritage turkey breeds to their rightful place on our dining tables have been successful and it’s now easier than ever to purchase one of these special turkeys for your Thanksgiving celebration. The following Heritage turkey varieties are cataloged in Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste and some are recognized as either “threatened” or “endangered”. It may sound strange, but the only way to save them is to eat them. This year’s demand for these rare turkeys will influence next year’s decisions by breeders and farmers about raising them.

• American Bronze
• Black, also referred to as Norfolk Black and Black Spanish
• Bourbon Red
• Jersey Buff
• Midget White
• Narragansett
• Royal Palm
• Slate or Blue Slate

Where to buy a local or Heritage turkey

Please read through the entire list before making your first and second choice selections. Pasture-raised turkeys from CT, NY, PA and VT plus a few options for Heritage breeds are available, but only in limited quantities.

Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm in Moosup is the largest grower of free-range, pasture-raised turkeys in the state and this year their turkeys are available for home delivery through CT Farm Fresh Express CTFEE (see more below) and at retail from Saugatuck Craft Butchery (see more below). While the breed is Broad-Breasted White, they taste nothing like supermarket turkeys from industrial farms. These turkeys are raised on pasture where they forage for bugs and insects and are raised without antibiotics and hormones. For anyone accustomed to eating store-bought turkeys, these are an excellent step up and a vote for local food!

Saugatuck Craft Butchery in Westport is offering three different types of turkeys and will take orders as soon as their doors open (any day now!) starting Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 am when they open for the first time. Their Grand Opening will take place on November 19. Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm’s Broad-Breasted Whites are raised on open green pasture with free access to feed and shelter and full access to green grass, sunshine and fresh air. The turkeys are processed humanely right on the farm in a State Inspected facility by the farmers who raised and cared for them, treating them with kindness and respect throughout the process. The birds are raised naturally, meaning without growth stimulants or hormones. No additives or preservatives are added during processing. The turkeys come to you exactly as mother nature intended. Sizes and pricing TBA.

Owner Ryan Fibiger explained that the shop is making an exception to their local sourcing credo to offer something truly special this holiday season. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a relationship with Bill and Nicolette Niman, true pioneers in sustainable farming and raising animals according to the principals on which we built Craft Butchery. Bill and his new company, BN Ranch, are raising some of the most unique and sought after birds in the country from the bloodlines of some of the original Heritage breeds. We have sourced a small number of these birds for a few lucky customers.”  According to BN Ranch, their Heritage turkeys are direct descendants of five distinct old breeds (Standard Bronze, Narragansett, Bourbon Red, White Holland, and Spanish Black) from Frank Reese’s Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch in Lindsborg, Kansas. Frank Reese is a renowned breeder of American Poultry Association (APA) approved breeds and is recognized as a crusader in the movement to conserve Heritage turkeys. His turkeys, and those of farmers associated with his ranch, are otherwise only available to our market through Heritage Food USA, which ships turkeys via FedEx Overnight. On the Niman’s ranch the breeding flock is allowed to roam freely on grassy pastures most of the year, grazing and foraging to supplement their all-natural grain and soy vegetarian diet. They are never fed antibiotics or other chemicals to promote growth or replace good animal husbandry. Sizes and pricing TBA. Broad-Breasted Whites from BN Ranch are also available.

Connecticut Farm Fresh Express (CTFFE), an online seller of exclusively CT Grown foods, is selling fresh, Broad-Breasted white turkeys from Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm for home delivery by their drivers for $4.50 per pound. Ekonk’s turkeys are raised on pasture without growth stimulants or hormones. The majority of their diet has been grass and bugs; they are grain fed as a supplement only. To reserve your turkey, download, complete and mail this form with a $20 deposit to CTFFE. Home deliveries will be scheduled for Nov. 21 or 22.

John Boy’s Farm in Cambridge, NY, a “beyond organic” grower of vegetables, poultry and livestock, is offering something new this year: free-range, Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys. They’re “a cross between the Broad-Breasted White and American Bronze varieties which have the characteristics of both the large breast and the heritage flavor” according to John Boy. These turkeys are GMO-free and are only supplemented with feed grow organically on the farm. Choose from 14-28 pounds at $5.50 per pound for pick up only. To place a turkey order, email johnboysmarket@aol.com right away with the weight and where you want to pick it up.  Pick up options are: Nov. 20 at Muscoot, Pound Ridge or White Plains during farmers’ market hours and Tues. Nov. 22 at Erica’s Kitchen in Bedford from 3-8 p.m. Note: Your turkey is not confirmed without location.

Concierge Foods of Bedford Hills, NY, an online seller of farm-fresh and sustainable foods, is offering two different turkeys this year. Fresh, free-range, Broad-Breasted Bronze turkeys from John Boy’s Farm in Cambridge, NY are “a cross between the Broad-Breasted White and American Bronze varieties which have the characteristics of both the large breast and the heritage flavor” according to John Boy. These turkeys are GMO-free and are only supplemented with feed grow organically on the farm. Choose from 14-28 pounds at $6.50 per pound. Also available are two heritage varieties, Bourbon Red and Narraganset, from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative of Lancaster, PA for $5.75 per pound up to 22 pounds in size. These birds are grown on small, sustainable family farms where they are free to roam and forage. Turkeys are delivered fresh to your door up until the day before Thanksgiving. To place an order, contact chef/owner Marc Alvarez with the variety, weight and preferred delivery date at 914-241-9200 or marc@conciergefoods.com. Concierge Foods currently serves Stamford and Greenwich communities.

Mike’s Organic Delivery is selling pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted White turkeys from Hemlock Hill Farm, one of the oldest working family farms in Westchester County, New York. The DeMaria Family raises their turkeys without the use of antibiotics or hormones and feed them natural, locally-grown grains. These birds are free to scratch in the fields and get plenty of sunshine. Size options are: 12-15 lbs, 15-18 lbs, 18-21 lbs, and 21-24 lbs. The smallest size runs about $115 and the largest size is about $175. Fresh (not frozen) turkeys must be ordered by Friday, November 18 for home delivery. Cooking instructions are included. Mike’s Organic Delivery currently serves most of southern Fairfield County, from Greenwich up to Rowayton. Delivery dates are Tuesday, November 22 or Wednesday, November 23, depending on location. All orders must be placed online via the website.

Graze, a specialty provider of Vermont artisanal and farm-fresh foods, is selling fresh, free-range turkeys from Misty Knoll Farms. Ten percent of the proceeds from the sale of these turkeys goes to support Westport’s Wakeman Town Farm, an organic demonstration homestead open to the public. When you order, please use the code WAKEMANTURKEY to activate the promotion. Misty Knoll Farms’ free-range, Broad-Breasted White turkeys are raised on the farm’s lush Vermont meadows, where they are afforded a natural, stress-free environment, a wholesome, all-natural diet and plenty of access to lush pasture, sunshine and fresh water. There are never any pesticides, hormones or antibiotics used to raise these happy birds.  Graze will deliver FREE to your door throughout Fairfield County on Monday, Nov. 21. Email or call 1-888-WE GRAZE to reserve your turkey. Or, place your entire Thanksgiving order online at Graze.

Sport Hill Farm in Easton is selling fresh, pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted Whites from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania. Choose from Naturally raised and Certified Organic turkeys from 12-14 pounds up to 28-30 pounds. Naturally raised turkeys are $3.10 lb.,  certified organic are $4.29 lb., and both need to be ordered by November 10. To place an order e-mail farmer Patti Popp at farmgal596@yahoo.com or stop by the farm on 596 Sport Hill Road. Patti will e-mail buyers when the turkeys have arrived to arrange pick-up at the farm the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Greyledge Farm in Roxbury, well-known for their high quality, grass fed beef and pastured pork and chicken, usually sells fresh (not frozen) pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted White turkeys for pick up at local farmers’ markets. Please direct inquiries to 860-350-3203 or email the farm at inquiries@greyledgefarm.com or in person with Greyledge at the Westport and Darien farmers’ markets. No information was made available to  us by publication time.

If you are unable to source a Heritage turkey locally, visit Heritage Foods USA online to place an order for direct shipment to your home. At publication time, only 8-14 pound turkeys were still available.

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.

The 13th Annual ‘Hawk Festival & Green Bazaar’

October 1 & 2

11 AM – 5 PM

rain or shine

at Audubon Greenwich

613 Riversville Road, Greenwich, CT

This fun, green-themed, family-friendly event is a celebration of the amazing raptor migration which occurs in the skies above the Audubon Greenwich center each Fall. This special event features kids’ activities, games, food vendors, eco-friendly businesses, honey harvesting, and Audubon’s famous live birds of prey shows (1 & 3 pm). This is a great chance to visit Audubon’s Quaker Ridge Hawk counting site and have a great time with the family or a friend.

Among the many eco-friendly vendors at this event, you will find Mike’s Organic Delivery Service and Peace Tree Desserts, sustainable food businesses that have been profiled on our blog. Please stop by the CT NOFA table and join CT’s  largest and most influential organic farming, gardening and landcare organization. Their annual meeting in March kicks off with a nationally recognized keynote speaker, then moves to morning workshops, a potluck lunch (all the guests bring a dish), and extensive networking opportunities. Hope to see you there.

Support your local beekeeper! Two members of the CT Backyard Beekeeper’s Association, Bee Love and Honey Bee Farm, will also be among the vendors and exhibitors. Don’t forget to join the ‘Honey Harvest’ and help spin honey from the combs in the Red Barn.

The Front Yard Coop is a good vendor to visit if you’re considering raising laying hens. This coop is solar powered and self propelled so it “free ranges them across your yard and keeps the predators out.”

FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE FESTIVAL: Click here
Festival admission:
Audubon members: $5 for youth 3 years old & up / $7 for adults over 18 years
Non-members: $7 for youth 3 years old & up / $10 for adults over 18 years
Children under 3 years old can enter the HawkWatch Festival for free.

Phone: 203-869-5272.

FESTIVAL WEBSITE:

http://greenwich.audubon.org/Programs_SpecialEvents_AnnualFestivals-HawkWatch2011.html

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.