Farm-to-Table Cooking Classes are held in the Jones Farms' Harvest Kitchen

Jones Family Farms in Shelton has put summer into high gear with the Red, White & Blue Kickoff of their farmers’ market on July 1 from 3:30-6:30 and the  launch of a Farm-to-Table Cooking Series in The Harvest Kitchen. Jones’ farmers’ market features local food and farmers, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, a kid’s activity, and in celebration of the 4th of July, patriotic music by Fran Scarpa and the Youth Connection’s cast of Annie Get Your Gun. While you’re there, take a look at the new offerings in their Farm-to-Table Cooking series, including farm-style cooking classes, wine and food pairing classes, and children’s farm education programs.

Family Class: Picnic on the Lawn

Wednesday, July 6, 4:30-7:30

Bring the family for an evening on the farm, harvesting fresh produce, cooking together, and enjoying simple summer dinners.

Cost: $60 for an adult/child pair, includes meal

Menu: Ants on a Log, Butterfly Pasta Salad, Caterpillar Fruit Kabobs, Stack Your Own Adventure Sandwich, and Backpack Cookies

Click here to view the complete schedule of cooking classes and events.

Click here to view the complete schedule of farmers’ markets and events.

Jones Winery is open for the season. For  $6.75 plus tax, you will enjoy a sample tasting of 6 Jones’ wines in a beautiful Tasting Room. The fee includes a keepsake 2011 Jones Winery logo wine glass. The Tasting Room is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm.  Read our article about Jones Winery.

via Jones Family Farms

Celebrate local winners of Connecticut Magazine’s “Best of 2010″ at Jones Family Farms in Shelton this weekend, September 25th & 26th. Liquid Lunch (Best Connecticut Soup), Stockbridge’s Cheesecake (Best Connecticut Cheesecake) and Jones Winery (Best Connecticut Wine) will be showcasing their products during Jones Family Farms’ Pumpkin Preview weekend.

From 12pm – 4pm on Saturday and Sunday guests are invited to the Jones Winery Tasting Room courtyard (606 Walnut Tree Hill Road) to enjoy complimentary samples of Jones Wine, cheesecake and cookie samples from Stockbridge’s Cheesecake, and soup samples from Liquid Lunch. Guests will also be able to purchase goods from these groups.

Other activities will include a vegetable market set up by Stone Gardens of Shelton, cooking demonstrations from the Harvest Kitchen Cooking Studio and talks in the Jones Demonstration Vineyard by winemaker Larry McCulloch (talks are at 1pm and 3pm both days).

The farm will be open for early pumpkin picking (including hayrides and corn maze – weather permitting) at their Pumpkinseed Hill farm (120 Beardsley Road, Shelton) from 10 – 5:30 on both days.

Exciting news from Jones Family Farms, Shelton.

Starting Friday July 2nd Jones Family Farms will be hosting Friday Farmers’ Markets, outside their Winery tasting room, from 3:30pm-5:30pm through the end of August.

Scheduled to be on hand are farm market set-ups by Jones, Stone Gardens Farm, Pasta Fina and other guest vendors. The farms will offer goods including fresh vegetables, breads, eggs, pasta, honey and more. Cooking demos, craft projects for children and special themes will highlight the weekly event.

The kick-off on Friday July 2nd is being touted as the Red, White & Blue Farm Market Kick-off Event and will benefit the ACT Spooner House/Valley Food Bank charity. That day the market will be open special hours from 1:30pm till 5:30pm with more children’s crafts and games, special food offerings and a special wine tasting at Jones Winery. Guests attending are asked to bring a food donation for Spooner House. Those unable to bring food, can purchase food at the market and give it directly to Spooner House staff or make monetary donations as well. “Last year’s Red, White and Blue festival was a big help to us. The summer time is tough on the shelves at the food bank and we were able to fill them up after last year’s festival. We hope we can do the same this year,” said John Trovarelli from the ACT Spooner House/Valley Food Bank.

The weekly farmer’s markets are designed to not just feed the public, but to help educate them as well. Allyson Angelini, the Jones Family Farms Market Manager said; “We are very excited! We hope families will stop by the farm to learn about the diversity of agricultural products we produce right here in the White Hills of Shelton. It’s really exciting that our neighborhood of farms can offer such a variety of goods! We hope it will be a great way for families to start the weekend!”

The market will be held at Jones Family Farms that is located in Shelton, Connecticut, off Route 110 – 5 miles North of Shelton Center and 2 miles south of the junction of Route 110 and 111 in Monroe. For more information call the Farmer Jones Hot Line – (203) 929-8425.