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.

On Saturday, June 25, Analiese Paik of the Fairfield Green Food Guide made a guest appearance on WTNH’s Good Morning Connecticut Show at 7:49 am to discuss how to capture the fleeting flavors of summer and the newly released cookbook, Connecticut Farmer and Feast.

Watch the video:

Connecticut farm-fresh produce and fruit is filling farm stands, farmers’ markets, green markets, and farm-to-door retailers. It’s the perfect time to enjoy the fleeting flavors of late spring and early summer. Strawberries, rhubarb and garlic scapes are abundant now, but will soon be gone. Here are a few ways to prepare and preserve these local, seasonal favorites.

Strawberries and rhubarb are a magical combination any way you serve them.

Strawberry-rhubarb compote is simple to prepare and delicious hot or cold.

Strawberries and rhubarb are a magical fruit and vegetable combination. Pies, crumbles, compotes and spicy chutneys are favorite ways to enjoy rhubarb. This strawberry-rhubarb compote (fruit cooked in syrup) is prepared very simply and quickly by cooking the rhubarb, which is quite tough and tannic raw, with some sugar, water, and a vanilla bean until tender, about 5-10 minutes minutes, then adding sliced strawberries at the end and cooking them only slightly. The result is a delicious, flavorful, and fragrant strawberry-rhubarb sauce that can be served hot or cold as a pancake, waffle or ice cream topping, spread on toast, or stirred into plain yogurt. It would make a wonderful shortcake topping, no cream necessary. (recipe below)

Fort Hill Farm's organic strawberries were my choice for making this no-cook compote. Some of the berries are so petite they don't need to be sliced.

Millix Farm's spiked strawberry compote contains triple sec and an orange juice reduction.

If you’re looking for a more sophisticated strawberry compote appropriate for adult guests, think of adding some flavored liqueur instead of sugar. Millix Farm Strawberry Compote is a recipe from the just released cookbook Connecticut Farmer and Feast. Author Emily Brooks visited almost 50 CT farms and has profiled each farmer, sharing stories of multi-generational farm families alongside those of first-time farmers. More than 85 seasonal recipes showcase each farm’s products, and in the case of Millix Farm in Willington, it’s strawberries, which are at their peak right now.

In Millix Farm Strawberry Compote Emily Brooks uses Grand Marnier and orange juice, a classic mixed drink combination, to create a decadent dessert appropriate for guests. You can also use triple sec, Frangelico or Amaretto. For the best result, use fresh-squeezed oranges to make the orange sauce. Connecticut Farmer and Feast is available wherever books are sold. We’re giving away a copy of Connecticut Farmer & Feast in our Facebook sweepstakes! Anyone 21 and older who lives in CT can enter the sweepstakes. Click on the Sweepstakes banner at the top of this page to enter or visit the Sweepstakes tab on our Facebook page. Click here to view upcoming book signing events, including several in Fairfield County.

Garlic scapes bundled, just as I received them in my Sport Hill Farm CSA share

Garlic scape pesto is a seasonal treat that can be easily frozen and defrosted for late summer use with tomatoes or a winter pick me up.

Garlic scapes are only available for a very short season and it’s a mistake to pass them over. The scape is the stalk of hard neck garlic and is harvested while young, curly, and flexible so it’s still edible. When the scape straightens, it becomes tough and inedible. Get them now before the season ends! Garlic scapes taste like garlic, but are much milder and add a unique flavor to stir fries, eggs, and soups. I love to buy a large quantity (or just take the plentiful ones in my CSA) and make garlic scape pesto in the food processor, substituting them for basil in a traditional pesto Genovese recipe (recipe below). I then freeze some of it for the winter as a pick me up. The pesto is great simply spread on some good bread, like the #1 artisan bread in Connecticut, The Flaxette from Fairfield Bread Company. It’s a great addition to sandwiches or tossed with pasta. Farmer Patti Popp at Sport Hill Farm in Easton, another farmer profiled in Connecticut Farmer & Feast, likes to add a spoonful or two to yogurt to makes a fresh dip.

Recipes:

Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

This recipe requires a little time to clean, hull and slice the strawberries and chop the rhubarb. After that, it’s done in 10 minutes. The magical combination of strawberry and rhubarb is one not to miss!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups diced rhubarb , 1/4-1/2 inch dice (4 large or 6 small stalks) (remove all leaves, damaged skin and any soft parts)
• 4 cups hulled and sliced strawberries (keep whole if they’re very small) (about 3 pints)
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 vanilla bean (substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)

Serves a crowd!

Preparation:

Garlic Scape Pesto

Sport Hill Farm opens for the season on on Saturday, May 14, with organic spring lettuce mix, kale mix, red butterhead lettuce, bok choy, chives, award- winning Flaxette bread from Fairfield Bread Company, and  other local goodies at the farm stand. Farmer Patti Popp reported that “local farmers are 2 plus weeks behind with things because of the overcast days and cool weather” so please be patient while early crops mature.

Saturday 5/14 special events:

Lil’ Farmer Johns-10:30-11:30

Our children will help keep farming alive for the next generation, and this event will introduce them to some of the activities on a real, working, organic farm. Farmer Patti Popp will lead young your Lil’ Farmer John on an exploration of her farm’s fields where they may encounter a few tadpoles, feed the chickens, plant an herb for them to bring home & have some other fun. Please make sure boys dress appropriately. Parental supervision required, but the adults can sit & enjoy the farm while I keep the little ones busy. $10 per child. This event targeted for ages 4-7. RSVP via email to Farmgal596@yahoo.com.

Country Chicks-Farmhouse Flowers-1:30-3:00

Don’t settle for the mass produced plastic potted floral arrangements, unleash your inner creativity instead. Come to the farm and create a beautiful outdoor centerpiece using a variety of flowers, herbs and found objects. See just how beautiful and unique your arrangement can be. $25 per participant; all supplies are included. RSVP via email to Farmgal596@yahoo.com.

Upcoming Events:

“Meet Me At The Farm”: Tues 5/17 from 11:30-1:00

Come join Amie Guyette Hall , Holistic Health Counselor & Cooking Coach on the farm and see just how easy it is to prepare fresh, local , healthy produce. Tour the gardens and enjoy a farm fresh lunch with take home recipes. Reservations are a MUST. 24 hour CANCELLATION policy in effect. Seating is limited. Come with a friend and enjoy the afternoon. $40 per person. RSVP via email to Farmgal596@yahoo.com.

Cacao Cowgirls: Friday 5/20 from 7:00p.m.- 9:00p.m.

Come join Amie Guyette Hall on the farm for some casual fun and learn the health benefits of raw chocolate. Enjoy a farm fresh salad, fresh bread, drinks, and a raw chocolate tasting. Bring a friend and enjoy some down time on the farm. Please RSVP so we know how many to we need to feed. $25 per person. RSVP via email to Farmgal596@yahoo.com.

FREE Organic Gardening program with Easton Resident Shira Freidman: Saturday 5/21 from 2:00-3:00

Visit the website for a complete calendar of events. http://www.sporthillfarm.com/Events.html

The farm is open from  9:30-6:oo pm  7 days a week in May. Effective June 1, 2011, hours will change to 10am -7:30p.m. Crop Cash customers are free to shop at the market from now through December 30, 2011.

Sport Hill Farm, 596 Sport Hill Road, Easton, CT (past all the other farms, just past Snow’s, on the right side of the road. Look for the red flag.)

Farmer Patti Popp can be reached at farmgal… or on the farm’s Facebook page.

Farmer Patti Popp inspecting her broccoli crop in September 2009.

The 70-year-old Easton Garden Club has put together a beautiful map of the farms of Easton to help guide visitors to the 22 farms that dot the community. You’ll find everything from honey to Christmas trees in Easton!

I love to visit Sport Hill Farm at 596 Sport Hill Road for farmer Patti Popp’s just-picked organic vegetables available at the farm stand located in their newly-renovated barn. The farm is set to reopen for the season on the weekend of May 22 and the farm stand will be open every day of the week from 10-6, except Wednesday. Select products from other farms will also be available this year. Don’t miss the on-farm events for children and family that are held throughout the season.

Lima bean, butternut and patty pan squash soup from last year's "meet me at the farm" luncheon

Who doesn’t love al fresco dining? It’s even more fun when the setting is a beautiful, family-owned farm. Sport Hill Farm in Easton has an irresistible array of  farm events scheduled for this spring and summer, including several farm-to-table  events with local chefs and cooking instructors. Book early because these events sell out quickly. Last summer I attended a “meet me at the farm” luncheon and am looking forward to returning this year.

From Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm:

The tentative spring 2010 grand re-opening for Sport Hill Farm will be the weekend of May 22 & 23rd. Will let you know the details as we get closer to the date & see how construction of our new barn is progressing!!

Cocoa Cowgals on Friday, June 11, 2010

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but chocolate runs a close second! Join Amie Hall, Holistic Health Counselor & cooking coach, to see how very easy it is to make healthy & delicious raw chocolate for your sweet tooth and learn about the health benefits chocolate has to offer.  This is a mix & mingle event with chocolate demos, beverages, tastings & recipes. Please RSVP to reserve a seat. Seating is limited to 20 – ADULTS only please.  Event is from 7:00p.m- 8:30 p.m. $20 per person. Thanks!!

Family Fun- “Farm to Pizza” on Sunday June 13, 2010

Come on out to the country for a little family time and enjoy some of Chef Jeff’s delicious wood-fired pizzas. Sport Hill Farm is the perfect backdrop to enjoy (hopefully) some sunshine, children’s games and a buffet that includes freshly made pizza, salad, dessert and beverages. Click here to read a previous post about Chef Jeff and his portable, wood-fired brick oven catering company featuring locally grown produce and meats.

This event is limited to 15 families per session. Session 1 for lunch will be from 12:00p.m.-1:30p.m..  We will also offer a second seating for dinner if you prefer from 4:30-6:00 p.m. on this day.This is a unique and special opportunity to see first hand how your pizza is made and cooked using a portable, wood-fired brick oven. Cost is $20 per person. A family of 4 -$75 and a family of 5 -$90-. Pre-payment & pre-registration is required. Please e-mail me at FARMGAL596@YAHOO.COM to reserve your place now. In case of inclement weather, the event may be postponed.

“Meet Me At The Farm”

TUESDAY JUNE 15, 2010 -Come join Amie Guyette Hall, holistic health counselor and cooking coach, here at the farm to learn how easy it can be to prepare and cook seasonal produce. The event is held promptly at  11:30 and ends at 1:00 pm. You’ll enjoy a cooking demo and seasonal lunch with recipes to take home. Future dates: May 18, 2010 – not sure of location yet because we are in the midst of rebuilding our treasured barn to a more open and practical facility to serve everyone better . The other luncheon dates are June 15 ; September 21 & October 19.  You can sign-up for one class or all four.  Please RSVP to farmgal596@yahoo.com or amieghall@aol.com. Limit 20 people per class, 24 hour cancelation notice required. Cost is $40 per person, per session. Thanks.

“JUNIOR FARMER”

April 6, 2010

So you want to be a farmer when you grow-up (well maybe). Throughout the 2010 season Sport Hill Farm will be holding junior farmer events tailored to children ages 10-14. Come and learn side by side with farmgal Patti on what it takes to work, manage and run a small family farm. You need to dress appropriately, work cloths are the best. Mud and dirt is par for the course. Monthly sessions will be held beginning Saturday June 12, 2010. Only five children will be taken per session, so sign-up early. Held from 1:00-3:00 at our farm. Please feel free to share with someone who may be interested. Fee $25 per session. They are going to be held on the dates below:

Sat. June 12th 1:00-3:00P.M.

Tues. July 20th 1:00- 3:00P.M.

Tues. August 24 1:00-3:00

Please e-mail me farmgal596@yahoo.com to reserve your child’s spot and if you have any additional questions.

And don’t miss their Summer Farm Camp, held in partnerships with The Unquowa School, for a chance for pre-k through 6th graders to work the farm and cook with local, organic food.

A youngUnquowa camper harvesting a root vegetable with Patti Popp's at her farm in Easton

Want to give your child a taste of sustainable education? The Unquowa School’s Summer Farm Camp is open to children in grades Pre-K through 6^th and “offers the fun of traditional camp while teaching the principles of sustainable food systems and land stewardship” according to Head of School Sharon Lauer. You can download a brochure from their web site.

All but the smallest campers take daily trips up to Sport Hill Farm for a true hands-on organic farming experience and receive daily cooking lessons from Chef Peter. On Fridays, Chef Peter works with the campers to prepare a healthy, well-balanced meal from the foods they’ve harvested throughout the week.

Has your child attended this camp? Mine did and are looking forward to returning this year to work with Patti on her farm and cook with Peter.

Charlie presenting to his fourth grade class about the role of local farms and importance of supporting and preserving them.

Charlie is a fourth grader at King’s Highway Elementary School in Westport who has a deep passion for the farming life. It’s immediately obvious that Charlie would rather be farming than anything else, so when his teacher offered him the opportunity to do an independent study project, he jumped at the chance to share his knowledge and passion with his classmates.

"Farms are becoming rare and it's our job to support them."

Working with his teacher, Mrs. Malizia, he spent the last six weeks preparing a multimedia presentation for his class about local farms and their importance to our community. Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the class presentation. Charlie very confidently stood in front of his class and gave them an eloquent primer on local farms. “Do you know where your food comes from?” he asked the children sitting on the floor around him. He then presented the basic facts about what a farm is, how varied they are in size and nature, defined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and talked about the history of farming in the area. Corn and apples figure prominently in the area’s agricultural past (and present), but I really enjoyed learning that onions were grown in Westport during the Civil War to combat scurvy in the army ranks and “young boys our age would miss their spring and early fall school terms to harvest the onions.”

Charlie and organic farmer Patti Popp, one of Charlie's mentors and idols.

Charlie has a soft spot for Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm in Easton and host to almost 200 children in a summer farm camp run through The Unquowa School. During his “Meet the Farmer” segment, Charlie described Patti as “a hard working organic farmer who sometimes works from 7 am to 9 pm in the busy season on her four-and-a-half acre farm.” Highlighting the special relationship Patti has with her CSA families, Charlie pointed out that “once a week people come to pick up their shares that she picks that morning. Sometimes crops don’t do well, like broccoli this year, but there was arugula, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, peppers, garlic and Swiss chard.”

Charlie's beautiful animal sketches decorated his story board.

“Farms are important to our way of life and we don’t want to lose them. If we can eat what is in season, it will save a lot of energy and fuel. One way to eat locally is to visit the farmers’ markets” recommended Charlie. “More and more kids are eating closer to home” from local farms and community, school and backyards gardens. “If we had a school garden like Staples and Greens Farms Academy, we could use it for science and maybe use the food in our cafeteria” Charlie suggested. One classmate added “cafeteria food isn’t healthy; I don’t like it” and received a roar of consent from the other children.

A young camper harvesting a root vegetable at The Unquowa School's Summer Farm Camp hosted by Patti Popp's Sport Hill Farm in Easton.

“It is important for kids to visit farms because you could like farms and not even know it” pointed out Charlie.  His best recommendation for   learning about farms and farming is to attend a farm camp. And he should know, he’s been attending them for years. “When I was 8, I went to Shelburne Farms in Vermont to their summer farm camp. It was a thousand acre farm, one of the largest farms I’ve been to. We helped collect eggs, feed pigs, help garden and visit the dairy.” At The Unquowa School’s Summer Farm Camp kids plant, harvest and really get their hands dirty at Patti’s Sport Hill Farm in Easton. They also get to eat what they’ve harvested after cooking it back at the school with Chef Peter Gorman. Charlie’s been attending the camp for two years now and said “It’s fun to get in the dirt and help.”

Charlie was nervous before the presentation that his classmates might not care about farms. The unending questions from his classmates proved him wrong.

After the talk, it was all hands as the children peppered him with questions. “What is your favorite farm animal?” to which he responded “chickens, because they give you eggs every day.” “What do you like to do most on the farm?” elicited  “I like planting, harvesting and working with the animals. Harvesting cauliflower was really hard because we had to twist and turn them to get the heads out of the ground.” “Will you grow up to be a farmer?” really required no response but it was wonderful to hear him say that yes, he would, and he’d be just like Patti raising vegetables and taking care of animals.

Mrs. Malizia manned the laptop to run a slide show on the classroom SmartBoard of  Charlie visiting his favorite farms . When he got to the photo of broccoli and cauliflower, one child responded “Nice!” and the photo of hot peppers elicited a “Oh those are good!” from another. It’s obvious that these children know what real food is and like it! One little girl said her mother is an organic gardener and they even have chickens.

The last portion of Q&A was directed at Charlie’s special guest, organic farmer Patti Popp. “Do you really have a farm?” one girl asked almost incredulously. “Yes I do but we had to clear a lot of land to plant the farm” responded Patti. “When did you start?” another wanted to know. “It took many years to clear the land so we are now in our fourth year of farming” explained Patti. In response to  “What is your favorite vegetable to grow?” Patti said with great certainty “tomatoes and spaghetti squash – both to grow and eat!” Chickens are her favorite farm animal and she raises Rhode Island Red hens to provide her customers with farm fresh eggs.

Patti talked about the  summer farm campers’ experiences, ranging from  learning that farm chores need to be done “even when it’s hot, rainy and sticky”, to playing zucchini baseball, to cooking and eating the foods they’ve picked. “Fresh picked food tastes different; don’t say you don’t like something until you’ve tasted it” she suggested. Mrs. Malizia summed up pretty much everyone’s thoughts when she said “I want my son to go to your camp as soon as he’s not one!”

Charlie with his mother Christy and grandmother Janet, holding a gift from Patti - cauliflower fresh from her farm.

After the presentation Mrs. Malizia pulled out the latest issue of Time for Kids magazine entitled “From Farm to You: A Fresh Look at Lunch” and shared that she had used it in class and felt it enabled the kids to better relate to Charlie’s message. It’s not often that a student takes her up on an offer to do an independent project, but it seemed she genuinely enjoyed meeting once a week with Charlie to help him manage the project, sometimes working over lunch with him. He told me that with help from his parents, he researched the history of Westport farms at the library and obtained information about the Westport Community Garden on Hyde Lane from Westport Now, a new resource for him. Welcome to new media Farmer Boy.