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June is Dairy Month
Strawberry shortcake w/ whipped cream, anyone?!
Month:
June | Year:
2014 | Issue:
12 |
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 | | CT's dairy farmers and their cows maintain over 120,000 acres of open space in our state - CT's dairy farms are a significant contributor to our state economy and fresh supply of milk, cheese and yogurt. Check out our CT dairy facts below! |
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Strawberries and our Berry Crop Cards ARE IN SEASON!
Stay tuned for announcements on blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and other CT Grown fruit!
STRAWBERRIES ARE RIPE FOR THE PICKING! Get them pre-picked from your local farm or go out and pick your own! Visit a participating farm and pick up one of our beautiful crop cards!
Our Berry Card features Sing Along Songs, fun facts, fun activities including a no can jam and a Strawberries with Verbena Cream recipe from Chef Tagan Engel!
Download a voucher here and learn more about the campaign! Stay tuned for announcements on the arrival of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries! For a full listing of farms with strawberries on buyCTgrown, click here! |
2 more weeks to track to win! It's easy as 1, 2, 3.
Your weekly progress reports will enter you to win a fig tree or peony from
Cricket Hill!
1. Open your progress report emails (sent out every Sunday morning)
2. Just click the embedded link
3. Enter the $$ spent on locally grown products for that previous week!
We know that growing the movement takes work, so we're providing a little more excitement to help you stay on track with your pledge! Thanks to a generous donation from the wonderful people at Cricket Hill, now through June each time you track your weekly local purchases you are entered in a chance to win either a Chinese Tree Peony or a Fig Tree! The more you track the better your chances are to win!
Stay tuned for more fun contests on buyCTgrown throughout the season!
Questions about tracking or activating? Email us
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Upcoming Events
May 13 to June 22, 2014
Peony Festival
Cricket Hill Garden,Thomaston
2014 will mark our 25th year of growing peonies here at Cricket Hill Garden. It started with just a few plants and a few friends and now we see more than 3000 visitors each year. Our expanding display collection of 400+ named cultivars of peonies blooms in May to mid-June.
Read more>>
June 21, 2014
Beekeeping Workshop III
Massaro Farm, Woodbridge
Space is still available in the upcoming beekeeping workshops, offered at the farm in partnership with the CT Beekeeper's Association, on Saturday, June 21st at 9:00am and again at 11:00am. This class will focus on hive management throughout the summer months.
June 21, 2014
Fit Fest
Bethany Farmers' Market
Bring the whole family to the Bethany Farmers' Market for our season kickoff event! The Fit Fest features exercise and cooking demos, Reiki sessions, naturopathic health tips...and more!
June 21, 2014
Protecting Our Bees and Pollinators
Natureworks, Northford
Bees and other important pollinators need our help! We will discuss planting a succession of blooming plants from spring until fall and the use of sprays to control insects and diseases. Learn the safest, pollinator-friendly ways to control the pests in your gardens.
June 21, 2014
Sun Celebration at Paley's Farm Market
Sharon, CT
Enjoy browsing for gorgeous plants and shrubs while learning about energy efficiency and renewables. We invite all to celebrate our new 36 kilowatt PV system to run our nursery with clean solar power.
Read more>>
June 21 & 22, 2014
Farm Tours and Open House
Greenbacker's Brookfield Farm, Durham
11 am - 3pm both days, we will be having free farm tours and an open house. Come visit the cows and calves, see the milking parlor, tractors, and farm equipment, and sample some Cabot cheese!
Read more>>
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June 22, 2014
Sunday Brunch and The Grill
Hunthill Farm, New Milford
Silo Cooking School hosts a bruch with Chef Daniel Rosati. The menu will be sure to inspire your tastebuds! Participation is $90/person.
Read more>>
June 21, 2014
Fly Fishing and Wine Tasting
Land of Nod Winery, East Canaan
Orvis from Avon, will be providing free fly-fishing lessons that begin on the private pond learning casting techniques and the use of "poppers" in lakes and ponds. Also provide entomology, dry fly and nymphing seminars on the Black Berry River. Finish the day with some wine pairing at the winery.
Read more>>
June 26, 2014
Natureworks: How to Make your Own Cider
Natureworks, Northford
This class will give a basic overview of the history of fire cider and a step-by-step, hands-on demonstration on how to prepare your own.
Read more>>
June 27, 2014
Opening Day of CityCenter Danbury Farmers' Market
Enjoy the bounty of the season every Friday from 11AM-5PM. CityCenter Danbury farmers Market is located at Kennedy Park on Main Street. Dollar matches provides for WIC and Senior FMNP vouchers as well as SNAP and Veteran's benefits. Debit/credit accepted.
Read more>>
June 28, 2014
The Farmer's Cow "Enjoy Milk" In June Farm Tour
Mapleleaf Farm, Hebron
If you can visit a local farm with local cows, then you know it's REAL LOCAL milk! Come to a free family fun tour at Mapleleaf Farm in Hebron. Free family fun for all ages! Our farmers are proud to show everyone how we farm & care for our cows that produce real local & delicious milk.
Read more>>
June 29, 2014
Starlight Gardens Farm Tour
Starlight Gardens, Durham
Starlight Gardens will host the months tour in the series of Farmer to Farmer tours this summer. Located in Durham, David Zemelsky is the first farmer in the region to use the season extension techniques with hoop houses.
Read more>>
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Featured Product - Smyth's Trinity Farm Glass Bottled Milk
We had a great interview with Mike Smyth, Anne Dugas and Sam Smyth about their farm and their incredibly delicious and fresh milk. We learned that the Smyth family has a long and rich history in CT's dairy industry. They have chosen to continue the tradition of bottling their own milk and to service the local community with home delivery of their milk and other products. They also manage an on-site farm store, and attend several farmers markets around the state.
What is the one thing you would like everyone to know about your farm?
"Where we are!" said Mike
"Well that and we are very proud of our product, as true and sound nutrition.
We do not sell any dairy product that we do not make ourselves, because we want that same continuity throughout our product lines. We know what goes into the milk because we only bottle milk from our own cows. We chose to bottle in glass to prevent the milk from absorbing odors and because the glass keeps the milk colder.
When we do expand our product line it is based on that same philosophy, it all goes back to starting with a great product, our milk, and carrying its high quality into another product."
Why do you continue to farm?
"I guess it's because we just love it! It's our family's culture and our way of life. It is the most useful, productive thing we know how to do." says Mike
Several generations of the Smyth's present around the table while we discussed this question. All of them shared fond childhood memories and wholeheartedly agreed that they wanted to continue that tradition and bring up the next generation "on the farm" that same way.
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Announcing The Farmer's Cow REAL Local Campaign
excerpt from June 17th Press Release
 The Farmer's Cow, a group of six family-owned dairy farms located in eastern Connecticut dedicated to educating consumers about farming, sustainability and ensuring farmland preservation, created a new REAL Local campaign to promote authentically local agriculture. The campaign is designed to help food buyers - both shoppers and retailers - identify what is REAL Local and understand the benefits to the economy, the environment and local communities.
Consumers want to know where their food is grown and how it's produced. The REAL Local campaign provides a geographic reference with Connecticut at the center. This understanding promotes not just the member farms of The Farmer's Cow but all REAL local farms in Connecticut.
"Local agriculture is the key to growing a sustainable future for Connecticut," said Chesmer. "The long-term success in our region is dependent on all types and sizes of farms working together to maintain a vibrant agricultural infrastructure and economy."
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June is Dairy Month - Connecticut Dairy facts!
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In 1975 there were 817 dairy farms producing milk in Connecticut. Today there are about 150.
CT dairy farming generates $1 billion of economic activity annually, employing 2,500-4,000 individuals on and off the farm.
Connecticut dairy farms produced 366 million pounds of milk in 2010.
CT dairy farmers crop over half of all Connecticut farmland providing open space, wildlife habitat, scenic vistas and adding to the quality of life for all CT's citizens.
CT's farms range in size from 20 cows to 1,000+ cows.
Check out the CT Cheese Trail to discover the incredible variety and range of fresh and aged CT dairy products made here in CT!
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The CT 10% Campaign is a collaborative project led by
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Thank You to Our New Sponsors!
Tractor Sponsor
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