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Summer may be over but the action continues at Hilltop Farm.
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Fall News from Hilltop Farm!
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The Harvest Dinner & Silent Auction was held on September 5th. The weather was beautiful, the band, The Bedlam Brothers String Band, was great, the food was excellent and the conversation under the tents was great fun! Three hundred guests enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Hilltop Farm.
There was an impressive collection of fine art, goo
ds and services at our silent auction and we send a Special Thanks to our sponsors, our Partner Farmers, our volunteers who planned and toiled for months to make it all happen, and to our guests who supported this ann
ual tradition. The Harvest Dinner & Silent Auctio
n is our most important fund raising event of the year, and helps support all of our restoration and educational projects and programs.
F
arm Fest 2015 was held on Labor Day, September 7th. Over 1000 people attended. Everyone enjoyed the warm, sunny weather at the farm. The demonstrations of Adam Harris's Amphibians and Wingmasters, with Birds of Prey, along with spinners and chickens were some of the exhibits and fun. Of course, The Tractor Parade was a hit and everyone enjoyed the cows and pony rides. Jack Bucior won Cow Chip Bingo. Jack is the owner and Chef of Suffield Pizza.
FOFAH was also present at the
Suffield On the Green annual
community even
t with our six foot rooster, Gregory Peck in our booth.
FOFAH also hosted
a drawing for a "front porch chicken".
Because of your support, these events were a huge success and fun for all!
Thank you.
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What's Coming Up Next At Hilltop Farm .......
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September 26th is National Public Lands Day
Join us at the Farm for our annual celebration of Public Lands on September
26 from 10 AM-2:00 PM. As you know, FOAFH
manages 79 acres of farmland for t
he To
wn
of Suffield's Con
servation Commi
ssion and the community.
During this national celebration, during a nature walk on the North Trailway at 11:00AM where some notable trees will be identified to develop a self-guided tour of trees for all visitors. Other activities will be scheduled for that day will include a tour of the Butterfly and Pollinator Gardens. For additional information, check our website at www.HilltopFarmSuffield.org.
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A New Pollinator Garden Adorns the Flag Pole
Around the flag pole that faces Mapleton Ave (RT 159), Naturalist Educator and FOFAH Board Member, Bobbie Rodgers has completed the planting of a perennial garden that will attract pollinators.
Bees, butterflies, etc are the flying insects, or pollinators that are drawn to this garden.
Our goal is to create gardens and landscapes that help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other pollinators in our region. These attractive plants include Asters, Bee Balm, Salvia, Lavender, Yarrow and Cornflowers.
Pollinators are essential to our environment and they provide the necessary activity for the reproduction of over 85% of the world's flowering plants, and more than two-thirds of the world's crop species. The United States alone grows more than 100 crops that either need or benefit from pollinators.The economic value of these native pollinators is estimated at $3 billion per year in the U.S. Fruits and seeds derived from insect pollination are a major part of the diet of approximately 25% of all birds, and of some mammals. In many places, the essential service of pollination is at risk from loss of native flowering plants, pesticide use, and diseases.
At Hilltop Farm, FOFAH is dedicated to improving the natural habitat and developing a pleasant place we can all enjoy.
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 LetterBoxing at Hilltop Farm Open Space
Did you know that Hilltop is home to a LetterBox?
Letterboxing is an outdoor hobby that combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly accessible places (like the Hilltop Farm Open Space) and distribute clues to finding the box. Individual letterboxes contain a notebook and a rubber stamp, preferably hand carved or custom made. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp in their personal notebook, and leave an impression of their personal signature stamp on the letterbox's "visitors' book" or "logbook" -
as proof of having found the box and letting other letterboxers know who has visited. Many letterboxers keep careful track of their "find count".
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More Dates and Programs
September 26 National Public Lands Day at Hilltop Farm
October 10 Monthly Workday at the Farm
October 31 Halloween at the Farm- more details coming soon!
Come to the Hilltop Farm and experience the region's natural beauty and agricultural heritage.
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