Fall 2016

It was a busy and wonderful summer at Hilltop! Now the leaves have started to show their colors against the blue fall sky. The crisp, cooler nights and warm days help us enjoy this beautiful season. The Fall season is officially upon us! Take Time to enjoy the beauty of the season! Come and what's happening this autumn at Hilltop Farm.

HalloweenFest at Hilltop Farm!

Come celebrate Halloween at Hilltop Farm from 5pm to 8pm!

On Saturday, October 22 the Suffield Girl Scouts and FOFAH are hosting HalloweenFest! Several fun activities are planned across the Farm during the twilight hours. Come in costume and participate in Trunk-or-Treating, The Jack-o-Lantern Contest, Halloween Carnival Games, Costume Contest, and the Giant Pumpkin Display!

Each Girl Scout troop has a different activity for you and your whole family to enjoy.
The Trunk-or-Treating event where costumed visitors will collect treats as they travel from car to car. Each car will be decorated by a different Suffield scout troop.

Troop 10961 will manage the Jack-o-Lantern contest. We dare you to enter your spookiest or cutest creation into the contest! Just come with your Jack-O-Lantern already carved. Tea lights will be provided to light up your creation. Each person attending before 6:30 will have a

chance to vote on their favorite in any of the seven entry categories.

The Scouts of Troop 10973 will run the carnival games. Test your skills on these Halloween challenges. The girls of Troop 10961 will be judging the costume contest. The best costumes will receive a special treat.

Local farmers will have Giant Pumpkins on display! Come awe at these colossal fruits grown from Suffield soils.

Suggested donation admission is $5.00 for each car. Donations of canned goods will also be collected for the Suffield Emergency Aid.

Hilltop Farm is located at 1616 Mapleton Ave. (Rt 159) in Suffield. Be a part of all the fun events at Hilltop Farm! (Rain Date set for October 23.) Everyone is Welcome!

Labor Day Weekend at Hilltop Farm

FOFA H's annu al Harvest Dinner and Silent Auction brought 300+ people together to enjoy the dinner and celebrate the local farmers and suppliers- especi ally our Partner Famers from Suffield and nearby Massachusetts. Despite this summer's drought, Halladay Farms, Oxen Hill Farm, Nestrovich Orchards, Cecchi Farm, Bielonko Farm and Highland Park Market generously contributed to this celebration of local agriculture.

During Farm Fest on Labor Day, the community came and enjoyed pony rides, viewing the presentation from the Birds of Prey from Wingmasters, amphibians of "Adam's Reptiles" and spinners of yarn. People of all ages participated in games led by Ryan & Tyler of Enfuse Fitness. There was an apple cider pressing demonstration by Mark O'Hara. Several antique tractors joined in during the Tractor Parade, organized by Scott Kaplan. Cow Chip Bingo was again an enormous hit with everyone.

The beautiful weather during Labor Day weekend added to FOFAH's Celebration of Hilltop Farm. It was perfect for an outdoor dinner and and celebration of agriculture and nature. We appreciate all the volunteers who help make Farm Fest a fun community event. We hope you will join us next year.

You Can Support FOFAH in Several Ways

You can support FOFAH while shopping at Amazon Smile. Through the Fall and beyond,please designate FOFAH as your charity of choice. FOFAH's organization's unique link to Amazon Smile. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-0595608

Saturday Workday at Hilltop on October 8

On Saturday, October 8 from 8-noon, FOFAH has scheduled a special "Fix the Fence" workday. The plan is to replace the fence cap on the North side of the front pasture fence. We started to paint that part of the fence earlier this summer, and discovered that the angled board along the top of the fence is rotten. Come join us "Fix the Fence".

A Special Thanks

On Saturday, September 24 a group of volunteers from The Dish Network in Windsor came to Hilltop Farm for a corporate volunteer workday. The Dish Network crew worked on sanding and painting the front fence. These Volunteers help FOFAH move forward in the restoration and maintenance of the Farm. Thank You!!

GRANTS AWARDED TO FOFAH

FOFAH is very proud and pleased to announce the receipt of two grants in September!

The first grant was a North Central District Health Department - Fruit Trail Grant. The funds are to purchase blueberry bushes and mulch to add to the Hilltop Farm Orchard area.

A second grant was awarded by the J. Gladwin Cannon Trust. This grant will allow FOFAH to purchase additional power landscaping equipment to maintain the property more efficiently.

FOFAH is an all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to restoring Hilltop Farm into an educational and recreational resource for the community. All donations go to the improvement of the farm. Many thanks to the volunteers for their dedication and community support that has allowed FOFAH to advance the restoration of the Hilltop Farmstead.