Christmas Trees: Buy Local

One of the magical moments of the year for me is to walk with my family through a field of trees in the crisp early winter air to select our Christmas Tree. When we finally pick out the tree to make ours, it gradually morphs from whatever it was before we picked it, into the most perfect tree ever to grow.

A Christmas Tree is probably one of the easiest agricultural products to buy locally. Buying a local tree has the same benefits as buying other farm products locally: you will get a fresher product, you will almost certainly meet the farmer, all of your money will stay in the local economy, and you will support the preservation of open space. There are at least three farms in Middletown and several in neighboring communities which sell trees. Each of them will be happy to provide help in cutting, wrapping, and loading the tree on your car. Many of them also sell wreaths.

The following listing includes farms which are in an on-line listing of Christmas Tree Farmers in Middlesex County. There are other farmers in the area who sell small numbers and don't advertise (the Atkins and Footit farm is one such), if you have a favorite not on the list, let us know about it in a comment.

Middletown:

• Indian Hill Brook Tree Farm, 614 Bow Lane, 860-346-4680
  
• Oak Ridge Tree Farm, 402 Coleman Road
• Atkins Street and Footit Drive

Rockfall

• Connwood Foresters, across from Wadsworth Falls, Rte 157, 860-349-9910
  

Durham

• Craftsbury Christmas Farm, Maiden Lane, 860-635-3942
  
• Dumas Tree Farm, North of Route 147, off of Main, 860-349-3636
  
• Herzig Family Tree Farm, 310 Maiden Lane, 860-349-1275
• Miller Tree Farm, Tri Mountain Road, 860-349-9511
  

First Ever CT Farm-to-Chef Week Starts This Sunday, 9/26

In a press release dated September 8, 2010, Governor M. Jodi Rell announced that "the rich heritage of Connecticut agriculture will be on display and on the menu at more than 80 restaurants, farms and other establishments for the first-ever Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week, September 26 to October 2."

State Agriculture Commissioner F. Philip Prelli announced yesterday that he will officially kick off the first Connecticut Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week on Sunday, September 26, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market. From the press release:

The event marks the opening of a week-long celebration during which 80 restaurants, farms, and other establishments will serve special menus showcasing farm-fresh CT Grown ingredients and local wines. It pays homage to Connecticut’s farmers and rich agricultural history, and this year, Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration’s premiere, also commemorates the state’s 375th anniversary.

"We are excited to offer the public an opportunity to sample some of the finest foods grown and prepared right here in our state," Commissioner Prelli said. "Sunday’s free event will be an appetizer, if you will, featuring a little taste of what will be available during Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week."

Here in Middletown, Tschudin Chocolates & Confections (100 Riverview Center, (860) 759-2222) and Wesleyan University / Bon Appetit (45 Wyllys Ave, 860-685-3281) will be participating in the week-long celebration. The complete list of participating restaurants is available here.

Tschudin Chocolates & Confections:

Hours of Operation during Week of September 26, 2010: 11am to 9pm M-Th, 11am-10pm F-Sa, 11am-8pm Sunday

Reservations are not required or recommended.

Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Menu

Royale de Chocolat with Confit Tomatoes – The dessert that made us famous. Draghi Farms grape tomatoes blanched, then slow roasted in a buttery mix of both savory and confectionary herbs and spices, served warm with a contrasting rich, cool and velvety Royale de Chocolat.

Choco Loco – A special edition of five delicate chocolates, each infused with a different herb or habanero pepper from the Urban Oaks Organic Farm.

Apples 3x3 – Belltown Orchard apples presented in your choice of one of three alternative formats: (a) inverted apple tartin, almond cream, chocolate puff pastry; (b)Provence-style apple tart, toasted almond soufflé topping; (c) traditional apple strudel with walnuts and raisins rolled in house-made, hand-stretched phyllo.

Peachy Reds – Composed plate: Jones Winery Reds as meringue and reduction; Belltown Orchards peaches, as tartar and sorbet, sable breton garnish.

Watermelon, Man! - Watermelon from Botticello Farms, Cold Spring Brook Farm and Urban Oaks Organic Farm in a variety of colors, textures, densities and forms, garnished with almond cremeaux and Urban Oaks Organic Farm mint cream.

White Chocolate Raspberry Tart – Subject to variations in weather, late season Draghi Farm raspberries drenched in a cascade of Belcolade white chocolate, in a light, delicate and classic butter pastry shell.

Local Farms and CT Grown Ingredients Featured

Draghi Farms, Glastonbury: grape tomatoes, late season raspberries

Urban Oaks Organic Farm, New Britain: mint, seasonal herbs, habanero peppers, watermelon Belltown Orchard, South Glastonbury: apples and peaches

Jones Winery, Shelton: red wines

Botticello Farms, Manchester: watermelon

Cold Spring Brook Farm, Berlin: watermelon

Menu Pricing
All desserts are priced at $8, except that the desserts ―Royale de Chocolate with Confit Tomatoes and Choco Loco - are also available in shot glass-sized tasting portions for $2.25.

Connecticut Wines Offered
N/A, but we feature Jones Winery reds in the dessert, Peachy Reds, and customers are always welcome to BYOB (and stemware!).

Special Events
Tours and tastings can be priced, arranged and customized in line with your particular interests. Please call for a reservation.

Wesleyan University / Bon Appetit

Hours of Operation during Week of September 26, 2010: Breakfast:8-10:30 Lunch:11:00-3:00 Dinner:5:00-8:00

Reservations required for groups of 20 or more; recommended for large groups only.

Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Menu

Wesleyan University Board Plan Servery: We are going to feature a wide variety of native products from Farms such as Four Mile River Farm, Urban Oaks, Beltane Farm, Cato Corners Farm, Baggott Farms, as well as local bakeries and artisans. Each station featuring local product will be clearly identified with the name of the product and a brief description of the farm or vendor it came from.

Menu Pricing
Breakfast is $5.50, Lunch is $7.99, and Dinner is $9.25.

Connecticut Wines Offered
We will be featuring a few sauces made with wines from The Jones Family Farms.

Special Events
That week we will be having a farmers market on Wednesday and the Bon Appetit "Eat Local Challenge" Corporate Event on Thursday.

More information on CT's Farm-to-Chef program is available here. Enjoy!

Buy Local: Christmas Trees

One of the magical moments of the year for me is to walk with my family through a field of trees in the crisp early winter air to select our Christmas Tree. Although my children cannot help but enter into a vigorous debate about which tree is the most perfect of all (OK, my wife and I do too), when we finally pick out one to make ours, the excited joy of bringing home the tree settles us all into peace and harmony.

A Christmas Tree is probably one of the easiest agricultural products to buy locally, there are at least three farms in Middletown and several in neighboring communities which sell trees. All of them will be happy to provide help in cutting, wrapping, and loading the tree on your car. Many of them also sell wreaths.

The following listing includes farms which are in an on-line listing of Christmas Tree Farmers in Middlesex County. There are other farmers in the area who sell small numbers and don't advertise (the Atkins and Footit farm is one such), if you have a favorite not on the list, let us know about it in a comment.

Middletown:

• Indian Hill Brook Tree Farm, 614 Bow Lane
• Jones Tree Farm, 402 Coleman Road
• Atkins Street and Footit Drive

Rockfall

• Connwood Foresters

Durham

• Craftsbury Christmas Farm
• Dumas Tree Farm
• Herzig Family Tree Farm
• Miller Tree Farm

Plan of Conservation and Development Input Session 2

Until mid-June, the Middletown Planning & Zoning Commission is hosting a series of public forums to share ideas about Middletown’s future land use and conservation, all at Russell Library.

The SECOND of 4 public input sessions will be held this Thursday:

April 16, 6:30-8 pm
in the Hubbard Room of the Russell Library.











The special focus of the April 16 session will be on land conservation (open space) and local farming. After a brief presentation of the draft plan for conservation and a sampling of ways land can be conserved, the floor will open up to the public for comments.

Discussion will take place about:

What do we want to protect in Middletown?
What role can land conservation play in the city’s economic development?
Do we want to increase local agriculture? How can we support this?

Following this discussion, there will be an “Open Mike” Session for any comments about any other aspects relating to the Plan of Conservation & Development.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

The next two Public Input Sessions will be held May 21, June 17, 2009 at 6:30 to 8 pm also at the Russell Library.

Notes from each session will be posted electronically at the following:
Middletownplanning.com and also on the Middletown Eye


Interested residents or questions? Contact P&Z Comm’r Catherine Johnson 343-1611.