Happy Holidays!

All of us at the CT Department of Agriculture wish you and your loved ones a very healthy and happy holiday season.

CT Chefs Spring Workshop

Save the date!  Monday, May 21, 2007 is the tentative date for the next Farm-to-Chef workshop. 

This event will expand on the theme of our event last October, and will feature not only seafood, but also dairy and meat.  You will have the opportunity to tour the fishing docks and dairy/meat farm, and learn directly from the men and women who produce this incredible food.

Stay tuned for additional information and details.

CT Oysters Making a Comeback

The CT Bureau of Aquaculture is pleased to announce that CT Oysters are making a comeback after the devastating die-off in 1998 that was caused by two naturally occurring disease outbreaks.

Oysters are now available and supply is expected to continue to increase in coming years.

WFSB-TV Channel 3 News ran a special report on the industry’s comeback on their 6:00 PM evening news.  To watch the segment, go to WFSB-TV's website. 

For additional information about CT Aquaculture, including shellfish production and sanitation and safety measures that ensure the premium quality of all shellfish harvested in CT, go to the Bureau of Aquaculture's website. 

CT Farm-to-Chef Website on the Way

The CT Department of Agriculture is in the process of creating a Farm-to-Chef website.

The site will include listings of farmers and producers; wholesalers and distributors; and restaurants and facilities using CT Grown. 

It will be designed to help connect chefs to sources of CT Grown products, as well as provide a resource to members of the public interested in dining in facilities serving CT Grown.

If you would like your business listed on this website, please contact me at 860-713-2558.

Edible Nutmeg Winter Issue Now Available

Edible Nutmeg, the new publication about Connecticut food, has just published its second issue.  This winter issue contains a story about the CT Seafood-CT Chefs event help in Stonington last October, as well as many other very interesting articles.

For more information, go to Edible Nutmeg's website. 

Footsteps Farm Named First Certified Humane Farm in CT

Footsteps Farm, a certified organic farm in Stonington, CT, has been named the state’s first Certified Humane Farm. 

Craig Floyd, owner, was a guest on WNPR’s Faith Middleton Show on November 15, 2006.  To hear the interview, go to WNPR's website.

New Haven Wooster Square Market To Run Through Winter

This year City Seed in New Haven will be running its popular Wooster Square farmers’ market through the winter, on the third Saturday of each month.

For details, got to City Seed's website.

CT Grown Marketing Assistance

The CT Department of Agriculture has matching funds available to assist you in promoting CT Grown in your restaurant or facility.

The Joint Venture Grant Program is designed to promote CT Grown products through the use of the CT Grown logo.

If you would like to include the logo in your signage, menus, advertising, etc. to promote your use of CT Grown products, we would love to help you!

Please contact me at 860-713-2558 for a grant application or for more information about the program.

CT Department of Agriculture MascotsIn addition to our four Veggie Mascots, Juicy Lucy (cucumber), Beta Carrot, Smiley Sprout, and The Colonel (corn), we also have a cow, a lobster, and are in the process of obtaining a chicken.

The Veggie Mascots will be making appearances at select UConn basketball games this winter to promote the benefits of nutritious CT Grown foods.

All of the costumes are available to borrow for special events.  For more information, please contact me at 860-713-2558.

CT Grown New Year’s ResolutionsWhen making your New Year’s Resolutions, why not consider resolving to eat and use more locally grown and produced foods?

The average food on America’s dinner plate has traveled 1,500 miles and spent two weeks getting there.  CT Grown is fresher, tastes better, and is better for you, because it contains more vital nutrients that begin to diminish after harvest.

Buying CT Grown also fuels the local economy and keeps money and jobs here in Connecticut.

More and more, people want to know from where their food comes…when you purchase CT Grown, you know exactly where that food was produced, and who produced it.  It is a win-win situation for all.

CT Department of Agriculture Website Easier to Find

The CT Department of Agriculture has made it easier to find our website.  Now just type CTGrown.gov into the address bar of your browser to get to our home page. 

The Publications page on our website provides resource listings for many different CT Grown commodities.

GET CT GROWN!

www.CTGrown.gov