CT Grown Fruits and Veggies Now Available
The following CT Grown produce is available now or is coming soon. If you need help locating sources of these items, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov.
Ready Now:
Beans (green, wax) Beets Blueberries Cabbage Carrots
Collard Greens Cucumbers (seedless, slicing, pickling) Culinary Herbs
Greenhouse Tomatoes Kale Kohlrabi Leeks
Lettuce (and other salad greens) Onions Peaches Plums
Potatoes Raspberries Summer Squash (yellow, green, pattypan)
Sweet Corn Swiss Chard
Coming Soon:
Blackberries Eggplant Field Tomatoes Melons
Nectarines Peppers (bell, frying, hot)
Other CT Grown Products Available
CT Grown produce is in its glory at this time of year, but don’t forget about all of the other fantastic CT Grown products available - fresh seafood, meat, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and more! If you need help locating sources of any of these products, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov.
Bulk Specialty Pesto Sauces Available
Bear Pond Farm, certified organic herb growers, has begun offering its pesto sauces in bulk sizes. Their premium basil, tomato-garlic, cilantro, and arugula varieties are available in 28.8-ounce tubs, packed four tubs to a case. Organic herbs are the first ingredient in each variety. They also are nut-free, important where nut allergies are a concern. For more info, call 860-657-3830 or visit www.bearpondfarm.com.
Program Chefs in the News
Michel Nischan, Chef/Owner of the Dressing Room – A Homegrown Restaurant in Westport, will be a panelist at “Putting Food Back in the Farm Bill,” a Farm Bill 2007 discussion to be held at the Westport Playhouse from
Additional panelists include Annie Farrell, sustainable farm consultant; Dan Imhoff, author of Food Fight; and Gus Schumacher, former Undersecretary of Agriculture. The discussion will be moderated by W.K. Kellogg Fellow Judith Weinraub, and will be followed by a reception at The Dressing Room.
For reservations, call 203-226-1112, or send an email with “Event Reservation” as the subject to info@wholesomewave.com.
Jonathan Rapp, Chef/Owner of the River Tavern in
These dinners feature the day’s seasonal bounty of locally grown produce as well as other fresh farm delights such as scallops from Stonington, heirloom tomatoes from Falls Brook Farm, naturally raised, grass-fed beef and pork from Four Mile River Farm, and creamy goat cheese from Beltane Farm, just to name a few.
The event benefits local farms, farmers, and communities, and donates 20 percent of the proceeds to non-profit organizations. For more information, go to www.dinnersatthefarm.com or call 860-526-9417.
Rebecca Gorin, Local Routes Program Coordinator and Area Assistant Manager for the University of Connecticut Department of Dining Services, placed first in this year
Chef Rebecca also received the 2006-2007 ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD from the
Chef Tim, aka the “Local Food Dude,” also has received considerable attention from the media recently regarding his championing of local food. Go to http://localfooddude.com/Articles.aspx for select media excerpts.
CT Outdoors airs live on WMRD 1150 AM and WLIS 1410 AM from
ANNE GALLAGHER, Chef with the Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, is scheduled to appear on WVIT-Channel 30’s News at 10:00 AM on
The Farm-to-Chef Program is seeking chefs for additional appearances promoting CT Grown on radio and television (such as WMRD/WLIS and WVIT Channel 30), at farmers’ markets, and/or various other events. These generally would not be paid spots but would provide good visibility for you and your business.
If interested, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov and specify your availability (days/times and distance you will travel).
Litchfield Hills Farm Fresh Market Seeking Chef Demos
The new Litchfield Hills Farm Fresh Market is seeking chefs to perform demonstrations on select Saturdays.
If interested, please contact Market Master
The Milford Farmers’ Market at
If interested, please contact Market Master Sebrina Santor at 203-231-4006.
CT Grown Breakfast and Dinner Posters
If you would like copies of the beautiful, full-color posters, “Have Breakfast with Your Neighbors” and “Invite Your Neighbors for Dinner,” to display in your restaurant or facility, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.piotrowicz@ct.gov.
The posters complement the television, radio, billboard, and bus advertisements currently running as part of this year’s comprehensive CT Grown – The Local Flavor campaign.
CT Farm-to-Chef Program Website Listings
We are always seeking more restaurants, institutions, and other dining facilities to be listed on our site. If you or someone you know is serving CT Grown food and would like to let people know, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov so we can add you to our website.
We also are continually looking to updating our producers/wholesalers listings. If you are purchasing CT Grown from someone not on our list, please let us know so we can include them!
You can access the Farm-to-Chef Program from the CT Department of Agriculture’s home page, www.CTGrown.gov and then click on the Farm-to-Chef link on the right sidebar under “Featured Links.”
CT Department of Agriculture Mascots
The Department has four vegetable costumes (carrot, corn, cucumber, and pea), as well as a cow, lobster, and chicken. The Mascots are a fun, effective way to promote the benefits of nutritious CT Grown foods. Look for them at events such as farmers’ markets, fairs, and shows around the state.
All of the costumes are available to borrow for special events. For more information, please contact Linda at 860-713-2558 or Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov.
CT GROWN! - THE LOCAL FLAVOR.