Press Releases
09/15/2023
Connecticut Department of Agriculture Releases New Crop of Eight Farm Businesses at the Big E
Visitors can enroll in a special giveaway for Connecticut Day and sample CT Grown farm products showcasing diversity of state’s agriculture sector
HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Connecticut Office of Tourism, is excited to introduce eight new agricultural businesses at the Connecticut Building during The Big E. These businesses will be featured alongside nine returning favorites to showcase the diversity of the state’s agriculture sector.
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New this year: Hilltop Apiaries, Wholly Goat Farm, Maplewood Farm, Hyde’s Dairy, Double Trouble Acres, R Farm, Blue Hills Too, and Amazing Love
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Returning this year: Twin Pines Farm, Union Bee Company, CT Agricultural Experiment Station, Guardians Farm, CT Grown, CT Dairy, Killam & Bassette Farmstead, Newgate Farms, and Sweet Wind Farm
When the fair begins on Sept. 15th, these farm businesses will offer a unique mix of honey, maple syrup, and dairy along with value-added products such as jams, jellies, relishes, tomato sauce, and goat milk products. A listing of when each business will be featured can be found here.
“We’re happy to be back again in the Connecticut Building, showcasing a variety of CT Grown products from more than 15 agricultural businesses as well as wine from 13 Connecticut farm wineries across the state,” said Bryan Hurlburt, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Agriculture. “I encourage everyone to visit these great small businesses and stewards of the land, both during the course of the fair and then again back at the farm.”
The Connecticut Farm Wineries booth, operated by the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council, will feature an array of wines produced by participating farm wineries located throughout Connecticut. Fairgoers will be able to purchase glasses of featured whites, reds, rose’, and frose’ - a frozen wine slushie.
On Connecticut Day, September 20th, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture booth will be on hand with educational displays as well as whole apple giveaways and aged Gouda cheese samples from Arethusa Dairy in Bantam. This farm will also be showcasing their award-winning Europa, which was crowned the top cheese in the United States earlier this year by the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
In addition, fairgoers interested in learning more about CT Grown products will be able to sign up for the consumer e-newsletter and be automatically entered in the $500 prize package giveaway. Five names will be drawn at random to receive prizes including a $250 gift certificate to Woodland Gardens, a CT Grown wooden cutting board, an Arethusa cheese gift basket, a 24-piece chocolate gift box from Thorncrest Farm and Milkhouse Chocolates, and a CT Grown breakfast basket with items such as maple syrup, honey, and jams and jellies from Maplewood Farm, Union Bee Company, and Killam & Bassette Farmstead. To become eligible for the prize drawing, sign up to receive the CT Grown monthly newsletter between Sept. 15th and Oct. 1st.
Harvest New England Day, happening Friday, Sept. 29th along the Avenue of the States, will include four vendors on the front lawn of the Connecticut Building. These vendors include Sweet Wind Farm, Killam & Bassette Farmstead, Double Trouble Farm. There will also be a CT Grown exhibit where fairgoers can get their Harvest New England passport stamped and spin the trivia wheel to test their farm knowledge to win a prize.
The Connecticut Building is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more information, follow the Connecticut Building on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConnecticutBuilding/
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For Immediate Release: Friday, September 15, 2023
Contact: Rebecca Eddy, 860-573-0323, Rebecca.Eddy@ct.gov
