Winter CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Share
from High Hill Orchard in Meriden, CT

CT NOFA was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a program specifically for specialty crops in Connecticut.  Titled “Winter Food: Growing, Storing, Marketing and Cooking Specialty Crops for the Cold Season”, this program will focus on increasing the availability, sales and consumption of locally-grown, organic and sustainable fruits, vegetables and herbs in the winter and on educating farmers in the best practices for growing, storing and marketing winter crops.

Check back here for additional details on conferences and on-farm workshops for creating new, or improving existing, systems for winter food specialty crops. Farmers will learn about best practices, successful and exciting varieties and practical storage facilities that other farmers are using.

If you are a farmer in Connecticut (conventional or organic), please help us in determining a baseline of which farms produce winter food and how they are successful in marketing it by taking this "Winter Food Growers’ Survey" . Feel free to pass it along.

2011 Holiday & Winter Market Days

Coventry - Starts Sunday, November 20 until the end of February, 2012

Storrs - Saturdays , December 10 & 17; January  - May  2nd and 4th Saturdays
Mansfield Public Library
54 Warrenville Road (Route 89)
Mansfield Center, CT 06250
For more info: StorrsFarmersMarket@gmail.com

Westport - Thursdays, November 17 to March 15, 2012

Have a winter or holiday market? Let us know!

Additional winter markets are listed here.

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January Recipe of the Month - Old Solar Farm Potato Pancakes & Applesauce
Click HERE for a pdf of the recipe

 

November Recipe of the Month

From our Annual Meeting on October 29th - Courtesy of John Turenne

Jerusalem Artichoke & Roasted Garlic Vichyssoise

4 pounds  Jerusalem Artichokes, washed & scrubbed, diced 2 inches
1 pound Leeks, white and light green part only
8 cloves Garlic, Roasted
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 quart Vegetable stock
2 Tbl. Thyme, fresh
2 cups  2% low-fat milk
As needed- Salt, kosher and fresh cracked peppercorns

1. Split the leeks lengthwise and wash well to remove all sand and grit. Slice them thinly.

2. Sweat the leeks in the olive oil without browning them.

3. Add the Jerusalem Artichokes, roasted garlic, thyme and vegetable  stock and bring to a simmer.

4. Simmer until the Jerusalem Artichokes are tender, approximately  45 minutes.

5. Purée the soup in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender; season with salt and pepper.  Add milk and return to low, simmer to heat through for 5 minutes.

6. Serve hot or chilled.

Yield: 4 quarts

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Winter Food Media Resources

December 29, 2010 Press Release