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"Like a country fair every weekend" 22 Special Market Days in 2008... June 1 – Farm to Market Day... On this Opening Day at the Coventry Regional Farmers' Market, we bring the farm to the market with antique tractors, baby farm animals, and the planting of planting the “three sisters:” corn, pumpkin, and bean seeds. Fiber artisans will demonstrate sheep shearing, needle felting, and natural dyeing. Noontime brings the cutting and serving up of the market’s fifth birthday cake. At 12:30, Bill Duessing, director of the Connecticut chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association shows us how to get starting in gardening organically and at 1:00, the women of Ladybug Landscaping teach us how to create “black gold,” rich compost for our gardens. Connecticut dairy cooperative The Farmer’s Cow visits with a calf. Enjoy live music, pony rides, and sweet “mud pies.” June 8 – Lettuce Frolic... Dust off your salad bowl and join us at our springtime Lettuce Frolic! See how the experts make luscious Buttermilk-Lime Dressing and Green Garlic Dip. Learn the secrets of growing organic lettuce at home with Jim Pepin of Maggie’s Farm. Select from an abundance of fresh, produce and cheeses for making your own salads at home and pick up a bag of gourmet Croutons from Bantam Bread. Today, the market welcomes Ariston Specialties of Bloomfield, purveyor of fine olive oils.
June
15 – Cool
Cow Jamboree ...
it’s Dad’s Day farmer’s market style featuring
an ice
cream social with ingredients donated by local dairy, maple, and berry
farmers. Look for a local celebrity in “cowstume.” The farmers of
Mountain Dairy are special guests. At the Hale Farm, learn the historic
method of making cheese from dairy cows. July 6 – Farmers’ Fare Breakfast ... Today we celebrate breakfast right off the farm featuring perfect buttermilk pancakes with Connecticut maple syrup, and our farmers’ grass-fed breakfast sausage, hardwood smoked bacon, and free-range eggs. Enjoy a full farmers’ market and a demonstration on making maple syrup by Bob Dubos of Bats of Bedlam Farm in Chaplin. At the Nathan Hale Homestead, learn how to make a tasty historic treat, Hasty Pudding. July 13 – Pickle Palooza... The Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market is serious about celebrating local food… today we’ll do it one pickle at a time! Join us today for a full farmers’ market and our first Pickle Palooza! In the age of pre-packaged, processed food, few bother to take the time to pickle. Traditionally, pickling was used to preserve foods grown on the farm. Pickled foods are generally low in fat, low in carbohydrates, high in fiber and chock full of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately,store bought pickles may contain chemicals and preservatives. We’ll show you how to make your own healthy, delicious pickles at home so you can preserve your homegrown produce or fruits and vegetables from our farmers. Recipes for cucumber pickles, dilly beans, refrigerator pickles, and pickled peaches will be shared. At the Nathan Hale Homestead, you can learn about 18th century preservation and cooking methods. July 20 – Art & Wine Gala... Join us today for a full farmers’ market and toast Connecticut-made wines at our Art & Wine Gala. Sample premium wines from the shoreline’s Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington and Cassidy Hill Winery, an artisan vintner from Coventry. Connecticut produces award-wining, nationally recognized cheeses that pair perfectly with wine. Try Cato Corner Farm’s highly acclaimed aged cheeses and Beltane Farm’s fresh goat chevre. The Connecticut Plein Air Painters’ Society will join us to capture on canvas the pastoral setting of the Nathan Hale Homestead. Guest artists join the market to display their work and demonstrate hand-thrown pottery, paper-making, weaving, and more. Live jazz will set the musical background for this very special day. July 27 – Colonial Encampment... Today’s open-air farmers’ market is held concurrently with the annual Colonial Encampment and Muster at the Nathan Hale Homestead. Join a full farmers’ market in Deacon Hale’s Holy Grove of ancient maples and learn to make herbal vinegars and infused oils with Dooper’s Organics. Inside the stone walls of the Hale Farm, a variety of re-enactment groups, both British and Colonists, demonstrate 18th century military life. Encampment activities include battle reenactments and camp cooking. The newly restored Hale Homestead will be open for tours. The Nathan Hale Fifes & Drums Corps will host its 21st Annual Musick Muster starting with a parade and featuring 15 different fife and drum organizations. This unique and special market, steeped in Connecticut history, is destined to be a regional summer highlight. Here’s a brief look at events planned later in the season, still under development: August 3 Dog Days August 10 Corn Roast and Contra Dance August 17 Youth market day August 24 Heirloom Tomato Festival & “Hot Stuff” Salsa Competition August 31 Blues n’ Brews Festival September 7 Basil Bash September 14 Making Herbal Wreaths and Everlastings September 21 Fiber Twist September 28 Honeybee Jubilee October 5 4-H and FFA Day October 12 Full Moon Cider Spree October 19 Old New England Stew and Story October 26 Great Pumpkin Festival
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