- Photo by Molly Deegan
- Photo by Molly Deegan
- Photo by Molly Deegan
- Photo by Joseph Abad
- Varga Family Farm Photo by Joseph Abad
- Photo by Molly Deegan
- Willow Valley Farm, Willington Photo by Joseph Abad
- Varga Family Farm, Mansfield Photo by Joseph Abad
What is #heartCTgrown?
Coming out of the UConn CAHNR Extension , #heartCTgrown is an initiative to promote farms, Farmer's Markets, CSA's, and pick-your-own operations throughout the state of Connecticut. We believe that local food is an important venue for making meaningful connections to each other and to building strong, resilient, healthy communities that are ready to tackle challenges together. We hope to share the stories of these connections, and that it will encourage you to tell your stories too.
Want #heartctgrown in your inbox? Sign up for our seasonal newsletter that explores some of the great agricultural traditions, and new practices, that make CT grown products and people worth getting to know and sharing with your community.
Sometimes at the beginning of the week, you need a smile. Our #CTfarms have got you covered. Welcome to the world little one!!!
#Goats #BabyGoat #Newborn #LittleOne #Baa #Kids #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text: a newborn goat getting up out the hay and making a little cry to the camera.

Sometimes at the beginning of the week, you need a smile. Our #CTfarms have got you covered. Welcome to the world little one!!!
#Goats #BabyGoat #Newborn #LittleOne #Baa #Kids #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text: a newborn goat getting up out the hay and making a little cry to the camera. ...
We LOVE sharing community farm events that you can attend, and if you want to support an Urban Farm and show them some love, we suggest giving this one a visit. ❤️
RePosted from @gathernewhaven Please consider joining us on Saturday, September 30th for our Garden Harvest Celebration starting with garden tours throughout New Haven from 12pm-2pm followed by a community gathering at our new office location from 2pm-5pm. For more information, please visit our website. #gathernewhaven #communityevent #outdoorevent #communitygardens #locallygrownfood #greenspaces #enviromentaleducation #healthandwellness #UrbanFarms #NewHaven #NHV #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown

We LOVE sharing community farm events that you can attend, and if you want to support an Urban Farm and show them some love, we suggest giving this one a visit. ❤️
RePosted from @gathernewhaven Please consider joining us on Saturday, September 30th for our Garden Harvest Celebration starting with garden tours throughout New Haven from 12pm-2pm followed by a community gathering at our new office location from 2pm-5pm. For more information, please visit our website. #gathernewhaven #communityevent #outdoorevent #communitygardens #locallygrownfood #greenspaces #enviromentaleducation #healthandwellness #UrbanFarms #NewHaven #NHV #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown ...
By far, one of our favorite beneficial bugs- the praying mantis. These big old bugs have a good appetite so they chow down on other bugs in the garden. In the fall they get ready to lay their eggs which look like a weird light brown styrofoam that you see on branches or other sturdy thin things. Let them be and you’ll have babies come spring!
RePosted from• @growhartfordyouth Caleb found his favorite animal in the garden yesterday! It’s the praying mantis, the only insect that can turn its head 180 degrees.
Sources say the praying mantis can symbolize the need to be strategic and mindful in going after what you want or being tactful in discussing a sticky subject with someone. It can also be a warning to beware of deception as it’s hands look like they are praying but is used to viciously capture its prey.
This was my second time seeing this mantis and both times it was eating a bee!
#PrayingMantis #FarmersFriend #GoodBugs #BeneficialBugs #FarmFinds #Preggers #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text- a video of a young man letting a praying mantis crawl over his hands and tell other folks more details about the bug.

By far, one of our favorite beneficial bugs- the praying mantis. These big old bugs have a good appetite so they chow down on other bugs in the garden. In the fall they get ready to lay their eggs which look like a weird light brown styrofoam that you see on branches or other sturdy thin things. Let them be and you’ll have babies come spring!
RePosted from• @growhartfordyouth Caleb found his favorite animal in the garden yesterday! It’s the praying mantis, the only insect that can turn its head 180 degrees.
Sources say the praying mantis can symbolize the need to be strategic and mindful in going after what you want or being tactful in discussing a sticky subject with someone. It can also be a warning to beware of deception as it’s hands look like they are praying but is used to viciously capture its prey.
This was my second time seeing this mantis and both times it was eating a bee!
#PrayingMantis #FarmersFriend #GoodBugs #BeneficialBugs #FarmFinds #Preggers #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text- a video of a young man letting a praying mantis crawl over his hands and tell other folks more details about the bug. ...
ooooohhhh we love getting into the fall markets. A little crispness in the air, some more lovely products coming in from our farms that we wait all year for, and of course, harvest fun, games, and food. You can always stop by a farmers market like the West Haven Farmers Market (open every Thursday & Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Oak Street Beach until Oct. 14) but you better do it quick because we don`t have many weeks left of our lovely markets!
Photos by West Haven Farmers Market
#LoveMyMarket #CTfarmersMarkets #FarmersMarketFinds #FallMarkets #ThingsToDo #FallCrops #FarmersMarketsAreEssential #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text: Photo 1: Some girls gathered around a table getting ready to do a craft. Photo 2: A customer talking to a vendor at a farmers market booth selling bagels. Photo 3: A couple of folks waiting in line at a farmers market tent

ooooohhhh we love getting into the fall markets. A little crispness in the air, some more lovely products coming in from our farms that we wait all year for, and of course, harvest fun, games, and food. You can always stop by a farmers market like the West Haven Farmers Market (open every Thursday & Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Oak Street Beach until Oct. 14) but you better do it quick because we don`t have many weeks left of our lovely markets!
Photos by West Haven Farmers Market
#LoveMyMarket #CTfarmersMarkets #FarmersMarketFinds #FallMarkets #ThingsToDo #FallCrops #FarmersMarketsAreEssential #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt text: Photo 1: Some girls gathered around a table getting ready to do a craft. Photo 2: A customer talking to a vendor at a farmers market booth selling bagels. Photo 3: A couple of folks waiting in line at a farmers market tent ...
It`s corn maze season!!!!! There are quite a few corn mazes scattered at farms throughout the state, so take the opportunity when the weather is still warm to explore, get lost, and find your way through the crazy corn!
Though this isn`t a list of ALL the corn mazes in the state, it will definitely help you locate a bunch!
https://outdoorsfamilyadventures.com/best-corn-mazes-connecticut/
Photo be DeFazio Orchards in Sterling
#CornMaze #GoExplore #VisitCT #ThingsToDo #FarmEvents #FarmActivities #FallFun #GetLost #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: Aerial photo of a corn maze that has flowers and the name DeFazio cut into it.

It`s corn maze season!!!!! There are quite a few corn mazes scattered at farms throughout the state, so take the opportunity when the weather is still warm to explore, get lost, and find your way through the crazy corn!
Though this isn`t a list of ALL the corn mazes in the state, it will definitely help you locate a bunch!
https://outdoorsfamilyadventures.com/best-corn-mazes-connecticut/
Photo be DeFazio Orchards in Sterling
#CornMaze #GoExplore #VisitCT #ThingsToDo #FarmEvents #FarmActivities #FallFun #GetLost #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: Aerial photo of a corn maze that has flowers and the name DeFazio cut into it. ...
It`s getting to be full time harvest season for lots of crops. One of our favorites, Hops! We love these locally grown buddies that help make our local beer shine
Reposted from @hopculturefarmsandbrewco Growing your own hops is hard work and it takes a village. Grateful for everyone that helped us with harvest this year so we can continue to bring hops straight from our farm into you glass! Come hang with us today.
#Hops #Harvest #HarvestTime #Beer #LocalBeer #CraftBrewery #LocalBrewery #SmallBatch #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #HeartCTgrown
Alt text: a compilation of videos that shows the process of taking hops of the vine and harvesting them.

It`s getting to be full time harvest season for lots of crops. One of our favorites, Hops! We love these locally grown buddies that help make our local beer shine
Reposted from @hopculturefarmsandbrewco Growing your own hops is hard work and it takes a village. Grateful for everyone that helped us with harvest this year so we can continue to bring hops straight from our farm into you glass! Come hang with us today.
#Hops #Harvest #HarvestTime #Beer #LocalBeer #CraftBrewery #LocalBrewery #SmallBatch #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #HeartCTgrown
Alt text: a compilation of videos that shows the process of taking hops of the vine and harvesting them. ...
We love cooking #CTgrown food, but we ALSO love having it cooked to perfection for us! Find a restaurant near you sourcing from local farms and celebrate this week!
RePosted • @ct.grown September 9-16, 2023 is Connecticut Farm to Chef Week, a celebration of the state`s vibrant agricultural community and the chefs who use local ingredients to create delicious and sustainable dishes.
Farm to Chef Week is an annual occurrence to highlight these chefs and the relationships they’ve built with local farmers, but don’t stop supporting them when the week ends!
Check out our ever-growing list of restaurants and food business that consistently feature CT Grown products, and let us know if there’s an establishment missing so we can add to the list!
Visit CTFarmtoChef.com and follow us on Facebook @ CTFarmtoChef

We love cooking #CTgrown food, but we ALSO love having it cooked to perfection for us! Find a restaurant near you sourcing from local farms and celebrate this week!
RePosted • @ct.grown September 9-16, 2023 is Connecticut Farm to Chef Week, a celebration of the state`s vibrant agricultural community and the chefs who use local ingredients to create delicious and sustainable dishes.
Farm to Chef Week is an annual occurrence to highlight these chefs and the relationships they’ve built with local farmers, but don’t stop supporting them when the week ends!
Check out our ever-growing list of restaurants and food business that consistently feature CT Grown products, and let us know if there’s an establishment missing so we can add to the list!
Visit CTFarmtoChef.com and follow us on Facebook @ CTFarmtoChef ...
Sooo. You should definitely go to farmers markets this weekend, and we encourage you to bring. cash. Square (a credit card processing tool many farmers use) is having problems nationally and they would GREATLY appreciate you being able to use cash for your purchases.
And to add on to that...farmers always appreciate cash because these small businesses are working to make every penny worth it and credit card fees are something that no one likes to deal with. just saying.
Alt Text: Person counting out bills into another person`s hand.
#CashIsKing #BringCash #FarmersMarket #FixSquare #FarmersMarketFinds #LoveOurMarkets #FarmersMarketSeason #CTfarmersMarket #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown

Sooo. You should definitely go to farmers markets this weekend, and we encourage you to bring. cash. Square (a credit card processing tool many farmers use) is having problems nationally and they would GREATLY appreciate you being able to use cash for your purchases.
And to add on to that...farmers always appreciate cash because these small businesses are working to make every penny worth it and credit card fees are something that no one likes to deal with. just saying.
Alt Text: Person counting out bills into another person`s hand.
#CashIsKing #BringCash #FarmersMarket #FixSquare #FarmersMarketFinds #LoveOurMarkets #FarmersMarketSeason #CTfarmersMarket #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown ...
ok...maybe not over the next couple days when the heat is reaching the 90`s (did someone say it was September?), but it is definitely sauce, salsa, and canned tomato season. If you haven`t tried it, you should. stocking up for the summer flavor during our dreary winters is the key to brightening up those days. We promise. AND lots of our local farms give you a discount if you buy your tomatoes in bulk!
#Tomatoes #BulkTomatoes #Heirlooms #AllTheColors #Canning #Salsa #Sauce #FreshTomatos #WinterPrep #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: A picture with loads of tomatoes of different shapes, sizes and colors.

ok...maybe not over the next couple days when the heat is reaching the 90`s (did someone say it was September?), but it is definitely sauce, salsa, and canned tomato season. If you haven`t tried it, you should. stocking up for the summer flavor during our dreary winters is the key to brightening up those days. We promise. AND lots of our local farms give you a discount if you buy your tomatoes in bulk!
#Tomatoes #BulkTomatoes #Heirlooms #AllTheColors #Canning #Salsa #Sauce #FreshTomatos #WinterPrep #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: A picture with loads of tomatoes of different shapes, sizes and colors. ...
It might be a little hit this week again, but you know what’s hotter? These #CTgrown hot peppers. We have some farmers that are obsessed with growing these, and we’re obsessed with their obsession
RePosted from• @muddyrootsfarm
Like it hot? We got you covered in that department. With over 30 varieties of hot peppers (some not ripe enough to show,) we are guaranteed to have a heat range for everyone. From the most mild, to the crazy super hot peppers, we grow them, and totally enjoy doing it. The different flavors and heat levels make for some pretty dynamic hot sauce and salsas. Peppers are also easy to freeze and most are great for dehydrating. If you’re interested in some of these, you can order online during the week, or come to our Sunday Farmers’ Market at the @stamford_museum_naturecenter
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#hotpepper #peppermadness #crazy #hot #feeltheburn #summerbounty #eatlocal #eatseasonal #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #youngfarmers #smallfarm #wallingford #wallingfordct #ctfarms #ctgrown #ct #ctag #ctagriculture #eatctgrown #heartctgrown #watchusgrow #growwithus
Alt text: two photos with a large variety of hot peppers that are labeled with their type by each pepper

It might be a little hit this week again, but you know what’s hotter? These #CTgrown hot peppers. We have some farmers that are obsessed with growing these, and we’re obsessed with their obsession
RePosted from• @muddyrootsfarm
Like it hot? We got you covered in that department. With over 30 varieties of hot peppers (some not ripe enough to show,) we are guaranteed to have a heat range for everyone. From the most mild, to the crazy super hot peppers, we grow them, and totally enjoy doing it. The different flavors and heat levels make for some pretty dynamic hot sauce and salsas. Peppers are also easy to freeze and most are great for dehydrating. If you’re interested in some of these, you can order online during the week, or come to our Sunday Farmers’ Market at the @stamford_museum_naturecenter
.
.
.
#hotpepper #peppermadness #crazy #hot #feeltheburn #summerbounty #eatlocal #eatseasonal #knowyourfarmer #knowyourfood #youngfarmers #smallfarm #wallingford #wallingfordct #ctfarms #ctgrown #ct #ctag #ctagriculture #eatctgrown #heartctgrown #watchusgrow #growwithus
Alt text: two photos with a large variety of hot peppers that are labeled with their type by each pepper ...
Imagine you run a marathon every year, but instead of it lasting a day, it lasts from April-ish to November/December. That’s what it’s like to be a farmer
RePosted • @westview.farm.ct September is still one of my favorite months, and I wouldn’t change any of it.....but if you catch me taking a nap by the gardens, it’s probably best to just leave me there.
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#grassfedbeef #grassfinished #familyfarm #woodstockct #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocalfarms #quietcornerct #supportagriculture #regenerativeagriculture #agisnottheproblem #growconnected #heartctgrown #gardengrown #eatbeef #gardenharvest #cutflowers #americangrownflowers #gardenflowers #mixedbouquet #beefandbouquets #farmflowers #farmstand #runningonempty #september #pickyourown #tallowskincare #farmct #harvest
Alt text: a woman laying down on the grass with text on top of the video listing all the things she has to do this month

Imagine you run a marathon every year, but instead of it lasting a day, it lasts from April-ish to November/December. That’s what it’s like to be a farmer
RePosted • @westview.farm.ct September is still one of my favorite months, and I wouldn’t change any of it.....but if you catch me taking a nap by the gardens, it’s probably best to just leave me there.
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#grassfedbeef #grassfinished #familyfarm #woodstockct #supportsmallbusiness #supportlocalfarms #quietcornerct #supportagriculture #regenerativeagriculture #agisnottheproblem #growconnected #heartctgrown #gardengrown #eatbeef #gardenharvest #cutflowers #americangrownflowers #gardenflowers #mixedbouquet #beefandbouquets #farmflowers #farmstand #runningonempty #september #pickyourown #tallowskincare #farmct #harvest
Alt text: a woman laying down on the grass with text on top of the video listing all the things she has to do this month ...
Ugh. No thanks. These are spotted lantern fly, and I personally came across 8 last night in a short walk. Even though they are a relatively pretty bug, they can severely damage a lot of our farmer`s crops and harm our trees. Here`s some more info from the CT Ag Experiment Station:
Spotted lanternfly is probably the most serious agricultural pest to hit US shores in a long time. The insect can kill a vineyard in a year or two. The SLF has real potential to become a “quality of life” pest. Spotted lanternfly is a sap-feeding planthopper that produces large amounts of liquid excrement called honeydew. In addition, the feeding of this insect also causes trees to weep sap, which combined with excreted honeydew creates conditions for sooty mold to grow. In infested areas, honeydew may rain down on surfaces, vehicles, and people, creating unpleasant situations. The honeydew is slippery on surfaces, and there have been reports of broken bones due to people falling down slick steps or slippery decks. The honeydew also may attract stinging bees or wasps. Often trees affected by SLF also have a fermented odor. In addition, other countries may refuse to accept US agricultural exports, if they feel that they may be contaminated with SLF.
Basically they are calling for folks to kill these bugs on site.
For more info visit: the link in our profile (this link ➡️➡️➡️https://portal.ct.gov/caes/caps/caps/spotted-lanternfly---slf
#Invasive #SpottedLanternFly #StopTheSpread #NoThanks #BadBug #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: 2 Photos of the spotted lanternfly on a tree

Ugh. No thanks. These are spotted lantern fly, and I personally came across 8 last night in a short walk. Even though they are a relatively pretty bug, they can severely damage a lot of our farmer`s crops and harm our trees. Here`s some more info from the CT Ag Experiment Station:
Spotted lanternfly is probably the most serious agricultural pest to hit US shores in a long time. The insect can kill a vineyard in a year or two. The SLF has real potential to become a “quality of life” pest. Spotted lanternfly is a sap-feeding planthopper that produces large amounts of liquid excrement called honeydew. In addition, the feeding of this insect also causes trees to weep sap, which combined with excreted honeydew creates conditions for sooty mold to grow. In infested areas, honeydew may rain down on surfaces, vehicles, and people, creating unpleasant situations. The honeydew is slippery on surfaces, and there have been reports of broken bones due to people falling down slick steps or slippery decks. The honeydew also may attract stinging bees or wasps. Often trees affected by SLF also have a fermented odor. In addition, other countries may refuse to accept US agricultural exports, if they feel that they may be contaminated with SLF.
Basically they are calling for folks to kill these bugs on site.
For more info visit: the link in our profile (this link ➡️➡️➡️https://portal.ct.gov/caes/caps/caps/spotted-lanternfly---slf
#Invasive #SpottedLanternFly #StopTheSpread #NoThanks #BadBug #CTfarms #CTfarmers #CTgrown #heartCTgrown
Alt Text: 2 Photos of the spotted lanternfly on a tree ...