“WTF is For Dinner” Thai Coconut Curry + Chicken Stock w Chef Lee Henderson 1.11.21

“WTF is For Dinner” Culinary Series with Chef Lee Henderson 
Thai Coconut Curry Soup + Classic Chicken Stock 

Monday, Jan. 11 at 4:30PM, $55 pp

Live online class. 60+ minutes of live cooking and tips with Chef Lee Henderson. Henderson has a strong interest in farm-to-table menus and global flavors, and believes in healthy, seasonal cooking. His classes are peppered with kitchen tips and tricks that make life in the kitchen much easier and more fun! We are scheduling the class in time for you to make and serve the recipe for dinner that night.

Thai Coconut Curry Soup + Classic Chicken Stock (Serves 4):  Every great soup begins with a great stock for its base. Learn how to make chicken stock,  which is the  most versatile stock and sauce base. Then take your newly created chicken stock and apply it to the next part of this class with a Thai Chicken Coconut Curry soup. This Thai soup gets its rich and dynamic flavor from quintessential Thai ingredients: coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, basil, and cilantro. While warming and thoroughly comforting, this dish comes together incredibly quickly. Of course, it's even better the next day after the flavors have had time to rest and fully meld within the thick and satisfying, savory-sweet broth. In addition to the soup, ChefLee will talk about the endless uses for the chicken stock, so once you make it, you can put it into your repertoire and change it up depending on your mood and what's in your fridge.

About the Chef: ChefLee, a professional chef, has conducted private and group cooking classes for both adults and children. He has worked in a variety of restaurants and trained at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York. He enjoys teaching about healthy eating and the culinary arts. 

About the Series: The series is designed to make dinner fun and to provide a change from your standard rotation, with inspired recipes that are easy to replicate and tweak for variety. We frequently find that our participants like to cook with family, friends or even an entire book club group, then sit down to eat right after class. The online format makes it easy to sign up and cook in the comfort of your homes, using your own kitchen supplies and ingredients. We will send the recipe a week in advance so you can have everything you need at the ready when class begins. Cheers! 

help us support al’s angels’ Touchless Toy Drive

In the spirit of the season, please consider helping us help our friends at Al’s Angels.

by donating a toy for a child in need this holiday when many are making the choice between putting food on the table or a gift under the tree. It's easy, touchless and can be done with a simple click of a button. We thank you! WISH LIST IS BELOW.

Ship Your “Touchless” Toy Donation to:
Al's Angels - Adena Fetzer
20 Winter Green Lane
Trumbull, CT 06611

we are profoundly grateful for you

We asked for help, and our community showed up in a big way. We’d like to thank all those who donated, plus Jaime Smith, Ellen Sonsino Cardozo and Tom + Jeanne Capasse, the angels who made it possible to double all donations! A big thank-you to the entire Wakeman Team for their efforts in reaching out to peers, and special kudos to Christy Colasurdo, Nicole Gerber, Paul Rossi and Terri Piekara for creating and executing this year’s campaign.

P.S. Some of our favorite procrastinators have asked if we will still accept donations. Our answer is: Of course and THANK YOU!

Meet the Bakers from Kneads! 12.7.20

Meet Daniel and Brittany Moreno, the owners of the new bakery, café, and flour mill, Kneads, via Zoom on December 7 from 7:00pm- 8:00pm. The Wakeman Town Farm discussion will tour Kneads and feature a talk about their mission and ethos, and a holiday baking demonstration featuring gingerbread.

If you haven't stopped in yet, Kneads offers a fresh, diverse menu that features 100% whole grain organic flour. The married couple focuses on local products and want to bring a newfound appreciation of milling to Westport. The Morenos have partnered with multiple local businesses, including Wakeman Town Farm, to establish farm-to-table connections in our area.

Chef Daniel Moreno graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts
Management from The Culinary Institute of America. He worked at Restaurant Daniel and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York and L’Abeille at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris. At Blue Hill, Daniel gained a deeper appreciation for the symbiotic relationship between restaurants and local farmers. Now at Kneads, Daniel’s comfortable and modern take on traditional breakfast and lunch dishes highlights
ingredients sourced from local farmers.

Head Baker Brittany Moreno attended Henry Abbot Technical School for Culinary Arts and The Culinary Institute of America, where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts Management.
Brittany worked at Della Fattoria in Northern California, the prestigious Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, and Carette in the Place de Trocadero and Boulangerie Berthe in Paris.
Working at Blue Hill helped expose Brittany to the ways in which using locally milled flour and properly sourced grains leads to more nutritious and better tasting bread. Brittany carries on this
tradition when baking her fresh breads and pastries at Kneads, making her goods both delicious and ethical.

ALL WAKEMAN PROGRAMS, CLASSES CANCELLED DUE TO CODE RED STATUS

We love our Wakeman Kids so much, so it is a very sad day today because we are cancelling our current roster of events, classes, and children’s programs, including Little Farmers and Wild Child due to the area’s Code Red Covid status. Instructors Chryse and Jess are devastated about not being able to see all those adorable faces communing with our alpacas and getting out in the fresh air and sunshine with other children. We hope everyone stays safe and healthy as we weather this crisis with your health and safety first and foremost. We can’t wait until things open up again and we can see you at the Farm!

CANCELLED - Wreath Decorating @Ganim's Garden Center with WTF

Grab your galpals and head over to Ganim’s Greenhouse for a night of festive fun. Please send us your name and the number of people in your group, and we’ll send you a registration link and all the information for you and your friends regarding BYO food + drink rules. All Covid regulations will be in effect, and we reserve the right to cancel/refund due to Covid upticks or insufficient enrollment. We will be capping this event at 20 people total. Our goal is to have one to three small groups of friends. This will be held in the greenhouse, which is chilly, so please dress warmly. Please contact us at wakemantownfarm@gmail.com

Holiday Food Drive - thank you!

A truckload! One of our food drops @Open Doors Shelter in Norwalk

Our friends and neighbors are in great need this holiday season, and our generous community stepped up in a big way. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS!

—THE WAKEMAN TOWN FARM TEAM

Holiday Pie Sale - SOLD OUT/CLOSED

CLOSED + SOLD OUT THANK YOU! WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT

Wakeman Town Farm Holiday Pie Sale

Wakeman Town Farm’s first-annual Holiday Pie Sale in conjunction with our friends at Kneads Bakery in Westport was a big hit. The pies are sold out thanks to you, and very purchase helps support Wakeman Town Farm’s educational programs, as well as Westport’s new artisanal bakery. Thank you!

Pie Pickups:  Please pick up your pies on 11/24 at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport between 3-7 p.m. 

Storing/serving Instructions: Best if eaten within 3-4 days, but can last up to a week. All pies can be refrigerated to prolong shelf life, but refrigeration is not necessary. Pumpkin and Pecan Pies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Apple Pies can be room temperature or warmed gently in the oven. 

Election Day Farm Camp Nov. 3, 9-1

We vote for a day of fun for the kids on Election Day!!!

Tuesday, November 3, 9-1 p.m. $125 (includes all materials, ingredients, guest instructors)

Max  10 Participants 
Kids 8-12 will enjoy their own election poll for “favorite farm animal” and will vote to name our feisty rooster.
After exploring the Farm, feeding and hanging with the animals and playing games led by our experienced Farm instructor Chryse Terrill, we’ll head into the kitchen to create fruit kebabs and homemade fruit pop tarts with Chef Robyn! And…buzzzz…We may get a visit with our favorite bee expert.

Registration is first-come, first served and extremely limited in size due to Covid restrictions. Please send an email with your child’s name and age to: wakemantownfarm@gmail.com and put “Election Day Camp” in the memo line. You will be notified as to whether or not your child gets into the program.

All Covid protocols in effect. Please bring a mask, a nut-free snack and reusable water bottle, and wear warm shoes or boots and weather appropriate outdoor clothes that are OK to get dirty!

CANCELLED - Winter Little Farmers Parent + Child Classes Open!

Head down to the Farm and spend some quality time with your youngster while safely connecting to other moms and children in the community. Intimate group sizes of no more than 8 families provide an enriching outdoor experience while visiting with the animals and exploring the organic vegetable gardens. We’ll spend time outdoors seeing whether there are eggs in our nesting boxes, and visiting with our favorite Farm friends, including our brand-new juvenile alpaca sisters Dahlia and Marigold! Dress for the weather in clothes and boots/shoes that can get dirty, as we like to spend as much time outdoors as possible! Register thru Westport Parks + Rec. Use CODE WTF to find our classes.

CANCELLED - Tuesday is for Heartbeeps! starts soon!

Sensory music with props, parachutes and puppets for ages 0-4 at Wakeman Town Farm on Tuesdays from 10-11 a.m.. Contact  www.hartbeepsusa.com for registration and information. New session: October 27- December 15.

How to Homestead: Free Videos and Tips

Hi from Tim’s Kitchen! Things are growing at the Farm and we’ve been busy!

Our Farm staff have put together some great things you can do to get growing while you’re staying socially distant.

Click HERE for videos and tips sheets

Monday Oct 12 Mommy + Me - all classes Cancelled Due to Rain

POLLINATOR SERIES TALK: SECRETS OF SEEDSAVING 10.5.02

Monday, October 5, 7–8 p.m.

Seed huntress and ethnobotanist Sefra Alexandra joins WTF’s own Farmer Ryan Brunelle and milkweed maven Alice Ely, in this one-of-a-kind seedsaving talk, as part of our continuing Pollinator Pathway Series. Learn about Sefra’s quest, with CT NOFA’s Ecotype Project, to find wild native plants and propagate them. 

See how Farmer Ryan saves seeds from his biggest, heartiest produce for next year’s crops, and watch how Alice collects and saves seeds for winter sowing projects. 

Attendees can receive free seed samples after the talk.

Register here

Forgaging with Farah - Wild Ramps! 5.30.21

Foraging with Farah: Come Ramping with Me!

Learn about ramps, what they are, how they grow, why NOT to over -harvest and how to use them in cooking

1. Event is rain or shine

2. COVID precautions a MUST

3. Dress for the weather in clothes you do not mind getting muddy

4. Hiking shoes please; we will be in the woods (barefoot optional)

5. Bring a refillable water bottle and a snack if you want

6. Alcohol welcome (BYOB)

7. Carry in, Carry out rules

8. Bring a screwdriver with you to dig them up, and a reusable bag to collect them.

9. You will be sent the meeting location the day before the event. Fairfield County site (Westport, Weston or Wilton)

About your guide: Farah Masani is a visionary farmer has broadened her impact beyond the boundaries of her own land. Born in Bombay, Masani  grew up romping around farms and animals around the world. It is here she got a true farming education. This foundation led to a lifelong passion for growing fresh food with real flavor. Today it is a way of life.

When Farah moved to the States, she attended the University of Texas at Austin and majored in Social Work. Over the course of the next decade, she founded a homeless shelter, educational development centers for children and advocated for the homeless and the hungry.

Growing tired of the lack of fresh, nutrient-rich food with real flavors offered within the food system in this country, she realized it was time to grow her own food.

She is now the Senior Director of Purchasing for Barcelona Wine Bar, based out of Connecticut., and works with producers around the world to supply Barcelona’s 18 restaurants with top quality ingredients. 

Continuing her social justice practice, Masani runs farming therapy programs for children with disabilities.  When Farah is not sourcing, or in the fields, you will find her at the beach or on a mountaintop with her family.

NEW THURSDAY MORNING Mommy (Daddy/Caregiver) + Me at the Farm ages 0-3

Our popular program is back with a new day/time. Join us for an hour of fun on the Farm with all your furry, feathered and winged friends in a live, interactive experience that takes place outside in the fresh air on the Farm grounds, following all Covid-compliant procedures. Thursdays from 11:30-12:30. $400 per child; $200 per extra sibling. Dates: Sept 24, 25, Oct. 1, Oct. 8, Oct. 15, Oct. 22, Oct. 29, Nov. 5. Limited to 10 children and their caregivers. First-come, first-served. Please email here with your name and child’s age.

We will let you know ASAP if you make it into the class!

Witchcraft - A Cocktail Event in Partnership with Westport Library 10.2.20

Explore the world of healing cocktails with Julia Halina Hadas and a demonstration from her new book, WitchCraft Cocktails. 10.2.20 @5 p.m.

All you need is a delicious and easy recipe, a bottle of your favorite booze, and a desire to get witchy. In WitchCraft Cocktails, you will find recipes for alcohol-based beverages that are sure to help you in your craft. Designed for healing, spells, offerings, and just plain fun, there’s nothing these drinks can’t do! Need a love potion to help woo your lover? Maybe a tincture to heal a cold? Or perhaps you’re looking for the perfect witch-themed signature cocktail to serve at your next gathering. Regardless of what you’re looking for, this book has you covered and includes tips on how to use your witch’s brew to further your practice—and have fun!

Community Partner: Wakeman Town Farm

This is a virtual event, please register. 

Order a bookplate signed copy to be picked up at the Westport Library.

Julia Halina Hadas is a practicing witch and avid craft cocktail fanatic and bartender. Having worked at a distillery and as a craft cocktail bartender in the San Francisco Bay Area, she combined her love of the craft cocktail movement with her witchcraft practice. She holds a BA in anthropology, and is a certified crystal healer, shamanic, and reiki practitioner. You can learn more at her blog, WitchcraftCocktails.com or her website, FireLotusCreations.com.

sold out!!! Oktoberfest Dinner with Alison Milwe Grace 10.8.20 or 10.9.20 Rain Date

OKTOBERFEST DINNER WITH AMG CATERING + EVENTS

An outdoor fall evening with a German flair. Bring a sweater or jacket and your favorite German Beer or adult beverage. Chef Alison Milwe Grace will be cooking up a German-style feast. Hoping to add some live music as well! Ticket button is below.

Thursday, October 8 or Friday, October 9 (rain date)

5:30 PM 

Min soft pretzel “bites “ with German cheese beer spread  

FIRST COURSE

German potato soup with stout and leeks

SALAD COURSE

Pepper brie and radicchio salad with cider-dijon vinaigrette 

ENTRÉE

 Grilled bratwurst with braised red cabbage and roasted caraway potatoes
or

Vegetarian Option: Roasted Fall Vegetable Strudel (Please specify during checkout!)

DESSERT

German chocolate trifle with black cherry preserves

PRICE PER PERSON FOR FOOD and STAFF = $125 pp

 BYOB

onsite event sold out. picnic boxes available. Newly Envisioned Harvest Fest

While Wakeman Town Farm’s reimagined (and much smaller) Harvest Fest Fundraiser Dinner sold out in minutes, Marcia Selden Catering created an amazing picnic box. If you can't make it to the event in person or just want to show your support this “little Farm that could" , kindly consider purchasing one of the delicious boxed picnic dinners to take home or to the beach and enjoy. They contain a fun themed meal for two to share. Your purchase supports our educational programs for local youth. 

The New Englander Picnic Box for Two
-Long Island Lobster Roll
-Jumbo Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
-Classic Creamy Coleslaw
-Handcut Crispy Potato Chips with French Onion Dip
-Truffled Popcorn
Bamboo Plates and Napkin Rollups

For the boxed dinner option, the pickup will be Sept. 12 from 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine.  Pickup will be at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, off Wakeman Drive. Please drive up to the red pillars along Wakeman Drive, and your order will be ready for pickup under the white tent.

Tickets available here 

Mulching Musts with Nathalie Fontayne 9.14.20

Mulching Musts

Mulching: Everything you need to know

Monday September 14, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Nathalie Fonteyne Gavrilovic is a UConn advanced master gardener and a UConn master composter.  She volunteers in many gardens, including Wakeman Town Farm. 

Mulch is one of the easiest and most beneficial garden practices we can learn.  This presentation will demystify the benefits of mulching, explain the different types of mulch and their benefits and discuss the proper application techniques. 

To register, click here