Danna Rogers and Jen Kass are two of the greatest realtors and staging pros in town at CT Select Homes & The Higgins Group. But, behind the scenes, they are all heart! They have been longtime supporters of the Farm, with Danna donating her time and creative talents to our annual Harvest Fest auction, and both supporting the Farm in many ways over the years. This spring, the dynamic duo also helped support our beloved EGGstravaganza with a sponsorship. We are so grateful for you both!
sorry! sold out. EGGstravaganza! An Easter Egg Hunt for the Littles 4.3.21
EGGstravaganza! We are EGGspecially Eggcited for the return of EGGstravganza, a favorite Farm tradition designed for your little bunnies and chicks!
Sat. April 3 from 9 -10:30 a.m. Rain Date: Sun. April 4. 9 -10:30 a.m
Fee: Tickets : $10 PER PERSON (ADULT OR CHILD). FREE ADMISSION FOR UNDER ONE YEAR OLD. Thank you!
Hop on over to Wakeman Town Farm for a celebration of bunny fun!
This first-come, first-served, limited-capacity event will include:
-Egg hunt that begins at 9:15 a.m. (BYO Easter Basket!)
Each child will hunt for eggs and then turn them in for a special treat bag from BD Provisions.
-Coffee (BYO cup)
-Lawn Games - egg roll, egg toss. Win a prize!
-Story Time!
-Photos with the "Big Bunnies"
-Animal encounters. Visit our Farm animals, including our furry alpacas
All Covid precautions in effect, including mask wearing and social distancing. Kindly be aware of your surroundings and practice social distancing for the health and safety of all! Please park along Wakeman Drive.
Thinking about a Home Vegetable Garden? 4.6.21
Do you love sustainable living and the thought of starting your own vegetable garden at home? Homefront Farmers has a team of expert farmers who can help you achieve the garden and homestead experience of your dreams! Join us for a night of conversation and learning about vegetable garden design, how to extend your growing season with succession planting, organic pest management and the joys of growing your own organic food! Bring your questions! Zoom format.
Presenter/Discussion Leader: Haley Goldblatt - Homestead Manager
Moderators: Miranda Gould - Operations Manager and Taffy Miller - Managing Director
Planting for Continuous Bloom 3.22.21
ZOOM TALK: PLANTING FOR CONTINUOUS BLOOM
Monday, March 22, 7:00 p.m
Want to keep the color coming–and attract pollinators to your garden all season? Sign up for this Pollinator Pathway talk!
Learn to plant for a continuous season of bloom in your yard, with abundant blossoms for pollinators – and you! – to enjoy.
“If you grow it, they will come!”
Loss of habitat is causing insect populations (and the birds that feed on them) to crash. We depend on native bees and other creatures to pollinate our flowers and crops. Creating a diverse and pesticide-free habitat in our own yards means we are supporting the very creatures we cannot live without . . .not to mention, providing a source of beauty and joy for ourselves. This talk provides direction and ideas which will bring many seasons of enjoyment for you, and the pollinators, too.
Taught by UConn advanced master gardener Alice Ely.
This pollinator series talk is sponsored by Wakeman Town Farm and Westport’s Pollinator Pathway.
sold out! Yay! Two Kids' Cooking Classes
We know you’ve missed our cooking classes, and two of our most popular kids’ culinary instructors have been working hard to create amazing menus and culinary experiences for the spring!
Programs are below:
Young Chef’s Club - CODE 308
Cost: $400, includes materials and ingredients
Instructor: Annalyce Loretto
Dates:
April 30
May 7, 14, 21, 28
June 4
Ages: 8-11 (Grades 4-6)
Time: 4:15 p.m.-6 p.m.
Sessions: 6
Days of the week: Friday
Description: Are you a budding chef who wants to learn about basic knife skills, cooking techniques and a variety of delicious dishes, all while being hands-on in the kitchen? Then join the Young Chef's Club! Together, we will try out new ingredients and recipes, or share your favorite recipe that we can all make together. It's a club, after all! Menu items may include fresh gnocchi with a classic tomato or silky sage-butter sauce, fresh-baked oversized hot pretzels with a melted cheese sauce, delicious whole wheat toaster pastries with a sweet strawberry filling topped with a zesty lemon glaze, and more! We will also get our green thumbs working while incorporating hand-picked ingredients from the garden when available. Let's get those creative juices flowing—and let's get cooking!
Chef Bio: Loretto was professionally trained at Natural Gourmet Institute, where she strengthened her passion for health-supportive cooking with a focus on real and natural food. She aims to inspire children to be adventurous eaters and become confident and knowledgeable in the kitchen. She also strives to encourage kids to find the joy in nourishing themselves with healthy and homemade food, while making it fun along the way. All Covid safety measures in effect.
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Cooking Around the Globe - CODE 307
Cost: $400, includes materials and ingredients
Instructor: Lisa Finn
Dates:
April 21, 28
May 5, 12, 19, 26
Ages: 11-14
Time: 3:30 pm - 5:30 p.m.
Sessions: 6
Days of the week: Wednesdays
Cooking Around the Globe
So, you want to be the next celebrity chef? Well....we can’t promise that, but we can promise that you’ll dazzle your friends and family with the latest (and tastiest) globally inspired recipes, made in the state-of-the-art Tim’s Kitchen at Wakeman Town Farm. Making your own meals and sharing them with others will leave you with a sense of self-reliance that will provide you with lifelong confidence in the kitchen.
Whether you have little or no kitchen experience, you will learn basic knife skills, mise en place (recipe set-up), and kitchen etiquette, as you create delicious (and simple) recipes highlighting ingredients and spices from all over the world!
Dishes may include: Saucy Cuban Mojo Meatballs, Indian Khichdi (chicken & rice) and an authentic Cinco de Mayo Taco Fiesta, to name a few. All Covid safety measures in effect.
Chef Bio: Finn developed her love for cooking with her grandmother, who believed that simple and fresh ingredients make the most delicious and healthy meals. Eventually, Lisa turned her passion for food into a culinary career, completing her chef training at the Natural Gourmet Center/International Culinary Education in NYC.
Lightened up weeknight Mexican dinners! Culinary Series with nutrition Coach Michele Brown 3.29.21
In this demonstration cooking class, we'll use several tricks and tips for lightening up our Mexican dinners so that we can trick our stomachs into thinking we've just enjoyed a more decadent meal!
This is often the secret to consuming fewer calories each day.
The series will continue with a future class on lighter Asian meals.
Mexican food is tasty and flavorful, and often a crowd-pleasing dinner. But we’re going to focus on ways to lighten things up a bit by adding unexpected ingredients so that our meal offers more variety, is less calorie-dense, and yet remains appealing to even the pickiest palates.
Mexican meals can also be a terrific way of introducing our family members to healthier choices that they may normally be passing on. When all of the ingredients are tucked into a wrapper, and surrounded by lots of flavor, we tend to be a bit more adventurous.
These recipes are family-friendly and use few ingredients so that we can get dinner on the dinner table as quickly as possible.
Class Format: We’ll be running through several recipes so that you can watch the preparation and familiarize yourself with the various ingredients. After the demonstration, we will send you the recipes and a list of each of the products used and where you can shop for them locally. Our goal is for you to want to run out to the grocery store and recreate these meals for your family this winter.
Here's what we're making:
Family Tacos Three Ways (shrimp, chicken and veggie - tempeh and cauliflower)
We'll be employing a few shortcuts so that they’re on the table in a snap. To finish off our tacos, we'll whip up a three-ingredient sauce that transforms our simple family Mexican meal into more of a gourmet feast!
Crispy and Addictive Gluten-Free Quesadillas
These Quesadillas pair well with a simple salad for a quick and tasty weeknight lunch or dinner, or they work equally as well as a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Mexican Five-Can Soup
This is the "weight-loss soup" that has been such a client favorite through the years. We're going to use a simple core recipe, and then have the option of jazzing it up with additional ingredients.
Dessert: Chocolate Frosty
Why not satisfy our chocolate craving with a guilt-free frozen treat that's infused with healing raw cacao and superfoods.
We'll also be touching on the following topics:
Ideal tortillas and wraps for our Mexican meals
Tasty sides that reduce the calorie density of our meal, and make it extra delicious and interesting!
The go-to grocery store ingredients for adding a gourmet flair and flavor infusion to our simple meal.
The most ideal tortillas, tacos, and other wrappers
Terrific ways to trick your family into a meatless Mexican night :)
My favorite stir-fried black beans
A terrific go-to Mexican cheese
Addictive hot sauce - we order it by the case :)
Satisfying veggie-forward sides – lime infused brown rice, lemon and garlic black beans, roasted veggies, pickled cabbage slaw, chipotle sauce
About the Series + The Instructor
Michele Brown, a certified nutrition counselor, enjoys teaching others how to make the transition towards lighter fare without sacrificing on flavor, and without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. She shares how even the healthy meals that promote weight loss and wellness can in fact be “crave-worthy”, and something that everyone looks forward to on a regular basis. She is not a vegetarian or vegan, but has an enormous bent toward a lot less meat! Over time, most everyone finds that these lighter dinner choices actually feel good in the belly, leave them feeling energized rather than fatigued, and become more of a daily preference. Michele’s goal is to shift the palate permanently, as once this happens, we’re on our way to achieving the health goals we so desperately want, whether it’s shedding unwanted pounds or reversing chronic medical issues.
Meet our new Educational Programming sponsors! Dana + Doug
We’re sending a big hug out to Dana Ruston Robinson and Doug Robinson. They are sponsoring our popular educational talks at the Farm this season, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Our discussions/workshops will be on a variety of subjects, from gardening, to sustainability, to raising all manner of animals, to meeting local merchants who share our passion for agriculture, organics, the environment and learning new skills. Peruse our offerings on this website, and sign up for our mailing list, below. Thank you, Dana + Doug!
How to Raise a Dog with Vet Jessica Melman 3.8.21
How To Raise A Dog - March 8, 7 p.m.
Dr. Jess will talk all about diet, crate training, vaccination schedules, recommended flea/tick/heart worm prevention, common house hazards/toxins and more! What a great topic as so many of us our getting pandemic dogs and puppies. Dr. Jess will answer all of your dog questions as well.
Biography
Dr. Jessica Melman is a third generation veterinarian with both her father and late grandfather as veterinarians. Growing up surrounded by animals and observing both her grandfather and father in their veterinary clinics made her realize that her calling was to help animals through veterinary medicine. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and then completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery in New York City. Following her internship, she practiced veterinary medicine in New York City for 10 years before moving to San Francisco where she practiced for 3 years. It has been her dream to provide quality and customized concierge veterinary services to patients and clients in the comfort of their own homes. After moving back to the East Coast in 2016, Dr. Melman committed to fulfilling this dream by introducing Bespoke Veterinary Services, which provides exceptional at-home veterinary services and more in Fairfield County.
Spring Kids' Programs
We have been hard at work creating Spring programs for tots through teens. Click here to see a few of the offerings, from Mommy + Me classes to Teen Apprentice programs to our April Vacation Week Camp.
Your Yard, Your Sanctuary - Turn Your Property into an Oasis 3.9.21
Are you new to your yard and garden or ready to take a fresh look at the plantings for a greener landscape? Wondering where to dig in right now? Lay the groundwork for success in your garden by learning steps to make a new yard your own with Alice Ely, master gardener. Find out how to start smart with soil testing, measuring sun/shade conditions, assessing plantings and prioritizing your garden goals. If you recently moved and don’t know what’s already growing, taking the time to get to know your garden can get you the best return on your efforts!
This is a virtual event, please register.
Community Partner: Westport Library
Alice Ely, UConn Advanced Master Gardener & UConn Master Composter, calls Westport’s Wakeman Town Farm her happy place. In addition to her role as Gardens Chair at
Wakeman Town Farm, she spreads the word about the Pollinator Pathway, and teaches homeowners how to garden, through her garden coaching business, Gardenwithalice.com. When she’s not in someone else’s garden, you’ll find her in her own, raising lots of milkweed and Monarch butterflies.
Maple Sugar + Tree Tapping at the Farm!
Sat. Feb 27 10-noon
Cost: $10 for Tapping Kit, but otherwise FREE Ages 8 and up
There are few things sweeter than homemade maple syrup from your own backyard! Join us on the farm with local tree-tapping experts Carl McNair and Julie Beitman to learn how to tap your own trees for maple sap, as well as how to prepare the sap into delicious maple syrup. This workshop includes information on tree identification, learning when to tap, and what equipment to use, plus tips on evaporation and bottling. All participants can go home with their own maple-tapping kit ($10.00) and be on their way to mouth-watering homemade syrup. This is an outdoor class; please wear boots or shoes that can get dirty.
How to Raise a Cat with Vet Jessica Melman 4.5.21
How To Raise a Cat
Monday April 5th 7-8 pm
Dr. Jess will talk all about diet, litter box planning, vaccination schedules, recommended flea/tick prevention, common house hazards/toxins, keeping them indoors vs. outdoors and more! Dr. Jess will answer all of your cat questions as well.
Sponsored by Earth Animal
Biography
Dr. Jessica Melman is a third generation veterinarian with both her father and late grandfather as veterinarians. Growing up surrounded by animals and observing both her grandfather and father in their veterinary clinics made her realize that her calling was to help animals through veterinary medicine. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and then completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery in New York City. Following her internship, she practiced veterinary medicine in New York City for 10 years before moving to San Francisco where she practiced for 3 years. It has been her dream to provide quality and customized concierge veterinary services to patients and clients in the comfort of their own homes. After moving back to the East Coast in 2016, Dr. Melman committed to fulfilling this dream by introducing Bespoke Veterinary Services, which provides exceptional at-home veterinary services and more in Fairfield County.
The Heart Auction - CLOSED - we will announce the winners soon!
Renowned contemporary artist Brendan Murphy, in partnership with auction co-chairs Nicole Gerber of United Westport for a Purpose and Jennifer Haviland of Haviland Reed, announced today the launch of THE HEART AUCTION to benefit the Wakeman Town Farm Sustainability Center in Westport, CT. The Valentine-themed Auction of a unique Brendan Murphy Heart Wall Sculpture in silver based chrome will take place from February 2 - February 13, 2021. The winning bidder will be announced on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. The reserve is $3,000. Confidential bids can be placed at BrendanHeartWakeman@gmail.com
Brendan Murphy, considered to be one of the fastest rising stars in the contemporary art world, currently has a one man show on display at 1 Main Street, Westport. Murphy approached Jennifer Haviland and challenged her to find a way to support the Westport community through his art. Haviland chose a Westport organization she loves - Wakeman Town Farm.- as a Valentine to the work they do. She says “There is a tremendously infectious grassroots community spirit at the farm.”
Befitting the “love” theme, Murphy chose one of his eight-layer, silver-based chrome heart sculptures. This highly collectible artwork, measuring 24x24x8 inches and valued at $18,000, features one of Murphy’s signature unique formulas. One lucky bidder will walk away with this spectacular work of art while also benefiting a valuable local organization. Haviland explained, “A Heart for Valentine’s Day and Passion & Desire for the powerful emotions that sustain us in our lives and our successes - emotions that inspire achievement. What is more Brendan Murphy has demonstrated his big heart by allowing us to auction one of his artworks.”
United in their passion for sustainability, environmental education, and food advocacy Nicole Gerber explained why they chose one of Westport’s iconic institutions as the beneficiary of The Heart Auction. “Wakeman Town Farm has a rich history in Westport, and resides at the heart of our community. The Farm is committed to inspiring local residents through sustainable practices, education opportunities, and community service. In this crucial time in our history, The Farm is actively supporting local organizations focused on alleviating food insecurity in our area. We are honored to support a nonprofit that allows the people it serves to serve others as well,”
The Heart is currently on display with Murphy’s Show “96% Stardust” at the corner of Main St and Post Rd, Westport. For more information and to place a bid, please email Jennifer Haviland below.
Bidding starts at $3,000.
PRUNING BASICS - Zoom workshop WITH NATHALIE FONTeYNE 2.8.21
Monday, February 8, 2021 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Presenter Nathalie Fonteyne Gavrilovic is a UConn advanced Master Gardener and a UConn Master Composter, and serves as the Westport Garden Club civics chair. She volunteers in many gardens, including those at Wakeman Town Farm. She is a passionate gardener and an adept pruner.
Nathalie will take you through the fundamentals of pruning, discussing proper techniques, and using the right tools for the job to achieve your goals in the garden. She will address the timing of pruning to ensure maximum bloom and optimal health for your shrubs.
“WTF is For Dinner?” Series - Cauliflower Veggie Fried Rice w/Tofu 2.8.21
“WTF is For Dinner” Culinary Series with Chef Diana Andrews
Monday, February 8 at 4:30PM, $55 per order (up to two family members)
Live online class. 60+ minutes of live cooking and tips with Chef Diana Andrews. Andrews’ 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.
Cauliflower Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu: Toasted golden cauliflower bits replace traditional rice in this delicious low-carb take on vegetable fried rice. We can replace tofu (or add in addition to tofu) diced chicken, beef, shrimp or your protein(s) of choice. This recipe has endless variations, so once you learn 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: For the past five years, Andrews, a trained chef/instructor was senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine. Andrews has conducted private cooking classes and group cooking classes at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York, the World Market in Brooklyn, and for professional institutions using Zoom. Closer to home, she also worked at Paul Newman/Michel Nischan’s Dressing Room restaurant back in its heyday.
About the series: The series is designed to make cooking fun and to provide a little change from your standard rotation, with inspired recipes that are easy to replicate and tweak for variety and different palates. We frequently find that our participants like to cook with family, friends or even an entire book club group. 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!
winter Seed Sowing workshop with Master Gardener Alice Ely 1.25.21
Pop-up Bagels at the Farm 1.23.21
The homemade bagel craze is real. Westport Adam Goldberg’s homespun bagels have taken the town by storm, and he can’t keep them in stock. We will soon post the link here for a special pop-up bagel pickup, that will allow you to pick up your bagels hot and fresh, just out of the ovens at Wakeman’s Tim’s Kitchen. Stay tuned for the order link to this first-come, first-served fundraising event that benefits a small local business and your local Town Farm! P.S. These babies sell out FAST!! Blink, and you’ve missed it!
Pickups will be from 8:30-10:30 a.m. You will choose your time slot. Kindly park along Wakeman Drive and enter through the gates at the Red Pillars. The pickup is Covid-safe. Kindly wear your mask! Thanks.
Link (below) will be LIVE at 10 a.m. on Jan 18.
Cookbook Club: Alternative Sugar Baking w Christina Mattinson of The Old Mill Market 1.13.21
Have you been baking more this year? Have you wondered about using alternative sugars in your baking? Christina Mattinson of The Old Mill Market and Dough & Co. will share ways to use sweetness from sources other than white processed sugar and demonstrate an easy recipe. Bring your baking questions!
Christina is the founder of Dough & Co., a wholesale business that distributes cookies, scones and brownies to retailers in CT and NY and the Old Mill Market & Cafe in Georgetown, CT.
This is a virtual event, please register.
Community Partners: Wakeman Town Farm + Westport Public Library
Lightened Up Weeknight Italian dinners! Culinary Series with nutrition coach Michele Brown 1.19.21
Lightened Up Weeknight Dinners (Italian)! Shortcuts to making dinner easier, lighter + healthier. Culinary Series with certified nutrition coach Michele Brown.
Tuesday, Jan 19, 7:00-8:30 PM
ZOOM - We will send you a link the day before class. Recipes + ingredient lists will be sent after class; this class you will follow along as the chef demonstrates.
It's the new year, and many of us are looking to get back to cleaner eating and healthier choices.
In this demonstration cooking class, we'll employ several tricks and tips for lightening up our Italian dinners so that we can trick our stomachs into thinking we've just enjoyed a more decadent meal! The series will continue with future classes on lighter meals with Asian, Mexican and global flavors.
In this class, we'll swap out some of the heavier components with lighter substitutes; all without sacrificing flavor. We still want our everyday meals to be tasty and craveworthy, so that everyone in the family looks forward to eating them on a regular basis.
These recipes are family-friendly and use few ingredients, so that we can get dinner on the dinner table as quickly as possible.
We're going to run through several recipes so that you can watch the simple preparation, and familiarize yourself with the various ingredients. After the demonstration, we will send you the with recipes and a list of each of the products used and where you can shop for them locally. Our goals is for you to want to run out to the grocery store and recreate these meals for your family this winter.
Here's what we're making:
-Cavatelli, pancetta and peas with (skinny version) pesto sauce
-Pasta bolognese (lightened up!)
-Pasta with sausage, beans and greens
-Pasta primavera with vodka sauce
We'll also be touching on the following topics:
-Meat alternatives
-Cheese options with the lowest calories and greatest digestability
-The tastiest high-protein, high-fiber, and gluten-free pastas.
-Easy and addictive weeknight Italian salad dressing
About the Series + the Instructor
Michele Brown, a certified nutrition counselor, enjoys teaching others how to make the transition towards lighter fare without sacrificing on flavor, and without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. She shares how even the healthy meals that promote weight loss and wellness can in fact be “crave worthy”, and something that everyone looks forward to on a regular basis. She is not a vegetarian or vegan, but has an enormous bent toward a lot less meat! Over time, most everyone finds that these lighter dinner choices actually feel good in the belly, leave them feeling energized rather than fatigued, and become more of a daily preference. Michele’s goal is to shift the palette permanently, as once this happens, we’re on our way to achieving the health goals we so desperately want, whether it’s shedding unwanted pounds or reversing chronic medical issues. Visit her website here.
Holiday Artisanal Foods SOLD OUT! Thank you!
Psssst...’Knead’ a little holiday inspiration? We paired up with our friends at Kneads, Westport’s local artisan bakery, to bring you a variety of holiday treats — for your family breakfast to hostess gifts, including a classic Linzer Tart cookie box, decorative Epi Wreaths (pull-apart dinner rolls), a traditional Christmas Stollen, a Breakfast Box with assorted bakery favorites, and a house-made Pâté with Candied Orange, Hazelnuts, with Brioche Loaf. All items will be available to purchase online on our website NOW through Dec 19. Please note: Pickup will be at Kneads on 12/24 between 8 a.m.-12 p.m.