Our friends in Ukraine are moms and dads just like us. They love their families, nature, animals, local farms and community. During this time of great need, we have put together a grassroots collection effort that will allow you to drop off or send select medical supplies to any of three local farm collection sites (pictured above). We will collect from each farm (please make sure items arrive or are dropped off by
1 p.m. March 18) and we will drive the combined supplies to a site where they will be shipped to Ukraine ASAP. Thank you for your support!
NOTE: Wakeman Town Farm will accept either mail deliveries at 134 Cross Hwy, Westport, CT 06680, or unboxed drop-offs up at the Farm's Plastic Bins at the 1 Wakeman Drive, Westport, CT entrance. Items must arrive by 1 p.m. on March 18 to be included.
Art with a Heart: A fundraiser for Ukraine: Bidding is open!
A local craftsperson donated this beautiful handmade Ukraine “Love” quilt to raise money for the Farm’s ongoing fundraising efforts for the people of Ukraine. We are donating proceeds to @wckitchen, one of the leading hunger-relief organizations with a big presence at the Ukraine border.
Details:
Size 23” x 32”
Quilters: Amanda, Alex + Will Kuster
Kuster says the piece is meant to be a wall hanging, but it can be washed on a gentle cycle and line dried.
The bidding starts at $100, and we will cut off bids at midnight on Monday, March 14. Click button below to place your best bid and thank you!
It's Your Birthday! Cupcake Wars + Cooking Parties for Kids
We offer a variety of fun kids’ birthday parties in Tim’s Kitchen, with lots of different themes to choose from. The parties are typically on Saturday or Sunday mornings, depending on Farm availability. Packages are for small groups of up to 10 participants, although we can add a few more in certain circumstances approved by the instructor. Choose from Birthday Brunch, Mexican Fiesta, Pizza…and, for tweens, we offer an awesome Cupcake Wars experience that gets the friendly competitive juices flowing! Click here below to read more or reach out to us here to send us an email with your child’s age, preferred date, number of participants, and a note about which party theme you’d like to book. New bookings available for Jan. 2021 and beyond.
New Educational Sponsor Freudigman & Billings
We are excited to announce our new partnership with educational sponsor Freudigman & Billings. Their support will underwrite many of our Farm educational lectures.
Freudigman & Billings’ philosophy is that children learn best in the context of supportive relationships. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Kim Freudigman and Trey Billings, F&B embraces a student-centered process designed to respond to each student’s learning style, personality, and educational needs.
Today, the F&B team provides educational solutions for children and adolescents through individual assessment, personally tailored learning programs, and one-on-one coaching. To learn more, contact the team here
Services include:
Family Cooking Classes - Give the Gift of Togetherness
Looking for a fun and engaging weekend activity for your family? Join Chef-Instructor Annalyce Loretto for a cooking class that is as memorable as it is educational. You’ll spend two hours in our state-of-the art Farm Kitchen as you gather around the counter and make your meal together from start to finish. This is a great way to get all ages involved, learn some helpful kitchen tips, and enjoy a delicious family meal at the end of the class. A special holiday experience/gift for all. $600 for up to 6 participants, includes private instruction, materials and ingredients and exclusive use of the commercial kitchen. To inquire, reach out via email below.
Class Choices Include:
Pasta/Gnocchi Class-Make pasta or gnocchi from scratch. We’ll cook up a bright tomato sauce and a browned butter sauce with garden sage and freshly grated Parmigiano
Brunch Bunch-Cook up sweet and chewy Liege waffles and fluffy cloud eggs to make a delicious brunch spread that is sure to impress your foodie friends and family
Delicious Dumplings-Make meat and vegetable fillings and whip up a savory dipping sauce. We’ll learn authentic dumpling folding techniques, as well as two ways to cook them, both pan fried and boiled
Sold out! Encore HOLIDAY HORS D'OEUVRES CLASS WITH CHEF DIANA ANDREWS 12.9.21
Join Chef Diana Andrews as she introduces four easy-to-prepare, mostly make-ahead delicious starters that will get your holiday party or gathering started and whet your appetite as well.
•Poached Shrimp with Chipotle-Chive Aioli and Crispy Garlicky Breadcrumbs. Smokey-sweet and tangy chipotle-chive aioli is the perfect accompaniment for delicately poached sweet shrimp. The shrimp are meant for double-dipping, first in the creamy aioli, then the crispy breadcrumbs, which add the perfect crunch.
•Spicy-Savory-Sweet Jammy Tomato Preserves. This tomato jam hits all the right notes. A mix of savory-sweet, warm, and mildly spiced flavors conveniently made on the stovetop. A great addition to a traditional cheeseboard, complex enough to pair with most proteins yet bold enough to be served alone.
•Baked Brie with Curry, Chutney, and Toasted Sliced Almonds. Imagine a wheel of earthy, ripe, creamy brie. Now imagine it warm and melty, topped with curry and fruity chutney. Deeply satisfying and delicious, all you need is a loaf of crusty bread or your favorite crackers, and you’re good to go!
•Brown Sugar-Bourbon Baked Mixed Nuts. Simply addictive! Toss a combination of your favorite nuts together with a few simple ingredients. Bake, then cool until the coating is dry and they’re done! These irresistible nuts will be gone before you know it.
Basic Class Info
•Students may participate in some light hands-on prep. •Students will partake in tastings and not full meals. •Recipes are subject to change based on ingredient freshness and seasonal availability. •Full recipes provided at class and will be posted to the chef’s website shortly thereafter.
•Maximum class capacity: 8
• All Covid rules in effect; at the time of publication, masks are required indoors.
• No refunds allowed. If you cannot attend, you may pass or sell your ticket to another person, however, you must provide us with their contact info prior to class for admittance.
Diana Andrews is a culinary director, recipe developer and tester, food writer, and instructor. Her clients include online and print food media publications and kitchen appliance and food companies. She was the senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine and head recipe developer/editor for the first six seasons of the Emmy-nominated PBS TV show Moveable Feast. In addition, she has worked for Spruce Eats, Meredith Corporation, Food Network, Cuisinart, Sur La Table, Dressing Room Restaurant, Park Avenue Seasonal Restaurant, and the James Beard Foundation. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Visit her at https://chefdianaandrews.com.
Giving Tuesday Fundraiser: A Barn Dedicated to Peter Wormser. Donate Here
UPDATE: Wakeman Town Farm has unanimously decided to dedicate the renovation of Wakeman Town Farm’s red barn to Peter Wormser, a renowned architect and original Wakeman Town Farm champion. The newly refurbished barn will be a multipurpose space that will be used for horticulture classes and workshops, barn suppers, plays and performances and all manner of artistic and farm-y endeavors. Our goal is to increase our outreach and service to the community.
On Giving Tuesday, Nov. 30, please consider a donation to help us make Peter’s dream a reality for the entire community to enjoy.
To donate, please click the button below.
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Wakeman Town Farm’s Peter Wormser. Dan Woog of 06880 features the Farm’s tribute to Wormer’s memory here, as well as the full obituary here. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Westport Friends of Park and Rec/Tim’s Kitchen, c/o Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport CT 06880. Or click here for online donations. Thank you.
Wakeman Holiday Tree Lighting - Save the Date 12.3.21
You’re invited to the Annual Wakeman Town Farm Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration on Friday, Dec. 3 from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
It’s a festive, fun and free annual tradition — an event for the whole family. In addition to roasting marshmallows by the bonfire, we will enjoy sweet treats from The Porch and Sweet P Bakery, and hot chocolate from The Granola Bar and Starbucks. We’re featuring a variety of local school musicians playing Christmas and Chanukah favorites. Join us as we light up the Wakeman tree with fellow Westporters to kick off the season.
Holiday Lighting 4:30-6:30 p.m.
4:30 – Greens Farms Elementary, Long Lots Elementary & Staples High School Band Play Holiday Tunes
4:45 - Tree Lighting
4:50 - Hot chocolate, cookies and brownies from The Porch & Sweet P Bakery, and bonfire with marshmallows
6:30 - Happy Holidays & Goodnight!
A special thank you to Freudigman & Billings for keeping this event free and open to all. Additional thanks to The Porch/Sweet P Bakery, The Granola Bar and Starbucks for donating hot chocolate and sweets, and to Bert’s Trees for stringing the lights on our holiday tree.
*This is not a drop-off event. Parental supervision of all children is required - particularly around the animal enclosures and bonfire.
SALES CLOSED Thanksgiving Pie & Breads Sale
SALES CLOSED! Wakeman Town Farm Thanksgiving Desserts & Breads Sale
Wakeman Town Farm’s second annual Thanksgiving Desserts & Breads Sale is on! Our friends at Kneads Bakery have designed a delicious menu of baked goods sure to delight your family and friends this holiday. Every purchase made through Wakeman Town Farm helps support our agricultural and educational programs along with Westport’s own artisanal Kneads Bakery.
Order Pickups: Please pick up your desserts and breads from 9am-1pm on Tuesday November 23rd at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport.
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. Pecan Pies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Apple Pies can be served at room temperature or warmed gently in the oven.
daytime event - The Planter of Modern Life 5.10.22 @noon
The Planter of Modern Life
Please join our partner, the Westport Library, for this virtual event, part of the “Dinner Disrupted” series. This time around, it’s disrupting lunch, as it’s scheduled forTue, May 10 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT.
Stephen Heyman, author of The Planter of Modern Life will talk about America's most famous farmer inspired organic food movement.
Louis Bromfield was a World War I ambulance driver, a Paris expat, and a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist as famous in the 1920s as Hemingway or Fitzgerald. But he cashed in his literary success to finance a wild agrarian dream in his native Ohio. The ideas he planted at his utopian experimental farm, Malabar, would inspire America’s first generation of organic farmers and popularize the tenets of environmentalism years before Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring.
Registration is required. Please do so on the Westport Library website
SOLD OUT! Don't Blow It! A Panel DIscussion About Leaf Blowers 11.8.21
Live at the Farm @7 PM - Join this informational session to clear the air about the impact of gas leaf blowers on our bodies and the environment – and learn about the gas leaf blower ordinance being presented to the RTM
Come to the Farm to learn more about this issue, from our live in-person panel: Kristin Schneeman, Westport RTM, District 9, and lead co-sponsor of a proposed ordinance to limit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Westport; Valerie Seiling Jacobs, advisor with the non-profit Quiet Communities, attorney, and instructor at Columbia University, and Alice Ely, advocate for Westport’s Pollinator Pathway. Moderated by Liz Milwe, WTF Co-Chair and proponent of Westport’s successful plastic bag ban.
Bring your questions and learn more!
Sold Out! Holiday Hors D'oeuvres Class with Chef Diana Andrews 11.18.21
Join Chef Diana Andrews as she introduces four easy-to-prepare, mostly make-ahead delicious starters that will get your holiday party or gathering started and whet your appetite as well.
•Poached Shrimp with Chipotle-Chive Aioli and Crispy Garlicky Breadcrumbs. Smokey-sweet and tangy chipotle-chive aioli is the perfect accompaniment for delicately poached sweet shrimp. The shrimp are meant for double-dipping, first in the creamy aioli, then the crispy breadcrumbs, which add the perfect crunch.
•Spicy-Savory-Sweet Jammy Tomato Preserves. This tomato jam hits all the right notes. A mix of savory-sweet, warm, and mildly spiced flavors conveniently made on the stovetop. A great addition to a traditional cheeseboard, complex enough to pair with most proteins yet bold enough to be served alone.
•Baked Brie with Curry, Chutney, and Toasted Sliced Almonds. Imagine a wheel of earthy, ripe, creamy brie. Now imagine it warm and melty, topped with curry and fruity chutney. Deeply satisfying and delicious, all you need is a loaf of crusty bread or your favorite crackers, and you’re good to go!
•Brown Sugar-Bourbon Baked Mixed Nuts. Simply addictive! Toss a combination of your favorite nuts together with a few simple ingredients. Bake, then cool until the coating is dry and they’re done! These irresistible nuts will be gone before you know it.
Basic Class Info
•Students may participate in some light hands-on prep. •Students will partake in tastings and not full meals. •Recipes are subject to change based on ingredient freshness and seasonal availability. •Full recipes provided at class and will be posted to the chef’s website shortly thereafter.
•Maximum class capacity: 8
• All Covid rules in effect; at the time of publication, masks are required indoors.
• No refunds allowed. If you cannot attend, you may pass or sell your ticket to another person, however, you must provide us with their contact info prior to class for admittance.
Diana Andrews is a culinary director, recipe developer and tester, food writer, and instructor. Her clients include online and print food media publications and kitchen appliance and food companies. She was the senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine and head recipe developer/editor for the first six seasons of the Emmy-nominated PBS TV show Moveable Feast. In addition, she has worked for Spruce Eats, Meredith Corporation, Food Network, Cuisinart, Sur La Table, Dressing Room Restaurant, Park Avenue Seasonal Restaurant, and the James Beard Foundation. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Visit her at https://chefdianaandrews.com.
New Kids' Classes - Fall-Winter Farm programs
Registration links are now LIVE at Westport Parks + Rec for an array of kids’ classes that start in mid-November. From a few fantastic culinary classes, including Young Chef’s Club + Stick it!, which explores foods on a stick, to Mommy + Me to Fantastic Farmhands and Teen Apprentice classes. We are getting excited for Fun on the Farm!
Class descriptions can be found on our website under cooking + baking or kids schoolyear programs. Please remember to jot down the CODE for each program as the codes are required for registration on the Parks + Rec portal.
Sold Out! Fire Cider Infusing Workshop - The Age-Old Cure-All 11.3.21
Whether you want to fight cold & flu season, or just feel great, this class is for you! Learn to make the age-old cure-all in this workshop Wednesday, November 3rd
6:30 - 8:00 pm
What is Fire Cider and why is everyone drinking it? We'll talk about the health benefits of each ingredient in this metabolism & anti-inflammatory tonic, then pitch in together and chop! Whether you want to fight cold & flu season, or just feel great, this class is for you! Once you know the method, you can make your own version all winter long.
Did you know that Fire Cider takes 3 weeks to infuse? (We best get started now)
This is a Hands-On Workshop, and you will leave with a quart of your very own Homemade Fire Cider and a refillable Mason Jar with label.
Pam Lillis is a certified Nutritional Health Coach as well as a Master Preserver & Culinary Instructor specializing in all methods of canning and preserving. Pam loves to teach her students to preserve real organic fruits and vegetables to enjoy year round. Whether you are interested in shrubs & tonics, jams & pickles — or any of the bounty from each season, small-batch canning is easy to learn from this Master Preserver. Pam is the owner of Pam's Jams at Cook Up A Storm in Westport CT.
"Bicycling with Butterflies" - A Book Talk on Dia de los Muertos 11.1.21 - Video Link attached
Video Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/jWEQaU6T_lao7HeGig-AQ6tHOrMY0T7xj_Pu699eUBjQ_903caDPOP0RL2EOc_Rd.zFMOAy7m94P8cfQD Passcode: Vd!5O7yf
On behalf of Westport’s Pollinator Pathway, and in honor of Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos — the day the Monarchs traditionally return to their winter sanctuary in Michoacán — we welcome Sara Dykman to speak live via Zoom, on November 1st at 6:30pm, to the Wakeman Town Farm community about her solo experience biking the 10,000-mile Monarch Butterfly Migration. Questions and answer session to follow. In 2017, Sara Dykman became the first person to follow — by bicycle — the eastern population of monarch butterflies on their roundtrip, multinational, multigenerational migration. From Mexico to Canada and back, her 10,201 mile adventure, on a beat-up bicycle , was a call to action. “The monarchs need us,” Dykman explained, “they can’t call politicians to demand healthy prairies or rally for native gardens. But we can. We might not be able to fly like butterflies, but we can bike alongside them, and be their voice.”
SOLD OUT! Florals + Fromage Workshop 11.17.21
Join us for a special DIY Fall Themed Collaborative workshop!
7-8:30 p.m.
In this two-part workshop you'll experience a fabulous floral arranging tutorial led by Floral Designer Janelle Krizek of Trellis & Vine Events and a live demo teaching you how to thoughtfully curate & arrange a grazing board with Caterer and Food Stylist Elizabeth Drew of Drewlizcious, LLC.
$100 per person. Includes all materials/foods + wine!
Cost per person includes:
·Eco-friendly, disposable palm leaf board
·All cheeses, charcuterie + gourmet accoutrements
·Seasonal blooms, vessels + tools
·Tips & tricks that will transform the way you entertain, so you can actually enjoy yourself as the host!
·Red or white wine to get the creative juices flowing!
SOLD OUT! Holiday Wreath Making Workshop 11.15.21
Join us at Wakeman Town Farm and make a beautiful wreath just in time for the holidays!
Wakeman Town Farm's own Chyrse Terill and Ellen Goldman will instruct you on how to create a wonderful wreath that is perfect for Thanksgiving! Students will be able to use materials collected from Wakeman Town Farm to decorate their wreath. At the end of the class, you will be able to take home your natural wreath.
For the Love of Dahlias 10.18.21
This new group of Dahlia enthusiasts will meet at the Farm to share their interest in this vibrant and beloved garden star. Westport Dahlia Society Founder Stephen Gustafson will host a short demo/explanation of the overwintering process of tubers to save for next year. He will also offer a door prize of Collarette Dandy Dahlia Seeds. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite flower cuttings to show everyone. Meet chat with others who share the same passion for growing Dahlias or with newbies who want to learn more. Free. Please email to RSVP. Starts at 7 p.m.
VIDEO LINK BElow - Putting the Garden to Bed the Pollinator-Friendly Way 10.18.21
Video Link attached:
https://youtu.be/EFqBiR-HDb0
Nathalie Fonteyne will join Alice Ely and Ryan Brunelle, WTF’s own master gardeners and garden coaches, to share tips on what to cut down and what to leave, how to properly recycle and compost the last greens as the garden prepares for its long winter nap, and what veggies you still have time to plant in order to ensure a healthy and beautiful garden buzzing with life come springtime..
Meet the Farmers,
Nathalie Fonteyne: UConn master gardener & master composter, member, Westport Garden Club and the Connecticut Herb Society (and Wakeman Town Farm perennials whisperer)
Alice Ely: Certified Master Gardener & Composter (and Registered Monarch Way Station creator)
Ryan Brunelle: Ryan Brunelle is a graduate of Long Island University, Southampton College with a degree in Environmental Biology. After spending 20+ years handling maritime oil spill response/crisis management, Ryan was hired as the Farmer/Garden Manager at Wakeman Town Farm in the fall of 2019. A graduate of the Uconn Master Gardener program and accredited by the Northeast Organic Farming Association as a Land Care Professional, Ryan has been an avid gardener for over 25 years. Ryan is also Cofounder/Principal of Gardenfolk, LLC, a local fine gardening company specializing in the design, construction and maintenance of vegetable/herb/berry gardens. Ryan currently resides in Monroe with his wife and two daughters.
SOLD OUT - Simple Sauce Class 10.21.21
Three Simple Plant-based Sauces
Thursday, October 21. 7 PM to 9 PM
Three healthy, delicious, trending plant-based sauces that the entire family will love.
Join Chef Diana Andrews as she introduces three healthy, delicious, trending plant-based sauces that the entire family will love. These make-ahead sauces come together quickly with ingredients that are easily accessible year-round. In addition, they can be mixed and matched with practically anything from pasta, grains, vegetables, and proteins.
Turmeric Thai-Style Peanut Sauce: So easy to make and versatile too, with the benefit of turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties. Made with your favorite peanut butter and a few other key ingredients, the sauce does double-duty as a dip or dressing. This sauce is a favorite of adults and kids alike. You’ll want to keep this one in your rotation.
Carrot-Top Pesto: Switch it up with a healthy dose of detoxifying carrot-top pesto. Rich in vitamins A, C, chlorophyll, and potassium, their benefits may improve vision and bone density, boost immunity, and aid in digestion. Serve nose to tail by roasting the carrots while you make the pesto.
October Garlicky Raw Tomato Sauce: Raw tomatoes are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that may help prevent a wide range of health issues. This savory, quick-marinated sauce is infused with an abundance of garlic, which may lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and improve immunity. The additional bonus: No cooking required! Perfect in the Summer, but also works year-round if you’re in the know about which tomatoes to choose.
Basic Class Info
•Students will participate in light hands-on prep. •Students will partake in tastings and not full meals. •Recipes are subject to change based on ingredient freshness and seasonal availability. •Full recipes provided at class and will be posted to the chef’s website shortly thereafter.
•Maximum class capacity: 8
• All Covid rules in effect; at the time of publication, masks are required indoors.
• No refunds allowed. If you cannot attend, you may pass or sell your ticket to another person, however, you must provide us with their contact info prior to class for admittance.
Diana Andrews is a culinary director, recipe developer and tester, food writer, and instructor. Her clients include online and print food media publications, and kitchen appliance and food companies. She was the senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine and head recipe developer/editor for the first six seasons of the Emmy-nominated PBS TV show Moveable Feast. In addition, she has worked for Spruce Eats, Meredith Corporation, Food Network, Cuisinart, Sur La Table, Dressing Room Restaurant, Park Avenue Seasonal Restaurant, and the James Beard Foundation. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Visit her at https://chefdianaandrews.com.