On September 19th, a free tour of six local farms, will be followed by a BBQ at Harris Hill Farm to raise funds for an agricultural scholarship fund honoring Vivian Harris.
The New Milford Farmland Preservation Committee has created the Harris Family Agricultural Scholarship, which will benefit New Milford students going into the agricultural field. The scholarship fund is under the auspices of the CT Community Foundation and was formed in memory of Vivian Harris of Harris Hill Farm in New Milford for highschool graduates who are interested in pursuing an education in farming.
Vivian and her husband George G. Harris were farm advocates and active in the local community. Vivian was a past vice president of the Litchfield County Farm Bureau and worked on legislation that became the bedrock of some of the state’s farm policies. She was also a member of the Litchfield County 4-H Foundation supporting agriculture projects for youth. Vivian was involved in town government and served as chairperson of the Planning Commission. Her passion was educating people about farms and the importance of preserving the town’s farmland.
George grew up on his family dairy farm in Wethersfield where his grandfather imported some of the first Brown Swiss dairy cattle into this country. Soon after moving the farm to New Milford in 1957 he became respected in the local farming community. George received many local and state awards included the State Green Pasture Award. He worked nationally and internationally promoting the Brown Swiss breed.
Vivian and George saw the need to educate children about the importance of farming. They worked with the New Milford Youth Agency’s farm program, hosted Farm-City Day, and opened their farm up during the fall for school children to get hands-on farm experiences. Their three children Sue, George O., and Janet, along with spouses and grandchildren continue to be involved in the community and the farm.
On Saturday, September 19th, Harris Hill Farm will join five other local farms in a special event called Tour Our Farms. The all-volunteer Friends of New Milford Farms and the Harris family of Harris Hill Farm will host the tour of six farms for families from 10 am to 4 pm in New Milford and neighboring Sherman, with prizes and free farm souvenirs. After the farm tour, a pulled pork and BBQ smoked chicken supper with all the fixings, by both groups along with the New Milford Hospital’s Plow-to-Plate, will be offered at minimal cost at Harris Hill Farm from 5 to 7 pm.
All of the farms on the tour are great farms to visit because they represent a varied range of farming operations. The farms are small or medium-sized and demonstrate what entrepreneurial persistence, hard work, and good agricultural practices can produce in the ongoing search for creative solutions to the challenges of ensuring sustainable livings for farm families. The farm tour includes a winery, a cattle farm, a Christmas tree farm, a small, all-organic farm and CSA, a sheep operation, and a produce and pick-your-own pumpkin patch farm.
Here are brief descriptions of each farm and what you can expect on the day of the tour:
Finnegan’s Farm West
This is a dynamic organic vegetable, herb, fruit and flower farm. See how it is being transformed into a model of what can be accomplished on a small farm.
Tour Highlights: Discussion of organic growing operations, inspiration for starting a farming operation, challenges for new startups.
Tour and Demonstration Hours: 10 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm & 3 pm
Location: 55 Upland Road, New Milford
Additional Info:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Finnegans-Farm-West/
https://twitter.com/finnegansfarmw
203.496.6122
Happy Acres Farm
Happy Acres Farm currently raises grass-fed beef and is diversifying to include other pastured livestock, fresh produce and educational programming.
Tour Highlights:
Rotational grazing, a farm stand, brush-clearing goats, chickens, produce, and friendly dairy cows.
Tours will be offered: every hour on the half hour – 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, & 3:30 pm.
Location: 2 Taber Road, Sherman
For more information:
www.facebook.com/happyacresfarmct
Harris Hill Farm
Harris Hill Farm was purchased by George and Vivian Harris in 1958 as a dairy farm raising Brown Swiss Cattle until 1987. The family continues to own the farm and operates a pick-your-own pumpkin patch in the fall. Visitors are welcome at the farm on weekends during October to enjoy the view, see the farm animals, play corn trivia, and choose the perfect pumpkin.
Tour Highlights: Corn maze, farm animals, pumpkin preview, and garden tour.
Hours: 10 am to 3 pm
Farm Dinner: 5 – 7 pm
Location: 106 Ridge Road, New Milford
Additional Info:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harris-Hill-Farm/152051994833384
https://instagram.com/harrishillfarm/
860.354.5856
Mayapple Hill Farm
Grass fed lamb and pasture-raised pork. Sheep, llama and alpaca yarns. Batting, roving, sheepskins and fiber products. Natural soaps, maple syrup, pasture-raised eggs and pesticide-free vegetables.
Tour Highlights: Hands-on knitting and felting demonstrations for kids and adults. Petting area.
Tour and Demonstration Hours: Throughout the day, 10 am to 4 pm.
Location: 228 Merryall Road, New Milford
Additional Info: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mayapple-Hill-Farm/108228719324493
860.799.7612
Windswept Tree Farm
This farm is a Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm which offers a wide variety of trees, wreaths and holiday gifts.
Tour Highlights: Discussion of farm operations (Christmas Trees 101), tree planting (can be dirty!), tree shearing demonstration and tree identification.
Tour and Demonstration Hours: 10 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm & 3 pm
Location: 12 Evergreen Lane, New Milford (right off Route 37 on the Sherman town line)
Additional Info: http://www.windswepttreefarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WindsweptTreeFarm
860.355.9907
White Silo Farm & Winery
Guided outdoor tour of the farm and vineyard and indoor tour of the winery. On September 19th, they will also host their 8th Annual Raspberry Festival featuring six dishes made with fresh raspberries ($5/$6 per plate). Live music from 1 to 4 pm. Free admission to festival.
Location: 32 Route 37 East, Sherman
860.355.0271
Sunny Valley Farm, a project of the Nature Conservancy, located at 8 Sunny Valley Road in New Milford is holding their annual Open House on the same day. Stop by for a visit there as well.
TOUR OUR FARMS
Saturday, September 19
(rain date is September 20)
10 am to 4 pm
Free to all
Children of all ages are welcome on the tour and can obtain a personal Passport to Our Farms! at any of the farms on the tour that will be stamped at each farm visited. Every family that collects stamps from all six farms in their Passport to Our Farms! will be eligible to win a prize. A different free souvenir gift will also be available at each farm for visitors on the tour.
FARMS included in the Tour:
Finnegan’s Farm West, 55 Upland Road, New Milford
Happy Acres Farm, 2 Taber Road, Sherman
Harris Hill Farm, 106 Ridge Road, New Milford
Mayapple Hill Farm, 222 Merryall Road, New Milford
Windswept Tree Farm, 12 Evergreen Lane, New Milford
White Silo Farm & Winery, 32 Route 37, Sherman
For a Map of all farm locations go to thewebsite:
http://harrishillfarm.ticketleap.com/tour-our-farms/details
Begin your tour at any location.
SUPPER IN THE BARN
5 to 7 pm
at Harris Hill Farm, 106 Ridge Road in New Milford
After the farm tour, get ready for a tasty Barn Supper at Harris Hill Farm. There will be a traditional pulled pork, smoked BBQ chicken and a local corn-on-the-cob feast with all the fixings made by the Cook House and local food advocate, Chef Kerry Gold from New Milford Hospital. Dessert will be apple crisp made with locally grown apples from Averill Farm and famous Ferris Farm ice cream. The crisps are being baked fresh by the New Milford Youth Agency, whose student interns market the produce they grow at Harris Hill Farm to local grocers. Farm animals and a corn maze will keep children busy.
TICKETS:
ages 15 and up: $25
ages 5-15: $10
children under 5: free
Places are limited and tickets must be reserved in advance in one of three ways:
ONLINE: with a credit card at:
www.harrishillfarm.ticketleap.com
BY MAIL: Mail your check, payable to:
Harris Family Agricultural Scholarship Fund
106 Ridge Road
New Milford, CT 06776
IN PERSON: Purchases tickets at Nutmeg Olive Oil Company, 25 Main Street (on the Green, next to Robertson’s Jeweler’s) in New Milford, Monday to Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, and Sunday, 12 – 4 pm
Proceeds from the barn supper will go to the scholarship fund in memory of Vivian Harris. Harris Hill Farm is one of four working farms in New Milford that have been preserved, partially or completely, in perpetuity over the last seven years with the help of Mayor Pat Murphy and the New Milford Town Council with the New Milford Farmland & Forest Preservation Committee.
Helping farming return as a vibrant economic force in our area is a goal that would have been applauded by the late Vivian Harris who, with her husband George, was a passionate, longtime advocate for farming prior to her passing in 2008. Memorial gifts in her name made at that time have provided the initial capital that has been used to establish the agricultural scholarship fund under the auspices of the CT Community Foundation.
To make a tax-deductible donation directly to
The Harris Family Agricultural Scholarship Fund, visit:
https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/harris-fund
For more information call: 860-355-0000
or email: [email protected]
