Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

Bantam

Camp Chinqueka 
An all-girls camp that focuses on self discovery through activities like culinary arts, swimming, dance, waterskiing, ziplining, and more.
Ages 6-16
Sleepaway Camp
860-567-9678
chinqueka.com

Barkhamsted

Boulder Ridge Day Camp
Co-ed day camp that offers both athletic and non-athletic activities such as aquatics, sports, outdoor adventures, and arts & sciences.
Ages 4-14
Day Camp
860-379-6500
boulderday.com

Bridgewater

Bridgewater Summer Camp
Fun summer activities lined up for campers to enjoy the outdoors.
Ages kindergarten – 12
Day Camp
860- 355-9133
bridgewater-ct.gov

Colebrook

YMCA Camp Jewell
Offers an overnight camp, day camp, and  ranch camp, where campers have the opportunity to customize their program each week.
Ages 7-14
Day and Sleepaway Camp
860-379-2782
campjewell.org

Cornwall

Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater Arts Camps 
Act, dance, sing, make art, perform! Two theater camps this summer from July 7-11 for ages 6-14 at Rumsey Hall. Children will train with a team of professional actors, musicians, artists, and act in a show. Celebrating 44 years. Winner of CT Governor’s Arts Award.
Ages 6-14
Day Camp
860-672-0286
[email protected]
grumblinggryphons.org

The Village Music School
Four-week online music instruction sessions. 40 to 45 minutes per lesson with a virtual recital each session.
Ages 5-12
Day Camp
860-212-6990
thevms.org

Goshen

Camp Cochipiannee
Provides a safe environment for campers and staff along with a fun summer schedule.
Ages 4-12
Day Camp
860-601-6089
goshenct.myrec.com

Kent

Benchmark Hockey Camp
Five day camp that helps boys and girls develop their hockey skills on and off the ice.
Ages 9-16
Sleepaway and Day Camp
860-671-7177
[email protected]
Benchmarkhockey.com

Camp Kent Summer Camp
Park & Rec camp programs age-appropriate activities that instill positive values, life skills, and boost confidence. 
Ages 5-12
860-927-1003
townofkentct.org

KenMont KenWood
Wide range of activities such as basketball, culinary arts, go karting, and paddleboarding.  
Ages 7-15
Sleepaway
860-927-3042
kenmontkenwood.com

Slamma-Jamma Summer Basketball Camp
Provides instruction that will help your child become a better basketball player.
Ages  7-14
Day Camp
860-927-1003
townofkentct.org

Lakeville (Salisbury)

Burnt Squash Camp
Join for 5-days of fun squash for all levels! Three sessions, Monday-Friday, weeks of June 30, July 7, & July 21.
Ages 8-14
Day Camp
203-912-0585
[email protected]
Burntsquash.com

Hotchkiss Summer Portals 
Presents students the opportunity to hone a talent or learn something new.
Grades rising 7 – 12
Sleepaway Camp
860-435-3173
Hotchkiss.org

Nike Basketball Camp
Coed camp that focuses on fundamental basketball skills from ball-handling to footwork.
Ages 8-15
Day Camp
ussportscamps.com/basketball

YMCA Camp Sloane
Campers achieve new skills, attain self-confidence, and build lifelong friendships.
Ages 8-16 
Teen program: 16-18
Sleepaway and Day Camp
860-435-2557
campsloane.org

Litchfield

Camp Hope
Focuses on giving campers the freedom to experience a variety of challenging adventures and activities.
Ages 7-17 
Sleepaway Camp
860-567-1525
camphope.com

Duck Camp
An educational and interactive conservation-based camp that introduces the wonders of the bird world and inspires a passion for nature and conservation!
860-567-2062
3rd – 6th graders
https://www.ripleyconservancy.org/

Forman School’s Summer Program
Forman School’s Summer Program, a coed boarding and day camp, takes place July 7th – August 1st. The program offers a balance of academics and recreation for students entering grades 7-11 who learn differently. Students develop effective classroom and study strategies, learn self-advocacy, and make lasting memories. 
Grades 7-11 
Sleepaway and Day Camp
860-567-8712
formanschool.org/academics/forman-summer

White Memorial Summer Nature Camp
Various age based programs where the camper will experience and learn more about nature.
Ages 4-14
Day Camp
860-567-0857
whitememorialcc.org

YMCA Camp Mohawk
A day and night camp for girls to enjoy fun summer activities such as archery, horseback riding, and more.
Ages 5-15
Sleepaway and Day Camp
860-672-6655
campmohawk.org

Morris

Camp Awosting
All-boys summer camp focused around developing brotherhood, independence, confidence, and experience. 
Ages 6-15
Sleepaway Camp
860-567-4924
awosting.com

Camp Washington
Encourages exploration, growth, and individuality all in week long sessions.
Ages 7-16
860-567-9623
Sleepaway Camp
[email protected]
campwashington.org

Kids’ Watersports Camp
Campers spend an entire day on the boat learning new skills such as wakeboarding.
Ages 8-14
Day Camp
860-295-4640
connwatersports.com

Fox Crossing Equestrian 
Campers learn how to take care of horses, take riding lessons, and participate in outdoor games.
Day Camp
860-567-1788
[email protected]
foxcrossingequestrian.com

New Milford

Buck’s Rock Camp
Campers have the option of creative and performing arts. They can spend time with various animals and help grow fruits and veggies in the garden.
Ages 10-17
Sleepaway Camp
860-354-5030
bucksrockcamp.org

New Milford Parks & Recreation Summer Camps
Campers partake in a variety of activities designed to develop life skills and to have fun.
Grades 1-9
Day Camp
860-355-6050
[email protected]
newmilfordct.myrec.com

Pratt Nature Center Summer Camp
Offers a co-ed program for children who have interests in the outdoors.
Ages 3+
Day Camp
860-355-3137
prattcenter.org

New Preston

Summer @ Washington Montessori School
Washington Montessori offers a variety of summer camps and programs for students ages 3-14 on their 48-acre campus nestled in the Litchfield Hills. These offerings range from a Montessori-inspired program for the youngest campers, to sports clinics and specialty camps for the older campers.
Day Camp
[email protected]
washingtonmontessori.org

Plymouth

Camp Mattatuck 
A place where cub scouts turn camp into a home over the period of five weeks.
Ages 5-18
Sleepaway and Day Camp
860-283-9577
campmattatuck.org

Sharon

Challenger Soccer Camp
Week long camp for players to learn and develop their soccer skills.
Ages 3-14
Day Camp
860-364-1400
sharonct.org

Little Rascals Summer Program
Beachfront property offering swim lessons and access to waterfront activities. Arts and crafts, theme weeks, and sporting activities included.
Ages 5-12
Day Camp
860-364-1400
[email protected]
Sharonct.org

The Sharon Audubon Center Summer Camp
Educational and interactive programs where campers learn about nature and animals.
Ages 3 – Grade 12
Day Camp
860-364-0520 ext.105
[email protected]
sharon.audubon.org

Sharon Baseball Camp
Individual skill work through drills and activities. Participants receive an individual evaluation.
Ages 7-14
Day Camp
860-364-1400
[email protected]
sharonct.org

Sharon Playhouse Summer Programs
Singers, dancers, and actors of all levels create fully staged productions.
Ages 5-18
860-364-7469
sharonplayhouse.org

Silver Lake Camp and Retreat
Variety of programs for campers to experience nature, make friends, and explore their faith.
Grades 4-12
Sleepaway Camp
860-364-5526
[email protected]
silverlakect.org

Torrington

Camp Wah-Nee
Focuses on positivity and encouragement as campers step out of their comfort zone.
Ages 7-17
Sleepaway Camp
860-379-2273
wahnee.com

Northwest CT YMCA Camps 
Campers learn new skills, develop their character, and make lifelong friendships. 
Ages 3-13
Day Camp
860-489-3133
nwcty.org

Washington

ASAP Summer Camp
Campers  practice artistic expression, create friendships, and explore the arts.
Grades 1-12
Day Camp
860-868-0740
asapct.org

Eagle Rock Day Camp
Eagle Rock Day Camp in Washington offers exciting activities for campers ages 4-13. Their schedule blends planned and choice activity time, with athletic and non-athletic options available. They prioritize a positive experience for parents, providing flexible registration and all-inclusive tuition covering lunch, snacks, bus transportation, and special camp events.
Ages 4-13
Day Camp
860-868-9200
eaglerockday.com

The Glenholme School
Therapeutic recreational activities such as swimming, academics, dance therapy, and performing arts.
Ages 9-21
Day Camp
860-868-7377
theglenholmeschool.org/summer-program/

The Institute for American Indian Studies
Campers learn about various American Indian cultures through activities, crafts, and stories. 
Ages 6-12
Day Camp
860-868-0518
iaismuseum.org

28th Annual Litchfield Jazz Camp
Students learn in a non-competitive program taught by a faculty of inspiring jazz musicians. 
Ages 13+
Sleepaway Camp
860-361-6285
litchfieldjazzcamp.com

Pilobolus Kids Camp
A one-of-a-kind opportunity for children to engage in Pilobolus’s signature processes of learning through movement. Through creative play, improvisation, motor skill building, and performance, children discover their own creative voice and learn how to share it with others.
Ages 6-12
Day Camp
[email protected]
pilobolus.org/camp

Rumsey Summer Camp
Weekly themed activities such as animal adventure and space explorer.
Ages 3-10
Day Camp
860-868-0535
[email protected]
rumseyhall.org

Titus @ Rumsey Summer 2024
Titus Tutors is partnering with Rumsey Hall’s innovative and experienced teachers to provide one-on-one instruction in phonics, emergent reading, literature, writing, and math for students in grades K-9, and SSAT prep classes or 1:1 tutoring in grades 7-10.
Ages 5-15
Day Camp
203-942-0305
titustutors.com

Watertown

Glazey Dayz
Week long session for campers to learn different clay techniques and create art pieces. 
Ages 8-10
Day Camp
860-274-9946
glazeydayz.com

YMCA Camp Mataucha 
Campers experience new adventures such as ropes courses, boating, and more.
Ages 5-14 
CIT – 15+
Day Camp
waterburyymca.org

Winsted

Greenwood Trails 
Campers develop skills and confidence through a range of activities from art to athletics.
Ages 8-16
Sleepaway
860-379-6517
greenwoodtrails.com

Woodbury

Flanders Nature Center and Land Trust
Children are immersed in nature, art, agriculture, ecology, cooking, and various other programs.
Ages 3-13
Day Camp
203-263-3711
flandersnaturecenter.org

Little Britches Therapeutic Riding
Little Britches aims to enrich the lives of those with disabilities using the movement of a horse. The summer program provides therapeutic riding and equine-assisted riding to individuals with various disabilities.
Ages 3-18
Day Camp
860-874-9352
littlebritchesct.org

Parks & Rec Summer Camp
K-9 summer camp includes sports, arts & crafts, games, and a weekly field trip on Thursdays. Summer camp for ages 7-9 includes a new trip/adventure each day, such as Lake Compounce, Xperiment VR, Flight Adventure Park, and more.
Ages K-6, 7-9
Day Camp
203-263-3113
woodburyct.myrec.com

Looking for weekend plans in Litchfield County? Virtual: Science of Happiness and Holistic Cardiac Health in Falls Village, or An Evening of Hope, Defiance and Revolution in Washington. Try Poetry Reading, watch Concert: Kala Farnham, or explore the Arts Connected in Washington Depot. See Works on Paper Exhibition Reception in Cornwall or enjoy Piano Series- Michael Ford in Winsted.

Coming up: The Art of the Burger, Let’s Talk Gardening, Meet Author Stephen Hall, and arts events across the county—from Washington Depot to West Cornwall. Discover more on our full event calendar!

Thursday, April 24th

Yellowface, by R.F. Kuang, Gunn Memorial Library, Washington

Virtual: Science of Happiness, David M. Hunt Library, Falls Village

Poetry Reading, The Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot

Friday, April 25th

Egg Carton Flowers, Gunn Memorial Library, Washington

Piano Series- Michael Ford, American Mural Project, Winsted

An Evening of Hope, Defiance and Revolution, 161 West Mountain Road Washington

Piano Series – Michael Ford, American Mural Project, Winsted

Saturday, April 26th

Chris Staples Concert, Beekley Community Library, New Hartford

Works on Paper Exhibition Reception, The Cornwall Library, Cornwall

Ecological Lawns, Hollister House Garden, Washington

Arts Connected, Bryan Town Hall, Washington Depot

For the Love of Pets, Gunn Memorial Library, Washington

I Know Myself As Thief, Gunn Memorial Library, Washington

Museum Mini’s, Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury

Concert: Kala Farnham, Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury

Can I Recycle This?, Harwinton Public Library, Harwinton

Country Roads & City Streets, The Souterrain Gallery of The Wish House, West Cornwall

Holistic Cardiac Health, David M. Hunt Library, Falls Village

Independent Bookstore Day, The Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot

An Anthology of Rain, The Cornwall Library, Cornwall

Convert Light Energy, 7 Fulling Lane, Kent

Sunday, April 27th

An Anthology of Rain, The Cornwall Library, Cornwall

WBCMF Chamber Concert, First Congregational Church, Woodbury

Author Discussion: Graydon Carter, Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens, Washington Depot

A cappella at the silo, The silo at Hunt hill Farm, New Milford

Poet Workshop with Phillis Levin, The Cornwall Library, Cornwall

Coming Up

The Art of the Burger, The Silo Cooking School, New Milford

Let’s Talk Gardening, Harwinton Public Library, Harwinton

Shakespeare’s Queens, Litchfield Community Center, Litchfield

ASAP! Youth Ensemble Concert, The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, New Milford

Space Day Celebration, David M. Hunt Library, Falls Village

Meet Author Stephen Hall, Oliver Wolcott Library, Litchfield

Spring’s Glory: The Daffodil Field in Lakeville

By Jane Garmey

Photographs by Rana Faure

For a few precious weeks beginning around mid April, cars swerve to a stop on Salmon Kill Road in Lakeville; bicyclists and hikers gaze, mesmerized. Their attention is directed toward a ravishing sweep of more than 50,000 daffodils, stretching as far as the eye can see in front of a picture-perfect 1797 saltbox.

This breathtaking display, immortalized by the 19th-century English poet William Wordsworth as “fluttering and dancing in the breeze,” is a glorious reminder that winter is finally over and spring is here.

When Inge Heckel, former president of the New York School of Interior Design, purchased her house in 1998, it came with the incredible bonus of an acre of daffodils. They were planted by Pearce Davis, the previous owner but one. He was an economics professor who had owned the house for more than 50 years. It was his idea to fill the acre that the daffodil field now occupies. To do this, he must have planted at least 1,000 daffodils a year.

For any gardener or garden lover, inheriting an established field of daffodils of this size is like winning the lottery. Each year, Inge and her husband, Jeff Hamlin, add more daffodils along the fence line and fill in any bare spots they find. However, Inge sees her role as more caretaker than curator. As she explains, “I just leave everything alone; but it is critical for the field to be mowed annually, and I wait until August to do that.” Some years, depending on how fast and tall the meadow grows back, she will have it mowed again in October so the daffodils will have an easier time of pushing through the grass in the spring.

Cultivating a low-maintenance garden is today’s hot topic. Wildflower meadows, drifts of native blooms, adopting organic practices, and moving away from perfectly mown lawns are all part of a movement to bring a more natural and less cultivated look to our gardens, and to design them with ecology in mind. What this usually means is not so much a low but a lower-maintenance garden. A garden of daffodils, however, is truly low maintenance.

There are 36 known varieties  of daffodils and literally thousands of cultivars. We know they flourished in gardens as long ago as 300 BC, when the Greek botanist and philosopher Theophrastus listed and described them. Spreading from Europe to northern Africa, daffodils were brought to Britain by the Romans. In addition to being low maintenance, their other virtues include being  deer resistant, self-propagating, and easily able to multiply. All they ask for is a good haircut once or twice a year. What more could one ask from any plant?  Think Wordsworth, spring, and drifts of glorious blooms. And for those lucky enough to live in this part of the Northwest Corner, don’t forgo the pleasure of making a detour to see Inge and Jeff’s daffodils.

By Michelle Madden

The problem with fast fashion is fast waste. We buy, wear, and dispose, and think little of environmental impact. Theresa Mieczkowski, the owner of Stella Rose Designer and Vintage Consignment in New Preston, shares a startling statistic: “Last month, we sold 750 items, which saved over half a billion gallons of water required to grow the cotton and dye the materials.” 

Mieczkowsk’s guiding principle—of doing right by the environment—has led to a thriving business.

The shop is a whimsical, sensory delight. Two skeletons greet you. A candle is burning. Necklaces dangle from light fixtures. Shoes fill a repurposed kitchen hutch. And a dog named Mr. Darcy, made from recycled newspaper, sits quietly on a table.

Brands like Hermes and Prada hang not far from J.Crew and L.L. Bean. As you go down the shop’s corridor, so too do the prices, until the final “last chance” room at 75% off. Anything that doesn’t sell is given to local shelters—500 items in the past year.

Lower prices may be a draw, but it’s the partnership with the consignees that keeps the business in high gear. Mieczkowski gets about three new consignees a day. “When I post an outfit on Facebook and it’s one of their items, they share it with all their friends!” Best of all, our planet shares in the upside too.

255 New Milford Turnpike, New Preston 

—Stellarosect.com 

Enjoy this listing of consignment shops in the area:

The Hunt
This large emporium and beautifully curated space specializes in glassware and other housewares, clothing for all ages, books, jewelry, shoes, purses, and other accessories.
20 Bank St., New Milford
@thehuntct

Rachel’s Quality Consignment
Featuring high-end, gently used designer treasures including clothing, handbags, shoes, furs, fine and costume jewelry, and everyday wear for women, children, and men.
465 Bantam Rd., Litchfield
@rachelsqualityconsignment

Emporium of Litchfield
An eclectic consignment shop specializing in gently used antique and modern home decor, including furniture of all sizes, artwork, and kitchenware.
624 Bantam Rd., Bantam
@TheEmporiumofLitchfield

Stella Rose Designer & Vintage Consignment
New consignments arrive daily at Stella Rose, where stylists help curate women’s fashion, with high-end purses, shoes, and clothing from brands like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and J.Crew.
255 New Milford Tpke., New Preston
@stella_rose_consignment_

Thrift Mart of New Milford
A volunteer-run thrift shop with gently used toys, books, shoes, clothing, and home decor, and constant sales.
146 Danbury Rd., New Milford
@ThriftMartOfNewMilford

Thread Emporium
Located in downtown New Hartford, Thread Emporium specializes in seasonal fashion and shoes, offering a comfortable environment with new items every week.
537 Main St., New Hartford
@TheThreadEmporium

Peacocks & Lilacs Thrifty Boutique
Run by a mother-daughter team, Peacocks & Lilacs offers high-end, gently used clothing from brands like Coach, Talbots, and Burberry, with a soothing lilac-painted shop filled with repurposed items and a peacock theme.
452 Main St., Winsted
@Peacocks&LilacsThriftyBoutique

Christina’s Consign Mint
In a brightly colored, welcoming shop, Christina’s Consign Mint specializes in women’s fashion at reasonable prices, with a selection of designer bags and prom/party dresses.
18 McDermott Ave., Torrington
@Christina’sConsignMint

The King’s Closet Thrift Store & More
Located on Main Street with a window display of their treasures, The King’s Closet specializes in modern and vintage clothing, and gifts for special occasions and holidays.
40 East Main St., Torrington
@kingscloset21

Petals and Threads
A trendy consignment shop specializing in the latest women’s fashion, jewelry, soaps, and eco-friendly items, including plants, macrame plant holders, and green gifts.
705 Main St., Watertown
@petalsandthreadsct

Clothes Tree
A nonprofit charitable thrift store offering a large variety of antiques, home decor, and clothing, with a wide selection of children’s clothes and toys spread across five rooms in a home.
906 Bantam Rd., Bantam
@clothestreebantam

The Quality Thrift Shop
The Quality Thrift Shop is a non for profit supporting local charities.  We have household goods, women’s, men’s, children’s items as well as something for your pet!
99 N Main St., Kent
@qualitythriftshopkent

Litchfield County, Connecticut is magical all year, but especially so as everything comes back to life each spring. Here are 25 fun things we can’t wait to do in Litchfield County this spring!

1. The town of Kent has planted tens of thousands of daffodils. Enjoy shopping, dining, and art galleries while enjoying the narcissus. kentct.com/daffodil-daysKentct.com for more info.
2. For a powerful nature fix, Kent Falls inside Kent Falls State Park is never more impressive during the spring runoff. But please resist getting into the water. It is dangerous.
3. ALL the peonies are at Cricket Hill Garden in Thomaston … so many they’ve dubbed it Peony Heaven. 
4. Baseball season beckons. Take the family, or yourself to the Hit Club in Thomaston where you can hit 90 minutes for just $10.  
5. Naturally, the season calls for spring rolls. Try takeout from Thai Charm, or sit inside their cute orange Colonial along Kent Rd. in New Milford. 
6. The time is ripe to join a CSA. Search the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s CT Guide for the farm closest to you.  
7. There’s never an off-season for antiquing. Consider Charles Haver in Roxbury for a curated experience, and Housatonic Trading Co. in Bantam if you want volume.

   

8. For a less commercial brush with history, make an appointment to tour Seven Hearths, the pre-Revolutionary house museum in Kent.  
9. Try to fly fish or keep your canoe afloat at Housatonic Meadows State Park. 
10. Hit up Natureworks Garden Center in Northford for monarch-attracting plant seeds and all the advice you’d ever need to grow butterflies. Start now, and you’ll have plenty of flittering visitors come summer.  
11. See if you can spot the Blue-winged Warblers nesting in Southbury’s Bent of the River Audubon sanctuary.  
12. Shopping in New Preston is always a delight: Pergola, Privet House, Plain Goods, J. Seitz, The Smithy, Dawn Hill Antiques, DK Schulman… just make sure it’s not a Tuesday—that’s the day they’re all closed except J. Seitz.

    

13. Don’t miss out on the annual Library Luminaries fundraiser for Gunn Memorial Library on June 14.
14. Fork over a $10 donation to take in all that is spring at the Hollister House Garden in Washington.
15. Celebrate the 7th Annual Spring Arts and Fine Crafts Show at Merwinsville Hotel in New Milford on April 4-6 and April 11-13.
16. Libraries are brimming with virtual events… gardening how-to sessions, and book talks. Check the calendar of the one closest to you.
17. Stop by the fourth annual The Voice of Art’s Fine Art Festival featuring fine functional art and fine non-functional art. Free and open to the public.
18. Fish, hike, or picnic in one of the 25 preserves maintained by the Roxbury Land Trust. 
19. Practice for summer with a flight of four handcrafted beers at Housatonic River Brewing.
20. Don’t miss the gardening lover’s weekend of the year at Trade Secrets at Lime Rock Park. This philanthropic sale draws more than 60 vendors—specialized growers, small nursery owners, antique dealers, and artisans…with proceeds going to Project SAGE in northwestern Connecticut.

    

21. Bring your camera to Wigwam Road in Litchfield on a sunny day in April or May and take a walk through the 15 acres of daffodil plantings at Laurel Ridge Farm. 
22. Enjoy the sounds, sights, and smells of spring on a boardwalk hike through the wetlands at White Memorial Conservation Center.
23. Enjoy a picnic at one of our many wineries. Hopkins Vineyard, Spring Hill Vineyards, and Sunset Vineyard are some of our faves.
24. Support our local restaurants. Many have outdoor seating and provide take out.
25. Enjoy an ice cream cone! Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam is a very popular spot. People literally line up around the building. Peaches N’ Cream in Litchfield is another family favorite.

By Brandee Gilmore

In February and early March, the fields are brown and veiled in icy frost when Cameron Caruso arrives for work at Anderson Acres Farm in Kent. But then she opens the door to the greenhouse, and it’s instantly spring. Not just a hint of spring, but the full-blown beyond-the-rainbow version. By the hundreds, tulips are unfolding in luscious colors that would make Rembrandt’s brushstrokes envious. There’s the earthy scent of warm soil, there’s a hint of floral perfume mixed in, and the power surge of nature’s bounty is unleashed. 

Most of us would find the disconnect between the season outside and what’s happening indoors to be disconcerting, but for the crew at Anderson Acres Farm, delivering spring to the region ahead of schedule is the mission statement.

It’s all part of Michelle Saltz’s vision. She and her husband, Ron Saltz, fell in love with Anderson Acres in 2011, purchasing the 214-acre farm from Ky Anderson, whose family bought it as a dairy farm in 1903. In the 1960s, it morphed into a horse boarding/riding stable, until Ky put it on the market when she was 86. “She came over on a tractor to meet us,” Saltz remembers of the day when she and her husband became “so overcome by the beauty of the place that we couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

There were issues. Although the parcel totals 214 acres, the land is largely protected by a conservation easement, with only a 20-acre envelope available to be developed. Subtract wetlands, and fewer than five farmable acres remain. 

Another stumbling block was lack of experience. The Saltzs came from an acre in Scarsdale, never having farmed before. And yet, they bravely dove into livestock. When the chickens (and several other false starts) didn’t work out, Anderson Acres ultimately veered into cut flowers. 

Although their inventory of cut flowers is long and inventive, tulips turned out to be their parachute. When COVID shut everything down, the greenhouse was bristling with a particularly robust crop of those promising spring flowers, all poised to perform. Anderson Acres had a surplus of the world’s happiest, most-beloved blossoms in April 2020 when the world went into lockdown. 

In a moment of unprecedented trauma, tulips came to the rescue. “I put the word out on Instagram, people spread the news, and we sold every flower that we could grow,” Saltz recalls. “It was a place where the community could safely come together.”

Enthusiasm for the crop never stopped. Anderson Acres still sells tulips by the thousands, now under the expert eyes of farm manager Cameron Caruso and a hardworking, creative team of very dedicated staff. In October and November, the work begins. Each crate gets 66 bulbs. They are chilled in coolers, then brought into the warmth in relays. The farm grows the gamut of types, from mainstays to rarities. 

And the tulip interlude is just the beginning of a petal parade that segues into anemones and ranunculus, followed by daffodils and hyacinths, then swinging to the full pageant of field-grown flowers: annuals, perennials, shrubs, you name it. The CT Flower Collective, a co-op of floral farmers and florists, and several local outlets are the primary customers. 

And Anderson Acres continues to serve their neighbors as well. Hand-tied bouquet subscriptions are impressively popular, starting in spring and continuing nonstop through the various crops. Not only is the year a kaleidoscope of colorful blossoms, but Michelle Saltz can now proudly add “farmer” to her resume. We all have the humble tulip to thank. —andersonacresfarm.com

By Tovah Martin
Photographs by Rana Faure

By the time she moved to Woodbury in 1941, the artist Kay Sage had already established herself as a prominent Surrealist painter.

An art movement that began in Europe after World War I, Surrealism sought to express the unconscious mind. Sage gained notice in Europe and the U.S. for employing subdued colors and diffused light to create landscape images as a metaphor for the mind.

Yet her arrival to the Northwest Corner of Connecticut—settling into a 19th-century farmhouse on Old Town Farm Road after living in Paris and New York—proved to be the most productive period of her career. It coincided with a surge of new works, as well as five volumes of poetry.

There were also artistic breakthroughs.

Woodbury is where Sage began experimenting with bolder and more intense colors, and the use of drapery in paintings like Too Soon for Thunder, which features a desolate landscape filled with architectural motifs. She introduced tightly controlled brushstrokes to further separate herself from the work of her husband, the French artist Yves Tanguy, whose paintings displayed a recognizable style of nonrepresentational Surrealism. And she began working with collage, which garnered acclaim for the way she assembled abstract shapes cut from magazines, drawings, and watercolors.

Woodbury also supplied Sage with a bustling milieu of artists that aided her creative output.

Artists Alexander Calder and Arshile Gorky were Litchfield County neighbors and frequent visitors to the Sage home, as was Roberto Matta. André Breton, known as the father of Surrealism, made regular trips to Woodbury from New York to mingle with the growing number of transplanted Parisian artists who transformed Connecticut into a Surrealist capital-in-exile.

Sage’s cousin, sculptor David Hare, also lived nearby in Roxbury, and was a regular at the Sage residence—a wood-framed home filled with original Surrealist art, mid-century furnishings, and a barn that housed separate studios for Sage and Tanguy.

“The influx of artists into Woodbury really formed an atmosphere of creative energy in the town,” says Karen Reddington-Hughes, Woodbury’s first selectman and the owner of Abrash Gallery on Main Street. She says Woodbury appealed to New York artists who craved the rural countryside but couldn’t afford the more affluent Fairfield County. “So, when Calder and Gorky began arriving in the late 1930s and early ’40s, they attracted other creatives who felt very comfortable living and working here.”

Some of Sage’s creative output during her Woodbury years is currently on display at the Mattatuck Museum. “Modern Women: Georgia O’Keeffe and Kay Sage” runs until June 15, and includes works from a collection of more than 400 items gifted to the museum through Sage’s estate.

It’s the largest holdings of Sage art and ephemera of any institution, says Keffie Feldman, Mattatuck’s chief curator. The trove goes well beyond paintings and drawings to include collages, constructions, prints, and personal artifacts.

“The exhibition really tries to capture the full breadth and scope of Sage’s work,” says Feldman. mattmuseum.org/exhibition/modern-women

By Troy McMullen

By Wendy Carlson

Photograph by Wendy Carlson

There wasn’t a defining moment in Silvana Da Luca’s life that set her on the path of yoga and wellness. “It was more like three roads converging: my personality, my upbringing, and years of unresolved trauma,” says the new owner of Charym in Litchfield. 

Born in Bulgaria, Silvana grew up living in different places in southern Europe, where she walked everywhere, hiked, biked, skied in the winter, and swam all summer. Even now, if she goes too long without physical or mental activity, she feels restless. Throughout her teens, she was a jazz ballet dancer and played volleyball. Then in her 20s and 30s, she discovered Pilates. “Yoga came later, in my 40s, when my body signaled the need for gentler practices. With scoliosis and two epidurals behind me, Pilates and yoga have been essential for keeping my core strong and managing back pain,” she says.

Wellness has always been a throughline in her life. She grew up on a vineyard with a small farm, where family meals centered on homegrown fruits and vegetables. In fact, she hadn’t tried eating cereal or fast food until she moved to the U.S. in her early 30s. So it was no surprise that Litchfield, with its organic farms, hiking trails, and rural beauty, felt like home to her when she first visited, more than eight years ago. At that time, she was also in the middle of that journey of self-discovery, and was healing from a toxic marriage and divorce. Reconnecting with nature, slowing down, and returning to her roots has helped her find balance and peace. 

Silvana and her current husband, Jeff, have raised four kids—all in college now. Despite having a full-time corporate job in New York City and running a global nonprofit for digital commodities, she found herself looking for the next challenge. The opportunity to take over Charym last year came at a serendipitous intersection of timing and shared need—both for her and for Bruce Schnitzer and Alexandra Champalimaud, the husband-and-wife team who were the studio’s founders and are owners of West Street Yard, where Charym is located. 

Silvana envisions Charym evolving into a sanctuary for holistic wellness, a gathering place that nurtures mind, body, and spirit. Under the Charym brand, she is expanding the studio’s menu to include therapeutic massage, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, Ayurveda, and other modalities that promote overall well-being. She has been working with local businesses to organize the first Health and Wellness Festival this summer, set for July 5 and 6. It will be a step toward her goal of making Litchfield a health and wellness destination. 

“Ultimately, I want Charym to be more than a studio—I want it to be a cornerstone of healing and self-discovery, where everyone feels welcomed, seen, and cared for, no matter where they are on their path,” she says.

“I truly believe that when you infuse a place with good intentions, positive energy, and love, it transforms into something special.”

Learn how to support pollinators like bees and moths by planting natives and rewilding your yard.

By Frances Chamberlain

It’s almost spring, and time for the air to fill with flying insects, moths, and bees. While we may find them annoying, they are necessary to our environment. In fact, according to John Markelon, an environmental educator from Litchfield, about 80 percent of a human’s calories come from ecological pollinator foods. And pollinators are part of the food chain for all other animals.

All these moths, wasps, bees, and even flies help to pollinate plants. The insect collects pollen from a flower, then flies to another plant, where the pollen sticks and helps to make other fruits and flowers. Foods that depend on pollination include apples, oranges, coffee, peaches, pears, and many others. Bees are among the best-known pollinators because they also give us delicious honey.

Flanders Nature Center in Woodbury, a 200-acre preserve with several beehives, uses no pesticides or herbicides, providing lots of food to keep the bees healthy and happy. The Flanders bees live in an electrified enclosure—to protect them from bears—and are close to a wide-open field, where they can feast on goldenrod. 

Al Avitabile, a longtime beekeeper and consultant to Flanders, is assisted by a board member, John Trainor. They care for the bees, which involves treatment for mites and checking the hives a couple times a month. The fascinating story of how beehives work is complex but includes behaviors like fanning the air when the temperature rises above 95 degrees. Avitabile says bees can recognize ultraviolet colors and identify shapes like triangles and circles. They have very particular habits around their hives that help protect the hive from danger and keep the queen safe.

Extracting the honey is time-consuming, says Trainor, who recently harvested 70 pounds from two hives—but it took him two days to pull the honey through cheesecloth to make 36 quarts.

According to Avitabile, large beekeepers make their operations profitable by renting beehives to farms. “Ninety percent of the world’s almonds are pollinated by 1.5 million hives being brought in.”

Food for humans requires keeping pollinators well-fed and happy. The average person can do their part easily. “It’s a standard paradigm of maintaining your lawn or developing it as a habitat with a real function,” Markelon says.

He recommends getting rid of non-native or invasive plants, reducing mowing, and starting to learn about native trees and flowers. “Be cognizant of the fact that native plants are what pollinators need, not black-eyed Susans from Montana,” he says. “Cherries, willows, maples, and birches all support pollinators. Witch hazel, woody raspberry, and wildflowers are all good. A 1/8-acre lot of native plants—instead of lawn—makes a measurable difference,” he notes.

Tracy Zarrillo, an assistant agricultural scientist at the Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, said they encourage people to use a variety of plants for bees. “We advocate diverse flowers, and dogwoods, willow, blueberry plants, plus early-season things like bee balm.  

“Rewilding our yards makes better habitats for pollinators,” Zarrillo says. “The more diversity in your yard, the more birdsong.”

KC&E Adventures curates cycling and travel experiences in Litchfield County and around the world.

For Collin and Caitlin Daulang, travel is a way of life. One might even say, it’s a calling. The fact that the founders of the Washington-based KC&E Adventures launched their travel company soon after they met ten years ago—well, that was just written in the stars. “Our first date was at a restaurant called Casablanca,” Collin recalls. “Which is pretty funny when you realize that Morocco is one of our most popular destinations.”

When they met in 2015, Collin was working for a bike company, and Caitlin had just returned from Italy, where she organized VIP tours for a luxury travel company. They married soon after, quit their jobs and moved to Burke, Vt.—a hotbed of mountain biking—and KC&E Adventures was born. They initially focused on mountain bike tours in and around Burke, and soon expanded into northern New England. 

In 2019 they began offering cycling trips to Iceland and, after a COVID-related interruption, they added Italy and Morocco to the mix. As their geographic reach grew (including the U.S. and Croatia), so did their dreams. “We are trying to get people out to experience the world that we enjoy,” says Caitlin. For the couple, that means highly curated itineraries—led by a network of local insiders—that bypass overcrowded tourist spots. “One of the great things about smaller groups is that we can get access to things that bigger groups can’t get access to,” adds Collin. That might mean a private dinner at a home in Umbria overlooking a beautiful vineyard, or a dinner for 12 in the Saguaro National Forest.

In addition to its scheduled departures—new this year is a wellness-themed ride in Umbria, where the emphasis is on lifestyle and longevity—the couple also designs bespoke adventures. This summer, for instance, Collin will lead a group of advanced riders on a cycling trip through the Scottish Highlands. For one longtime client and his family, they created a tour of the Dominican Republic—that involved everything but cycling. 

The Daulangs are also expanding their footprint in Litchfield County. “We are really trying to develop some great local experiences, and tying that back to the whole sustainable travel movement,” says Collin.

They’ll be offering self-guided bike tours, with maps on their website, as well as a calendar of both local and regional cycling tours. Their KC&E Experience Centers (scheduled to open this summer in Connecticut and Vermont) will have rental bikes, demo bikes, and self-guided tours, as well as bike and equipment sales. The centers will serve as hubs for cycling-focused activities and community gatherings, and will feature coffee bars for socializing pre and post ride.

The recently revamped Ride Club (annual membership is $125), initially launched during COVID, will offer cyclists a way to get out into their community and interact with other people. Organized rides are scheduled the first Saturday of the month from March through September. The season kicks off with a March 1 ride from Krafted Brew Lab in Bantam. Afterward, participants get to learn about the coffee roasting process, different bean varieties, and how to craft coffee drinks. Another program highlight is the June 7 Signature Experience, which will feature a post-ride panel of experts including physical therapists and performance psychologists.

For the Daulangs, the Ride Club is just one more way to share their passion for travel and adventure with the community. “I believe in the importance of experience, whether that’s a day trip at home or in another country,” says Caitlin.

“Litchfield County is one of my favorite areas to ride, and one of the most beautiful around,” Collin adds. —kceadventures.com

By Jamie Marshall