There are many ways to support local agriculture

On the last day of the 2023 session, I brought a giant box of strawberries from Dzen’s Market in Ellington to the House Chamber to share with fellow legislators. I did so with a message: Please support local agriculture this summer. One of my last successes of the 2023 session was passing a bipartisan amendment that allows an existing pool of DoAg money to be used to aid farmers with weather-related losses.

Farmers, including many in the 57th District, suffered from severe frosts in February and May that devastated fruit growth. Supporting them through these tough times is what keeps local farm-fresh foods available to us. If they don’t farm, we don’t have local food in our communities. There are many ways to support your local farms:

Shop local farmers markets. One-stop shopping for fruits, vegetables, meats, flow- ers, and more. Ellington’s farmers market runs from May to October at Arbor Park on Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon. There are nearly 100 markets operating in Connecticut, so you can find one close to you to support.

Consider taking part in a CSA. A CSA is a community-supported form of agriculture, which means buying a share directly from a farm — a membership or subscription, if you will — during the growing season. Besides fruits and vegetables, some CSAs offer eggs, honey, plants or cut flowers, meat, and dairy products. There are several local CSAs, but one I can share info about is Garden of Eat’n in Ellington run by the Rothe family, where the Fosters are CSA shareholders. This year we’ve gotten beautiful berries, rhubarb, Swiss chard, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, and bok choy. Syme Family Farm in Broad Brook offers a flower CSA that we are participating in for our second year. The Modern Milkman, the brainchild of Seth Bahler in Ellington, delivers around the region and offers many options to choose from, including baked goods from Luann’s Bakery, milk from Oakridge Dairy, cheeses, and more, through a partnership with farms and small businesses in the state. Visit a pick-your-own farm. There are pick-your-own options, such as strawberries and blueberries at Dzen’s on the East Windsor/South Windsor line, apples at Johnny Appleseed’s in Ellington (fall), strawberries at Starvish Farms in East Windsor, fruits and vegetables at Draghi Farm in East Windsor, pumpkins and mums (fall) at Windy Hill Farms in Broad Brook, and more. Support meat producers. Farms can also offer a variety of fresh meats, like beef, chicken, turkey, pork, etc. Allard Family Farm in East Windsor has fresh chicken and eggs and is often at the Ellington Farmers Market. Charter Acres Beef and JT Farms have local beef, too. Supporting local agriculture is good for everyone —as the consumer, you know where your food comes from, and with your support, the farms continue to be sustainable.

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