CELEBRATING CONNECTICUT FOOD, PROTECTING ITS SOURCE

CELEBRATING CONNECTICUT FOOD,PROTECTING ITS SOURCE

Gala Celebration of Connecticut Farms To Be Held In Lyme

Hartford, CT, August 27, 2012 – The Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) is proud to announce that the 12th Annual Celebration of Connecticut Farms, the state’s oldest and largest farm-to-chef event, will be held on Sunday, September 9th at Ashlawn Farm in Lyme, CT.  The event will feature more than 25 of Connecticut’s most acclaimed chefs preparing local Connecticut food; wine, beer and spirits from Connecticut craftsmen; locally-made ice cream; and a silent auction.  Benefiting the work of Connecticut Farmland Trust, the Celebration captures participants’ love of local food, wine, music, art, and the farming heritage Connecticut proudly claims. 

The event will be co-hosted by actress Christine Baranski of CBS’s The Good Wife and Faith Middleton of WNPR, and will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Musical guests “Bone Dry” will keep the atmosphere lively, while the Connecticut Plein Air Painter’s Society will be both capturing the spirit of the day in paint and offering their art for purchase.

“Celebration of Connecticut Farms is the signature event each year for the state to celebrate local cuisine, and more importantly, to focus on the importance of the future livelihood of the farms from which it comes,” stated CFT Executive Director Jim Gooch.  “When this event began 12 years ago, we were one of the few organizations intent on highlighting local food and Connecticut farms.  Now, even with the proliferation of fantastic farm-to-table events, this is still the largest, with the most chefs and the greatest variety.  It’s a gala for 600 of our closest friends in recognition of the farms that grow the food we love to eat.”

Chip and Carol Dahlke’s Ashlawn Farm, also the location of the popular Lyme Farmer’s Market, is the embodiment of CFT’s mission. While it is located less than two miles from Interstate 95, it has retained the beauty it had when Chip’s grandfather purchased the farm more than 100 years ago.  It has operated as a farm ever since; the land was protected for farming by Chip’s uncle through Connecticut’s Farmland Protection Program in the 1970s. 

“Family farms must both continue to evolve to meet the challenges of today and still keep their roots grounded in past tradition.” stated Chip Dahlke. “This event celebrates the continuing resiliency of Connecticut’s farming community. With chef-prepared fresh, local food from every corner of the state, it is truly a celebration of Connecticut’s best. Ashlawn is proud to be a part of our farming community and is honored to host this event. We welcome all the farms, vineyards, chefs, friends and soon-to-be-friends that will join us on September 9th in furthering the good work of Connecticut Farmland Trust.”

The Celebration is an important fundraiser for Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT), the only private organization singularly dedicated to preserving working farmland in the state of Connecticut.  Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, CFT has worked to preserve more than 2,100 acres of farmland on 26 farms throughout the state and has worked with partners to preserve much more.

To buy tickets on line, visit www.ctfarmland.org/celebration.html or call Connecticut Farmland Trust at 860-247-0202.

About the Connecticut Farmland Trust

Founded in 2002, The Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) is the only private statewide conservation organization that protects Connecticut’s working lands. The non-profit organization protects farmland through the acquisition of farm property and easements. To date CFT holds easements on 26 properties across the state, protecting nearly 2,100 acres. The group works with farmers, landowners, land trusts, town officials and state agencies to protect agricultural land and has become the state's leading resource on farmland conservation.

http://www.ctfarmland.org/  Follow CFT on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.