Grown In Connecticut

This may not have been a good season for native plums or cherries but, according to Rick Macsuga of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, it is an excellent year for apricots. 

"We actually are in for a rare treat for Connecticut, is apricots," said Macsuga. "We don't get apricots very often, if the spring doesn't go near perfect, we usually lose them." 

Macsuga said apricots are a delicate tree fruit and Connecticut gets an apricot-friendly spring every five years or so. He knows of at least three growers who have apricots, which are being distributed around the state. 

Macsuga said a lot of specialty squashes, like the patti pan and zephyr are coming in and the heat last week helped farmers who grow okra and tomatoes. Macsuga said, "you're going to see volumes of tomatoes." 

Lettuces and raspberries are winding down.

Fresh this week:

Green, yellow summer squashes, patty pan, eight ball and zephyr

Yellow, red, purple, fingerling potatoes

Bell peppers, cubanelles, small hot ones

Heirloom, cherry, plum, grape tomatoes

Blueberries

Yellow and white flesh peaches, nectarines

Cut flowers

Swiss chard

Green, red, savoy cabbage

Baby eggplant, purple, neon and white

Cucumbers

Broccoli, broccoli rabe

Okra

Green beans

Here's where to find them:

The Old Saybrook Farmers’ Market is on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 210 Main Street. www.oldsaybrookfarmersmarket.com, WIC/Senior FMNP Accepted, SNAP/EBT. 

The Westbrook Farmers’ Market is on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Flat Rock Place in the Tanger Outlet Center. WIC/Senior FMNP Accepted. 

Madison Farmers' Market is on Friday, from 3 to 6 p.m. on the Madison Town Green near 27 Meetinghouse Lane. WIC/Senior FMNP Accepted. Check the Madison Farmer's Market Facebook page for more. 

Dudley Farmers’ Market is on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 2351 Durham Road in North Guilford. 

The Chester Sunday Farmers’ Market is on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Town Center. www.chestersundaymarket.com

And this just in:

Farmers’ Market Now Open at Connecticut’s Old State House

It’s back! The Farmers’ Market on the bricks at the Old State House in Harford is officially open for business. Stop by during the hours of 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for fresh fruit, herbs and vegetables. The market will run from now until October 28^th. 

The selection is always changing – so make sure to stay up to date! Become a fan on Facebook at (The Official) Connecticut’s Old State House Page and follow up on Twitter @CTOldStateHouse for the day’s offerings! 

Do you know that the Old State House Farmers’ Market is the oldest in Connecticut? Back in 1643, Hartford was required to establish a “public market” at the site of the Old State House. Today, we’re continuing with this tradition by hosting the Old State House Farmers’ Market. 

In addition to the Farmers’ Market, the Old State House, air-conditioned and handicapped- accessible, is the perfect place to begin any visit to Hartford. Visitors can explore the historic and legislative chambers once used as a seat of Connecticut government. The interactive “History is All Around Us” exhibit and the Steward’s Museum of Curiosities offer hours of exploration on their own.   Guided tours are available at no extra charge. 

In addition, visitors are invited to tour our limited-time exhibit “Highlight History Day,” showcasing displays and papers produced by some of Connecticut’s best and brightest students for the 2011 History Day in Connecticut competitions held in March and April. Each project focuses on a different aspect of the 2011 National History Day competition theme, Debate and Diplomacy in History:  Successes, Failures, Consequences. The exhibit, which will feature different projects throughout the summer, closes at the end of August. 

The summer hours will last until Columbus Day weekend when the Old State House will return to a Monday through Friday schedule with the same hours as above.   

Throughout 2011, the Old State House will have a variety of lunchtime lectures and other special events and programming. Visit the online calendar on www.ctoldstatehouse.org for more information. 

Located in Hartford, Connecticut’s Old State House invites visitors of all ages to reawaken their own civic engagement and awareness through authentic, educational and inspiring visitor experiences. The building served as the Constitution State’s original seat of government from 1796 to 1878. It serves today as a physical and virtual classroom, teaching lessons of citizenship past and present and enriching Connecticut’s communities as a laboratory where people of all ages can interact and discover that their voices matter, and that words, ideas, persuasion and debate really can change minds – and quite possibly, the world. 

Educational and community programming for Connecticut’s Old State House is managed for the Connecticut General Assembly by the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, Inc., a nonprofit company founded to provide comprehensive and unbiased educational programming and outreach on state government, civics and citizenship. For more information, visit Connecticut’s Old State House online at www.ctoldstatehouse.org. The above information courtesy of the CT Old State House.