Your Yard, Your Sanctuary - Turn Your Property into an Oasis 3.9.21

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Are you new to your yard and garden or ready to take a fresh look at the plantings for a greener landscape? Wondering where to dig in right now? Lay the groundwork for success in your garden by learning steps to make a new yard your own with Alice Ely, master gardener. Find out how to start smart with soil testing, measuring sun/shade conditions, assessing plantings and prioritizing your garden goals. If you recently moved and don’t know what’s already growing, taking the time to get to know your garden can get you the best return on your efforts!

This is a virtual event, please register.

Community Partner: Westport Library

Alice Ely, UConn Advanced Master Gardener & UConn Master Composter, calls Westport’s Wakeman Town Farm her happy place. In addition to her role as Gardens Chair at
Wakeman Town Farm, she spreads the word about the Pollinator Pathway, and teaches homeowners how to garden, through her garden coaching business, Gardenwithalice.com. When she’s not in someone else’s garden, you’ll find her in her own, raising lots of milkweed and Monarch butterflies.

Maple Sugar + Tree Tapping at the Farm!

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Sat. Feb 27 10-noon 

Cost: $10 for Tapping Kit, but otherwise FREE Ages 8 and up

There are few things sweeter than homemade maple syrup from your own backyard! Join us on the farm with local tree-tapping experts Carl McNair and Julie Beitman to learn how to tap your own trees for maple sap, as well as how to prepare the sap into delicious maple syrup. This workshop includes information on tree identification, learning when to tap, and what equipment to use, plus tips on evaporation and bottling. All participants can go home with their own maple-tapping kit ($10.00) and be on their way to mouth-watering homemade syrup. This is an outdoor class; please wear boots or shoes that can get dirty.

How to Raise a Cat with Vet Jessica Melman 4.5.21

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How To Raise a Cat  

Monday April 5th 7-8 pm 

Dr. Jess will talk all about diet, litter box planning, vaccination schedules, recommended flea/tick prevention, common house hazards/toxins, keeping them indoors vs. outdoors and more! Dr. Jess will answer all of your cat questions as well. 

Sponsored by Earth Animal

Biography

Dr. Jessica Melman is a third generation veterinarian with both her father and late grandfather as veterinarians. Growing up surrounded by animals and observing both her grandfather and father in their veterinary clinics made her realize that her calling was to help animals through veterinary medicine. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and then completed an internship in Small Animal Medicine & Surgery in New York City. Following her internship, she practiced veterinary medicine in New York City for 10 years before moving to San Francisco where she practiced for 3 years. It has been her dream to provide quality and customized concierge veterinary services to patients and clients in the comfort of their own homes. After moving back to the East Coast in 2016, Dr. Melman committed to fulfilling this dream by introducing Bespoke Veterinary Services, which provides exceptional at-home veterinary services and more in Fairfield County. 


The Heart Auction - CLOSED - we will announce the winners soon!

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Renowned contemporary artist Brendan Murphy, in partnership with auction co-chairs Nicole Gerber of United Westport for a Purpose and Jennifer Haviland of Haviland Reed, announced today the launch of THE HEART AUCTION to benefit the Wakeman Town Farm Sustainability Center in Westport, CT.  The Valentine-themed Auction of a unique Brendan Murphy Heart Wall Sculpture in silver based chrome will take place from February 2 - February 13, 2021.  The winning bidder will be announced on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. The reserve is $3,000.  Confidential bids can be placed at BrendanHeartWakeman@gmail.com 

Brendan Murphy, considered to be one of the fastest rising stars in the contemporary art world, currently has a one man show on display at 1 Main Street, Westport.  Murphy approached Jennifer Haviland and challenged her to find a way to support the Westport community through his art. Haviland chose a Westport organization she loves - Wakeman Town Farm.- as a Valentine to the work they do.  She says “There is a tremendously infectious grassroots community spirit at the farm.” 

Befitting the “love” theme, Murphy chose one of his eight-layer, silver-based chrome heart sculptures.  This highly collectible artwork, measuring 24x24x8 inches and valued at $18,000, features one of Murphy’s signature unique formulas.  One lucky bidder will walk away with this spectacular work of art while also benefiting a valuable local organization. Haviland explained, “A Heart for Valentine’s Day and Passion & Desire for the powerful emotions that sustain us in our lives and our successes - emotions that inspire achievement.  What is more Brendan Murphy has demonstrated his big heart by allowing us to auction one of his artworks.”

United in their passion for sustainability, environmental education, and food advocacy Nicole Gerber explained why they chose one of Westport’s iconic institutions as the beneficiary of The Heart Auction. “Wakeman Town Farm has a rich history in Westport, and resides at the heart of our community. The Farm is committed to inspiring local residents through sustainable practices, education opportunities, and community service. In this crucial time in our history, The Farm is actively supporting local organizations focused on alleviating food insecurity in our area. We are honored to support a nonprofit that allows the people it serves to serve others as well,” 

The Heart is currently on display with Murphy’s Show “96% Stardust” at the corner of Main St and Post Rd, Westport. For more information and to place a bid, please email Jennifer Haviland below.
Bidding starts at $3,000.

For more information please visit each website:

brendanmurphyart.com

havilandreed.com

PRUNING BASICS - Zoom workshop WITH NATHALIE FONTeYNE 2.8.21

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Monday, February 8, 2021    7:00-8:00 p.m.

Presenter Nathalie Fonteyne Gavrilovic is a UConn advanced Master Gardener and a UConn Master Composter, and serves as the Westport Garden Club civics chair.  She volunteers in many gardens, including those at Wakeman Town Farm. She is a passionate gardener and an adept pruner.  

Nathalie will take you through the fundamentals of pruning, discussing proper techniques, and using the right tools for the job to achieve your goals in the garden.  She will address the timing of pruning to ensure maximum bloom and optimal health for your shrubs.

“WTF is For Dinner?” Series - Cauliflower Veggie Fried Rice w/Tofu 2.8.21

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“WTF is For Dinner” Culinary Series with Chef Diana Andrews 
Monday, February 8 at 4:30PM, $55 per order (up to two family members)

Live online class. 60+ minutes of live cooking and tips with Chef Diana Andrews. Andrews’ classes are peppered with kitchen tips and tricks that make life in the kitchen much easier and more fun! We are scheduling the class in time for you to make and serve the recipe for dinner that night.

Cauliflower Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu:  Toasted golden cauliflower bits replace traditional rice in this delicious low-carb take on vegetable fried rice. We can replace tofu (or add in addition to tofu) diced chicken, beef, shrimp or your protein(s) of choice. This recipe has endless variations, so once you learn it, you can put it into your repertoire and change it up depending on your mood and what's in your fridge.

About the Chef: For the past five years, Andrews, a trained chef/instructor was senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine. Andrews has conducted private cooking classes and group cooking classes at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York, the World Market in Brooklyn, and for professional institutions using Zoom. Closer to home, she also worked at Paul Newman/Michel Nischan’s Dressing Room restaurant back in its heyday. 

About the series: The series is designed to make cooking fun and to provide a little change from your standard rotation, with inspired recipes that are easy to replicate and tweak for variety and different palates. We frequently find that our participants like to cook with family, friends or even an entire book club group. The online format makes it easy to sign up and cook in the comfort of your homes, using your own kitchen supplies and ingredients. We will send the recipe a week in advance so you can have everything you need at the ready when class begins. Cheers! 

Pop-up Bagels at the Farm 1.23.21

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The homemade bagel craze is real. Westport Adam Goldberg’s homespun bagels have taken the town by storm, and he can’t keep them in stock. We will soon post the link here for a special pop-up bagel pickup, that will allow you to pick up your bagels hot and fresh, just out of the ovens at Wakeman’s Tim’s Kitchen. Stay tuned for the order link to this first-come, first-served fundraising event that benefits a small local business and your local Town Farm! P.S. These babies sell out FAST!! Blink, and you’ve missed it!

Pickups will be from 8:30-10:30 a.m. You will choose your time slot. Kindly park along Wakeman Drive and enter through the gates at the Red Pillars. The pickup is Covid-safe. Kindly wear your mask! Thanks.

Link (below) will be LIVE at 10 a.m. on Jan 18.

Cookbook Club: Alternative Sugar Baking w Christina Mattinson of The Old Mill Market 1.13.21

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Have you been baking more this year? Have you wondered about using alternative sugars in your baking? Christina Mattinson of The Old Mill Market and Dough & Co. will share ways to use sweetness from sources other than white processed sugar and demonstrate an easy recipe. Bring your baking questions!

Christina is the founder of Dough & Co., a wholesale business that distributes cookies, scones and brownies to retailers in CT and NY and the Old Mill Market & Cafe in Georgetown, CT.

This is a virtual event, please register.

Community Partners: Wakeman Town Farm + Westport Public Library

Lightened Up Weeknight Italian dinners! Culinary Series with nutrition coach Michele Brown 1.19.21

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Lightened Up Weeknight Dinners (Italian)! Shortcuts to making dinner easier, lighter + healthier. Culinary Series with certified nutrition coach Michele Brown. 

Tuesday, Jan 19, 7:00-8:30 PM

ZOOM - We will send you a link the day before class. Recipes + ingredient lists will be sent after class; this class you will follow along as the chef demonstrates.

It's the new year, and many of us are looking to get back to cleaner eating and healthier choices. 

In this demonstration cooking class, we'll employ several tricks and tips for lightening up our Italian dinners so that we can trick our stomachs into thinking we've just enjoyed a more decadent meal! The series will continue with future classes on lighter meals with Asian, Mexican and global flavors.

In this class, we'll swap out some of the heavier components with lighter substitutes; all without sacrificing flavor. We still want our everyday meals to be tasty and craveworthy, so that everyone in the family looks forward to eating them on a regular basis. 

These recipes are family-friendly and use few ingredients, so that we can get dinner on the dinner table as quickly as possible.

We're going to run through several recipes so that you can watch the simple preparation, and familiarize yourself with the various ingredients. After the demonstration, we will send you the with recipes and a list of each  of the products used and where you can shop for them locally. Our goals is for you to want to run out to the grocery store and recreate these meals for your family this winter.

Here's what we're making:

-Cavatelli, pancetta and peas with (skinny version) pesto sauce

-Pasta bolognese (lightened up!)

-Pasta with sausage, beans and greens 

-Pasta primavera with vodka sauce

We'll also be touching on the following topics:

-Meat alternatives 

-Cheese options with the lowest calories and greatest digestability

-The tastiest high-protein, high-fiber, and gluten-free pastas.

-Easy and addictive weeknight Italian salad dressing

About the Series + the Instructor

Michele Brown, a certified nutrition counselor, enjoys teaching others how to make the transition towards lighter fare without sacrificing on flavor, and without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. She shares how even the healthy meals that promote weight loss and wellness can in fact be “crave worthy”, and something that everyone looks forward to on a regular basis.  She is not a vegetarian or vegan, but has an enormous bent toward a lot less meat!  Over time, most everyone finds that these lighter dinner choices actually feel good in the belly, leave them feeling energized rather than fatigued, and become more of a daily preference.  Michele’s goal is to shift the palette permanently, as once this happens, we’re on our way to achieving the health goals we so desperately want, whether it’s shedding unwanted pounds or reversing chronic medical issues. Visit her website here.

Holiday Artisanal Foods SOLD OUT! Thank you!

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Psssst...’Knead’ a little holiday inspiration? We paired up with our friends at Kneads, Westport’s local artisan bakery, to bring you a variety of holiday treats — for your family breakfast to hostess gifts, including a classic Linzer Tart cookie box, decorative Epi Wreaths (pull-apart dinner rolls), a traditional Christmas Stollen, a Breakfast Box with assorted bakery favorites, and a house-made Pâté with Candied Orange, Hazelnuts, with Brioche Loaf. All items will be available to purchase online on our website NOW through Dec 19. Please note: Pickup will be at Kneads on 12/24 between 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

“WTF is For Dinner” Thai Coconut Curry + Chicken Stock w Chef Lee Henderson 1.11.21 

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“WTF is For Dinner” Culinary Series with Chef Lee Henderson 
Thai Coconut Curry Soup + Classic Chicken Stock 

Monday, Jan. 11 at 4:30PM, $55 pp

Live online class. 60+ minutes of live cooking and tips with Chef Lee Henderson. Henderson has a strong interest in farm-to-table menus and global flavors, and believes in healthy, seasonal cooking. His classes are peppered with kitchen tips and tricks that make life in the kitchen much easier and more fun! We are scheduling the class in time for you to make and serve the recipe for dinner that night.

Thai Coconut Curry Soup + Classic Chicken Stock (Serves 4):  Every great soup begins with a great stock for its base. Learn how to make chicken stock,  which is the  most versatile stock and sauce base. Then take your newly created chicken stock and apply it to the next part of this class with a Thai Chicken Coconut Curry soup. This Thai soup gets its rich and dynamic flavor from quintessential Thai ingredients: coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, basil, and cilantro. While warming and thoroughly comforting, this dish comes together incredibly quickly. Of course, it's even better the next day after the flavors have had time to rest and fully meld within the thick and satisfying, savory-sweet broth. In addition to the soup, ChefLee will talk about the endless uses for the chicken stock, so once you make it, you can put it into your repertoire and change it up depending on your mood and what's in your fridge.

About the Chef: ChefLee, a professional chef, has conducted private and group cooking classes for both adults and children. He has worked in a variety of restaurants and trained at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York. He enjoys teaching about healthy eating and the culinary arts. 

About the Series: The series is designed to make dinner fun and to provide a change from your standard rotation, with inspired recipes that are easy to replicate and tweak for variety. We frequently find that our participants like to cook with family, friends or even an entire book club group, then sit down to eat right after class. The online format makes it easy to sign up and cook in the comfort of your homes, using your own kitchen supplies and ingredients. We will send the recipe a week in advance so you can have everything you need at the ready when class begins. Cheers! 

help us support al’s angels’ Touchless Toy Drive

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In the spirit of the season, please consider helping us help our friends at Al’s Angels.

by donating a toy for a child in need this holiday when many are making the choice between putting food on the table or a gift under the tree. It's easy, touchless and can be done with a simple click of a button. We thank you! WISH LIST IS BELOW.

Ship Your “Touchless” Toy Donation to:
Al's Angels - Adena Fetzer
20 Winter Green Lane
Trumbull, CT 06611

we are profoundly grateful for you

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We asked for help, and our community showed up in a big way. We’d like to thank all those who donated, plus Jaime Smith, Ellen Sonsino Cardozo and Tom + Jeanne Capasse, the angels who made it possible to double all donations! A big thank-you to the entire Wakeman Team for their efforts in reaching out to peers, and special kudos to Christy Colasurdo, Nicole Gerber, Paul Rossi and Terri Piekara for creating and executing this year’s campaign.

P.S. Some of our favorite procrastinators have asked if we will still accept donations. Our answer is: Of course and THANK YOU!

Meet the Bakers from Kneads! 12.7.20

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Meet Daniel and Brittany Moreno, the owners of the new bakery, café, and flour mill, Kneads, via Zoom on December 7 from 7:00pm- 8:00pm. The Wakeman Town Farm discussion will tour Kneads and feature a talk about their mission and ethos, and a holiday baking demonstration featuring gingerbread.

If you haven't stopped in yet, Kneads offers a fresh, diverse menu that features 100% whole grain organic flour. The married couple focuses on local products and want to bring a newfound appreciation of milling to Westport. The Morenos have partnered with multiple local businesses, including Wakeman Town Farm, to establish farm-to-table connections in our area.

Chef Daniel Moreno graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts
Management from The Culinary Institute of America. He worked at Restaurant Daniel and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York and L’Abeille at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris. At Blue Hill, Daniel gained a deeper appreciation for the symbiotic relationship between restaurants and local farmers. Now at Kneads, Daniel’s comfortable and modern take on traditional breakfast and lunch dishes highlights
ingredients sourced from local farmers.

Head Baker Brittany Moreno attended Henry Abbot Technical School for Culinary Arts and The Culinary Institute of America, where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts Management.
Brittany worked at Della Fattoria in Northern California, the prestigious Gramercy Tavern and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, and Carette in the Place de Trocadero and Boulangerie Berthe in Paris.
Working at Blue Hill helped expose Brittany to the ways in which using locally milled flour and properly sourced grains leads to more nutritious and better tasting bread. Brittany carries on this
tradition when baking her fresh breads and pastries at Kneads, making her goods both delicious and ethical.

ALL WAKEMAN PROGRAMS, CLASSES CANCELLED DUE TO CODE RED STATUS

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We love our Wakeman Kids so much, so it is a very sad day today because we are cancelling our current roster of events, classes, and children’s programs, including Little Farmers and Wild Child due to the area’s Code Red Covid status. Instructors Chryse and Jess are devastated about not being able to see all those adorable faces communing with our alpacas and getting out in the fresh air and sunshine with other children. We hope everyone stays safe and healthy as we weather this crisis with your health and safety first and foremost. We can’t wait until things open up again and we can see you at the Farm!

CANCELLED - Wreath Decorating @Ganim's Garden Center with WTF

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Grab your galpals and head over to Ganim’s Greenhouse for a night of festive fun. Please send us your name and the number of people in your group, and we’ll send you a registration link and all the information for you and your friends regarding BYO food + drink rules. All Covid regulations will be in effect, and we reserve the right to cancel/refund due to Covid upticks or insufficient enrollment. We will be capping this event at 20 people total. Our goal is to have one to three small groups of friends. This will be held in the greenhouse, which is chilly, so please dress warmly. Please contact us at wakemantownfarm@gmail.com

Holiday Pie Sale - SOLD OUT/CLOSED

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CLOSED + SOLD OUT THANK YOU! WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT

Wakeman Town Farm Holiday Pie Sale

Wakeman Town Farm’s first-annual Holiday Pie Sale in conjunction with our friends at Kneads Bakery in Westport was a big hit. The pies are sold out thanks to you, and very purchase helps support Wakeman Town Farm’s educational programs, as well as Westport’s new artisanal bakery. Thank you!

Pie Pickups:  Please pick up your pies on 11/24 at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport between 3-7 p.m. 

Storing/serving Instructions: Best if eaten within 3-4 days, but can last up to a week. All pies can be refrigerated to prolong shelf life, but refrigeration is not necessary. Pumpkin and Pecan Pies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Apple Pies can be room temperature or warmed gently in the oven. 

Election Day Farm Camp Nov. 3, 9-1

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We vote for a day of fun for the kids on Election Day!!!

Tuesday, November 3, 9-1 p.m. $125 (includes all materials, ingredients, guest instructors)

Max  10 Participants 
Kids 8-12 will enjoy their own election poll for “favorite farm animal” and will vote to name our feisty rooster.
After exploring the Farm, feeding and hanging with the animals and playing games led by our experienced Farm instructor Chryse Terrill, we’ll head into the kitchen to create fruit kebabs and homemade fruit pop tarts with Chef Robyn! And…buzzzz…We may get a visit with our favorite bee expert.

Registration is first-come, first served and extremely limited in size due to Covid restrictions. Please send an email with your child’s name and age to: wakemantownfarm@gmail.com and put “Election Day Camp” in the memo line. You will be notified as to whether or not your child gets into the program.

All Covid protocols in effect. Please bring a mask, a nut-free snack and reusable water bottle, and wear warm shoes or boots and weather appropriate outdoor clothes that are OK to get dirty!