Jr. Chef's Summer Cooking Camp for Middle Schoolers 8.1-8.4

Fun With Food- Summer Cooking Camp
Days: Aug 1-Aug 4, 2022

Time: 9-noon

Ages: Entering Grades 6-8

Instructor: Robyn Herman

Students: Min 6, Max 10

Price: $475, includes ingredients 

We’ve had interest in a summer cooking camp for middle schoolers, so here it is! Fun with Food is an enriching and fun cooking experience that features menus sprouting from the Farm’s gardens and beyond. 

Themes include Simple Italian Cooking, Breakfast for Dinner, Sweet & Savory Dumplings/Hand Pies, and Healthy snacks. We will go out to the gardens, berry patches and fruit trees and pick fruits, herbs and vegetables grown on the Farm when available. 

We will introduce our young chefs to fresh, seasonal ingredients and global flavors, broadening their palates and sprouting culinary creativity while teaching them an array of practical kitchen skills.

Robyn Herman has been developing and delivering personalized cooking programs, birthday parties, and facilitating educational experiences for after-school programs promoting food exploration for 20 years.

Her classes incorporate fresh ingredients with an eye toward nutrition to teach students how healthy food can be tasty food.

Now on Zoom: Talks Around the Farm Table: How We Eat 1.18.22

Continuing the conversation from the Westport Library’s “Dinner Disrupted: How We Eat” (below)

Jan 18th: 7-8pm, virtual

Wakeman Town Farm invites you to gather around our table (virtually) to expand on themes explored during Paco Underhill’s presentation (like below). We will use his book and our own recommended podcasts to inspire conversation about how to navigate the brave new world of food and drink.

Link to the WTF Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talks-around-the-farm-table-how-we-eat-tickets-231103475717

Westport Library Program Dinner Disrupted: How We Eat

Tue, January 11 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST

The food system in America-- how we produce, process, distribute, and consume food—is broken. Market researcher and bestselling author Paco Underhill sets out to solve these problems and show us where our eating and driving lives are headed in his newest book, How We Eat: The Brave New World of Food and Drink. Underhill takes an upbeat, hopeful, and characteristically witty approach to how we can change the way we consume.

How We Eat reveals the future of food in surprising ways, like how the city is getting country-fied with the rise of farmer’s markets and rooftop farms; how supermarkets are on their way out with their most valuable real estate, their parking lot, for growing their own food and hosting community events; and how marijuana farmers, who have been using artificial light to grow a crop for years, have developed a playbook so mainstream merchants and farmers across the world can grow food in an uncertain future.

Link to the Westport Library talk: https://westportlibrary.org/event/dinner-disrupted-how-we-eat/

Resolve to Compost 1.24.22

Want to turn over a new leaf to help the planet in 2022? How about turning over some compost? Learn how you can save water, reduce pollution and improve your garden, too, when you start making ‘black gold’ at home. It’s easier than you think!

All are welcome – both newbies and practicing composters who want to up their compost skills in 2022.

(And the farm will share some of its brown gold to get you started!)

Taught by UConn master composter and advanced master gardener Alice Ely.

Now on Zoom! Winter Sowing Workshop 1.10.22

Want to get a jump on spring – and attract pollinators to your garden this summer? Sign up for our Pollinator Series talk! Join us on Zoom + seeds will be available for pickup at the Farm.

Learn to make your own “mini-greenhouse” in a bottle to start seedlings. Leave it outside ‘til spring, when you’ll reap a dozen or more native milkweed seedlings to start in your garden.“If you grow it, they will come!” Collect or save your bottles now: Clear 1-liter or 2-liter soda bottles or translucent half gallon milk bottles are recommended. We’ll be sharing some special milkweed seeds sourced right in our ecoregion. We will provide instructions for when and where to pick them up at the Farm.
Workshop is taught by UConn advanced master gardener Alice Ely.

CANCELLED! MLK Vacation Day Camp: Sign Up NOW - Enrollment is limited 1.17.22

PLEASE NOTE, THE TOWN OF WESTPORT CANCELLED ALL WTF EVENTS AND PROGRAMS ON THIS DATE.
Wakeman Town Farm Town Farm Town Farm is offering a MLK Day camp from 9:00am-1:00pm for 6-11 year olds!

Join our experienced Farm Educators, Arts, and Culinary Instructors for a MLK Day like no other! We will spend the day visiting our Farm animal friends; learning to cook delicious farm-fresh snacks; creating a variety of nature-based crafts and other “maker” activities; playing games; exploring the grounds, gardens and nature trail. Please bring a hearty nut-free snack and lunch, a reusable water bottle, and wear warm shoes or boots and weather-appropriate outdoor clothes that are OK to get dirty. All Covid safety measures in effect.

Holiday Centerpieces 12.14.21

Join us at Wakeman Town Farm and make a wonderful centerpiece perfect for holiday parties and dinners!

About this event

Wakeman Town Farm's own Chyrse Terill and Ellen Goldman will instruct you on how to create an amazing centerpiece that is perfect for the holiday season. Attendees will be able to use materials collected from Wakeman Town Farm to decorate their piece. At the end of the class, participants will take home their unique creations. Feel free to bring an appetizer and a bottle of wine or drink of your choosing, as the event is meant to be festive and fun!

Making Spirits Bright: A Mixology Class to Get You into the Holiday Spirit 12.6.21

Wakeman Town Farm and Mixxed by Ed come together to provide a festive holiday-themed mixology class!

7-8:30 p.m.at the Farm

About this event

We’re getting festive with a Mixology Class hosted by “Mixxed by Ed’s" Edward Hernandez. Hernandez is known for creating elevated cocktails. Attendees will learn how to make 5 holiday-themed libations, featuring natural ingredients picked straight from Wakeman Town Farm. Premium liquor will be provided by Remy Cointreau.

Attendees will receive a cocktail-making kit, including: 12 oz sampling cup, lime squeezer, jigger, muddler, trade card, and 3-piece shaker.

Additionally, there will be a guest speaker to give a quick primer about the Remy Martin Cognac and other spirits we will be using.

The class is $100/person and will run for an hour and a half, with small plates provided for food.

Attendees must be 21+ to attend, and please arrange for a designated driver or ride-share service.

Mixxed by Ed website: Www.mixxedbyed.com

art with a heart: A fundraiser for ukraine: Bidding is open!

Local artist Leslie Alexander donated this piece to raise money for the Farm’s ongoing fundraising efforts for the people of Ukraine. We are donating proceeds from this auction to @wckitchen, one of the leading hunger-relief organizations with a big presence serving food to those at the Ukraine border.

Stand with Ukraine, 2022, pigment ink on paper, 16 x 24 inches
Retail: $500.
Starting bid: $100. Bidding is now open! Bids will close on Wed. March 16 @midnight.

Leslie Alexander is an artist who grew up in Westport, currently living in Old Lyme, Ct. She received her BFA from Philadelphia College of Art and her MFA from Hunter College. She has shown widely including Jack Tilton Gallery NYC, Lesley Heller Gallery NYC, BRIC Contemporary Brooklyn, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Silvermine Arts Center and Housatonic Museum of Art.

Her paintings are completely created and generated by computer. They are made from multiple photographs she takes, which are collaged, layered and painted digitally.

three farms band together to collect medical supplies for ukraine 3.9.22

Our friends in Ukraine are moms and dads just like us. They love their families, nature, animals, local farms and community. During this time of great need, we have put together a grassroots collection effort that will allow you to drop off or send select medical supplies to any of three local farm collection sites (pictured above). We will collect from each farm (please make sure items arrive or are dropped off by
1 p.m. March 18
) and we will drive the combined supplies to a site where they will be shipped to Ukraine ASAP. Thank you for your support!

NOTE: Wakeman Town Farm will accept either mail deliveries at 134 Cross Hwy, Westport, CT 06680, or unboxed drop-offs up at the Farm's Plastic Bins at the 1 Wakeman Drive, Westport, CT entrance. Items must arrive by 1 p.m. on March 18 to be included.

Art with a Heart: A fundraiser for Ukraine: Bidding is open!

A local craftsperson donated this beautiful handmade Ukraine “Love” quilt to raise money for the Farm’s ongoing fundraising efforts for the people of Ukraine. We are donating proceeds to @wckitchen, one of the leading hunger-relief organizations with a big presence at the Ukraine border.

Details:

Size 23” x 32”

Quilters: Amanda, Alex + Will Kuster

Kuster says the piece is meant to be a wall hanging, but it can be washed on a gentle cycle and line dried.

The bidding starts at $100, and we will cut off bids at midnight on Monday, March 14. Click button below to place your best bid and thank you!

It's Your Birthday! Cupcake Wars + Cooking Parties for Kids

We offer a variety of fun kids’ birthday parties in Tim’s Kitchen, with lots of different themes to choose from. The parties are typically on Saturday or Sunday mornings, depending on Farm availability. Packages are for small groups of up to 10 participants, although we can add a few more in certain circumstances approved by the instructor. Choose from Birthday Brunch, Mexican Fiesta, Pizza…and, for tweens, we offer an awesome Cupcake Wars experience that gets the friendly competitive juices flowing! Click here below to read more or reach out to us here to send us an email with your child’s age, preferred date, number of participants, and a note about which party theme you’d like to book. New bookings available for Jan. 2021 and beyond.

New Educational Sponsor Freudigman & Billings

We are excited to announce our new partnership with educational sponsor Freudigman & Billings. Their support will underwrite many of our Farm educational lectures.

Freudigman & Billings’ philosophy is that children learn best in the context of supportive relationships. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Kim Freudigman and Trey Billings, F&B embraces a student-centered process designed to respond to each student’s learning style, personality, and educational needs.  

Today, the F&B team provides educational solutions for children and adolescents through individual assessment, personally tailored learning programs, and one-on-one coaching.  To learn more, contact the team here

Services include:

Family Cooking Classes - Give the Gift of Togetherness

Looking for a fun and engaging weekend activity for your family? Join Chef-Instructor Annalyce Loretto for a cooking class that is as memorable as it is educational. You’ll spend two hours in our state-of-the art Farm Kitchen as you gather around the counter and make your meal together from start to finish. This is a great way to get all ages involved, learn some helpful kitchen tips, and enjoy a delicious family meal at the end of the class. A special holiday experience/gift for all. $600 for up to 6 participants, includes private instruction, materials and ingredients and exclusive use of the commercial kitchen. To inquire, reach out via email below.

Class Choices Include:

Pasta/Gnocchi Class-Make pasta or gnocchi from scratch. We’ll cook up a bright tomato sauce and a browned butter sauce with garden sage and freshly grated Parmigiano

Brunch Bunch-Cook up sweet and chewy Liege waffles and fluffy cloud eggs to make a delicious brunch spread that is sure to impress your foodie friends and family

Delicious Dumplings-Make meat and vegetable fillings and whip up a savory dipping sauce. We’ll learn authentic dumpling folding techniques, as well as two ways to cook them, both pan fried and boiled

Sold out! Encore HOLIDAY HORS D'OEUVRES CLASS WITH CHEF DIANA ANDREWS 12.9.21

Join Chef Diana Andrews as she introduces four easy-to-prepare, mostly make-ahead delicious starters that will get your holiday party or gathering started and whet your appetite as well.

•Poached Shrimp with Chipotle-Chive Aioli and Crispy Garlicky Breadcrumbs. Smokey-sweet and tangy chipotle-chive aioli is the perfect accompaniment for delicately poached sweet shrimp. The shrimp are meant for double-dipping, first in the creamy aioli, then the crispy breadcrumbs, which add the perfect crunch.

•Spicy-Savory-Sweet Jammy Tomato Preserves. This tomato jam hits all the right notes. A mix of savory-sweet, warm, and mildly spiced flavors conveniently made on the stovetop. A great addition to a traditional cheeseboard, complex enough to pair with most proteins yet bold enough to be served alone.

•Baked Brie with Curry, Chutney, and Toasted Sliced Almonds. Imagine a wheel of earthy, ripe, creamy brie. Now imagine it warm and melty, topped with curry and fruity chutney. Deeply satisfying and delicious, all you need is a loaf of crusty bread or your favorite crackers, and you’re good to go!

•Brown Sugar-Bourbon Baked Mixed Nuts. Simply addictive! Toss a combination of your favorite nuts together with a few simple ingredients. Bake, then cool until the coating is dry and they’re done! These irresistible nuts will be gone before you know it.

Basic Class Info

•Students may participate in some light hands-on prep. •Students will partake in tastings and not full meals. •Recipes are subject to change based on ingredient freshness and seasonal availability. •Full recipes provided at class and will be posted to the chef’s website shortly thereafter.

•Maximum class capacity: 8

• All Covid rules in effect; at the time of publication, masks are required indoors.

• No refunds allowed. If you cannot attend, you may pass or sell your ticket to another person, however, you must provide us with their contact info prior to class for admittance.

Diana Andrews is a culinary director, recipe developer and tester, food writer, and instructor. Her clients include online and print food media publications and kitchen appliance and food companies. She was the senior food editor and test kitchen director at Fine Cooking Magazine and head recipe developer/editor for the first six seasons of the Emmy-nominated PBS TV show Moveable Feast. In addition, she has worked for Spruce Eats, Meredith Corporation, Food Network, Cuisinart, Sur La Table, Dressing Room Restaurant, Park Avenue Seasonal Restaurant, and the James Beard Foundation. She is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. Visit her at https://chefdianaandrews.com.


Giving Tuesday Fundraiser: A Barn Dedicated to Peter Wormser. Donate Here

UPDATE: Wakeman Town Farm has unanimously decided to dedicate the renovation of Wakeman Town Farm’s red barn to Peter Wormser, a renowned architect and original Wakeman Town Farm champion. The newly refurbished barn will be a multipurpose space that will be used for horticulture classes and workshops, barn suppers, plays and performances and all manner of artistic and farm-y endeavors. Our goal is to increase our outreach and service to the community.

On Giving Tuesday, Nov. 30, please consider a donation to help us make Peter’s dream a reality for the entire community to enjoy.
To donate, please click the button below.

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It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Wakeman Town Farm’s Peter Wormser. Dan Woog of 06880 features the Farm’s tribute to Wormer’s memory here, as well as the full obituary here. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Westport Friends of Park and Rec/Tim’s Kitchen, c/o Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport CT 06880. Or click here for online donations. Thank you.

Wakeman Holiday Tree Lighting - Save the Date 12.3.21

You’re invited to the Annual Wakeman Town Farm Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration on Friday, Dec. 3 from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

It’s a festive, fun and free annual tradition — an event for the whole family. In addition to roasting marshmallows by the bonfire, we will enjoy sweet treats from The Porch and Sweet P Bakery, and hot chocolate from The Granola Bar and Starbucks. We’re featuring a variety of local school musicians playing Christmas and Chanukah favorites. Join us as we light up the Wakeman tree with fellow Westporters to kick off the season. 

Holiday Lighting 4:30-6:30 p.m.

4:30 – Greens Farms Elementary, Long Lots Elementary & Staples High School Band Play Holiday Tunes

4:45 - Tree Lighting

4:50 - Hot chocolate, cookies and brownies from The Porch & Sweet P Bakery, and bonfire with marshmallows

6:30 - Happy Holidays & Goodnight!

A special thank you to Freudigman & Billings for keeping this event free and open to all. Additional thanks to The Porch/Sweet P Bakery, The Granola Bar and Starbucks for donating hot chocolate and sweets, and to Bert’s Trees for stringing the lights on our holiday tree. 

*This is not a drop-off event. Parental supervision of all children is required - particularly around the animal enclosures and bonfire.

SALES CLOSED Thanksgiving Pie & Breads Sale

SALES CLOSED! Wakeman Town Farm Thanksgiving Desserts & Breads Sale

Wakeman Town Farm’s second annual Thanksgiving Desserts & Breads Sale is on! Our friends at Kneads Bakery have designed a delicious menu of baked goods sure to delight your family and friends this holiday. Every purchase made through Wakeman Town Farm helps support our agricultural and educational programs along with Westport’s own artisanal Kneads Bakery.

Order Pickups:  Please pick up your desserts and breads from 9am-1pm on Tuesday November 23rd at Wakeman Town Farm, 134 Cross Highway, Westport.

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. Pecan Pies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Apple Pies can be served at room temperature or warmed gently in the oven.