Source Your Thanksgiving Dinner Using Local Farms

The Bethel Farmers’ Market has been an institution in Bethel on Saturday mornings in the summer for 32 years. What most people don’t realize is,  this year due to customer demand and vendor interest the farmers’ market has extended its season until December 28th and moved inside the Fairfield County Agricultural Extension building. Located across from the former Stony Hill Inn on Rte 6, the Fairfield County Extension building offers ample parking and heated comfort to shop for extremely fresh and local food and farm products. The new extension of the market season offers customers something that hasn’t happened in Bethel before, the opportunity to shop for the freshest local ingredients for their Thanksgiving dinners. The market currently has 8 vendors participating at this point in the season and they are selling most aspects of Thanksgiving dinner, except for the turkey.

Maple Bank Farm located in Roxbury, CT has been in operation since 1730. They offer several types of potatoes that are thin skinned and delicious for mashed or roasted potatoes.  If apple pie is on the menu they offer many different varieties including some heirlooms. Among their regular offerings are also carrots, kale, leeks, popcorn, acorn and butternut squash and pears. They will be glad to offer guidance on the best varieties for apple pie, or the best apples for eating fresh.

Carrot Top Kitchen products are a must have for appetizers or a relish tray. They have award winning pickles in both garlic dill, and bread and butter. Several flavors of hummus including the seasonal favorite roasted pumpkin seed, garlic and lemon, white truffle and several other rotating flavors. If you are in the market for a light meal after Thanksgiving dinner Carrot Top offers several options of quart sized soups to take home and re-heat.

The market has something for everyone including man’s best friend. The Purr-fect Pooch of New Fairfield makes all natural chicken jerky and dehydrated sweet potatoes treats, show your furry friends that you are thankful for them this season.

Paradise foods of New Fairfield brings to the market a huge array of pre-made foods. Culinary Institute of America graduate Lisa Marie Ault also offers Thanksgiving Catering by pre-order. Paradise Foods has at least 6 different soups to choose from, several different varieties of quiche, frittatas and pot pies in varying sizes. There are also lots of temptations for your sweet tooth, like brownies, cookies, and seasonal breads like bourbon pecan and pumpkin. If you are looking for a meal for the night before thanksgiving or something to eat any other time of the week Paradise Foods has something for everyone.

Start your holiday shopping early with Goatboy Soaps they have a large variety of scents including seasonal smells like pine-berry, peppermint twist and frankincense and myrrh. Goatboy offers both molded bars and their larger traditional sized soap bar. Great items for stocking stuffers include lotion and lip balm. 

Wave Hill Breads in Norwalk began taking farmers’ markets by storm several years ago, they make wonderful artisan French style bread. The bread is made from unbleached wheat flour, organic spelt and organic rye berries that are milled for each batch, sea salt, water, and a pinch of yeast. In addition to their signature French style bread they also offer roasted garlic, American multigrain, and a 3 grain olive and roasted red pepper. All loaves freeze well and can be heated in the oven wrapped in aluminum foil on Thanksgiving Day and it will have a fresh from the bakery taste.

Eaglewood Farms hails from Barkhamstead and has a huge selection of the freshest farm eggs in small, medium, large, extra-large, jumbo and pullet. Duck eggs and quail eggs are also offered from the Eaglewood flock. Eaglewood also specializes in beef and pork raised all naturally and free range. Their meat is available in a variety of different cuts, think about a locally raised roast beef for Christmas!

Daffodil Hill Growers of Southbury specializes in winter growing. They offer several different types of greens that are grown in a high tunnel greenhouse or a low tunnel without the use of supplemental heat. These greens are normally cilantro, spinach, arugula, salad mix, lettuce, mustard greens, mizuna, and a baby lettuce mix. They also have normal weekly offerings of beets, turnips, acorn/butternut/ delicate/kabucha winter squash, potatoes and pears. So if you are looking for spinach to make creamed spinach or a salad for thanksgiving dinner that is local and flavorful they have you covered. Beginning November 23rd they also have Christmas wreaths, and arrangements available for pre-order at the market.

Make your Thanksgiving and Holiday Season extra special this year and support your local farmers and food artisans by shopping at the Bethel Farmers’ Market every Saturday until December 28th from 9am until 1pm at the Fairfield County Extension Center at 67 Stony Hill Rd in Bethel.