RIPE AROUND THE CORNER

HARTFORD) – October 15, 2007 – It’s the ripe time for a visit to Connecticut. From fresh apple orchards and pick-your-own-fruit farms, to cider mills and workshops, Connecticut has all the makings for a healthy and nourishing weekend this autumn. Fall is the perfect time to reminisce of childhood memories like pumpkin picking and hayrides and warm up to the season with a weekend away. Whether it’s the picking, baking or eating that does the trick, it’s easy to fall in love with all that Connecticut has to offer this harvest season.

Here are some sweet ways to appreciate the bountiful harvest in Connecticut:

1. DO – WALK, FLY AND RIDE THROUGH FALL

Take a deep breath of crisp, autumn air and enjoy the Wreath Ramble at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington on November 11. Wander among the Hill-Stead’s meadows and wooded trails to collect goldenrod, purple loosestrife, evergreen fronds and berries with guided experts. Visitors will get comfy in the Makeshift Theater and create a seasonal wreath to bring home. For a more thrill-seeking adventure, Berkshire Balloons in Southington offers hot air balloon flights year-round. The rides are the most spectacular during the fall season when vibrant autumn shades of orchards and farms light up the ground below. Settle in for some old-fashioned fun with a carriage ride or hayride at the Antique Carriage and Sleigh Museum in East Haddam. It’s part of the Allegra Farm, which is one of the largest original livery stables on the east coast.

2. DRINK – CIDER MILLIN’ AROUND

Many orchards throughout Connecticut make their own cider. Hogan’s Cider Mill in Burlington has been making homemade cider in the same, classic method since 1912. Visitors can sample hot mulled cider, hard cider, pick pumpkins and take home hand-crafted gifts made by local artisans. Clyde’s Cider Mill in Old Mystic takes apple lovers on a journey back in time. See how cider is made with the last surviving steam-powered cider press in the United States and sample fresh apple pies and cider donuts. Clyde’s has been making hard cider and cider wine since 1881.

3. SHOP – FARMER’S MARKETS, PICK-YOUR-OWN & ORCHARDS GALORE

Orchards and farmer’s markets throughout the state come alive during the harvest and allow visitors to pick up apples, peaches, pumpkins and fresh-baked pies and muffins. Set on 140 acres of farmland, Blue Jay Orchards in Bethel has 24 varieties of apples and a farmer’s market – one of the largest orchards in Connecticut. A favorite this time of year are the hayrides to Blue Jay’s “Pumpkin Patch,” available weekends in October. For fresh, local goodness, stop by the farmer’s market at Dudley Farm in North Guilford. On Saturdays through the end of October, the market features local farm products, produce, baked goods, crafts, honey, jam, flowers, vegetables and handspun yarns. Set on 300 acres, Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford is open 360 days a year and features a farmer’s market, bakery and winery. Visitors can pick-their-own apples and pumpkins throughout October, and shop for fresh-baked goods like apple pie, homemade fudge and zucchini bread. Be sure to check out the llamas, alpacas and goats that call Bishop their home. Scott’s Yankee Farmer in East Lyme has 125 acres that are ripe for the picking including peaches, apples, pumpkins and corn that can be taken straight from the farm or directly from a roadside stand. 

4. EAT – SWEET, HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Nothing welcomes the autumn equinox quite like homemade desserts made with seasonal ingredients. Open until October 31, Buttonwood Farms Ice Cream in Griswold serves up fresh pumpkin ice cream made with real pumpkin puree and a touch of cinnamon. Top it off with a homemade waffle cone and fresh whipped cream. Fall hayrides are available as well, offering scenic views of the farm and more importantly a breath of the crisp autumn air. Unwind at Paul Newman’s Dressing Room restaurant in Westport for a delicious homemade dessert, amidst cozy fireplaces and a country barn-like feel. Try the “Upside-Down Ripe Peach Cake” complete with pistachio ice cream and caramel sauce, or the “Warm Almond Cake” topped with cherry preserves and chocolate-mint ice cream. No processed foods are on the menu – the ice cream is even made on-site from locally-produced milk.

5. PLAY – A BARREL OF FUN FOR THE KIDS

Kids won’t have a hard time getting lost in the fun this October at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield. This year’s Spider Man Corn Maze weaves through four acres of towering cornstalks, and a tangled web of winding pathways which total nearly two miles in length. Then, in November and December, kids can take an Apple Pie-Making Workshop and get their hands in on the process of making an apple pie from scratch. The class will be held on November 3 and December 2 and is limited to 15 each, so make sure to sign up in advance. The March Farm in Bethlehem offers fun for the whole family with an animal yard, play area, corn maze and hayrides. The farm also has 50 acres of apple trees and plump,[Back to Press Releases Main]