Farm Stands
Before there were Farmers’ Markets in every town on the Shoreline, we shopped the farm stands for our produce and pies. Despite the availability of farm-fresh food everywhere, we have some favorite farm stands that we scurry to for specific goodies:
Deep Hollow Farm, 46 Deep Hollow Road, Chester
In its first official retail season in a freshly built farmhouse, this organic no-till farm is churning out perfectly lined rows of beets, kale and heirloom tomatoes and everything in between. Run with exquisite care by farmers Christine and Andrew Harrington and their farm baby, Leo, you’ll find all of their own produce offerings plus eggs from 1738 Farm, maple syrup and Elderberry juice from Fat Stone Farm plus bread, pasta, and THE best kale pesto from 8 Mile Meadow. The farmhouse store is tucked away near the end of Deep Hollow Road and open Saturday mornings from 9-2. You can also find the Harrington’s on Sunday at the Chester Sunday Market. https://www.deephollowfarmct.com/
Cold Spring Farm, 46 Lake Hayward Town Road, Colchester
It’s worth a drive from wherever you are to visit this sprawling farm on the edge of Lake Hayward in Colchester. The farmstand is easy to spot and open daily from dawn til dusk. Fill up on freshly harvested produce, locally made baked goods using their easily navigated honor system (cash, check or Venmo). The fridges and freezers are stocked with organic, grass-fed meats from the farm, plus local cheese and milk. Don’t miss the all-natural cleaning supplies, skincare products, and comfy CSF apparel. Learn more about their flexible, year-round CSA here. https://www.coldspringfarmct.com/
White Gate Farm, 83 Upper Pattagansett Rd, East Lyme
This is the farm stand for the aesthete. This famous organic farm features meticulously displayed fresh veggies and a variety of delicacies made in the Farm Kitchen. I never leave without a bag or two of gluten-free breakfast cookies (stash these in the freezer, they keep well and don’t need defrosting), some beet hummus, and perhaps the daily soup: this week’s version was a dairy-free cashew pistou. Read about White Gate’s Farm Fest Saturdays here. Hours: Wednesdays 9 to 2 and Saturdays 3 to 7. whitegatefarm.net
Scott’s Yankee Farmer, 436 Boston Post Rd, East Lyme
We head here for the best hot apple cider donuts on weekends, but that’s definitely not all…their own hot house tomatoes start early, and you’ll find tons of freshly picked berries and veggies. Check the blackboard for pick your own dates (raspberries and blueberries are fat and ready now).
Sankow’s Beaver Brook, 139 Beaver Brook Road, Lyme
Head about a mile up Beaver Brook Road in Lyme and you’ll happen upon an old farmhouse with a faded sign out front. Pull in the drive and shoot straight back to the farm store. Inside you’ll find refrigerated and freezer cases full of Sankow’s award-winning cow and goat cheeses, frozen goodies like lamb and bean chili, bolognese sauce, and stacks of Shepherd’s Pie. Don’t leave without a few pounds of lamb merguez sausage for the grill and some crazy delicious chocolate mousse made from their own fresh ricotta, cocoa and a bit of sugar. Next door is a shop full of wool and sweaters, but save that trip for a cool fall day.
Find Sankow’s on facebook here.
Barberry Hill Farm, 353 Boston Post Road, Madison
Barberry is a regular stop on our jaunts up and down the Shoreline for a bunch of fresh flowers and a bag of lumpy heirloom tomatoes. This 100 year old family farm practices sustainable farming methods and grows their crops without the use of pesticides and fungicides. Dinners at the Farm sets up in their bucoloic acreage every year and the roadside stand, on the Post Road between Madison and Guilford, is always a feast for the eyes (and instagram worthy!).
Stone Acres Farm, 393 North Main Street, Stonington
This historic farm supplies the Oyster Club family of restaurants, including Grass and Bone and Engine Room. The 63-acre working farm celebrates natural farming, sustainable food, culinary education, and the preservation of open space, cultural landscapes, and historic structures. Hours: 9am – 6pm daily
Check the website for farm dinners, educational programs and other events: www.stoneacresfarm.com/welcome
Lakeside Feed, 31 Lake Drive, Guilford
You might come here as much for an ice cream cone as for rack of ribs or a carton of fava beans, but this is a fun place to hit for the whole family. From the llamas out front to the baby chicks in the feed store, the tots will love a trip here. Once you get past the tubs of ice cream, you’ll find a freezer case full of farm meats, from hot and sweet italian sausage to bacon, burgers, stew meat and steaks. We love this idea: head over every Friday from 6 – 8 for Farm Family Friday Nights and choose pizza, a burger or hot dog plus ice cream ($3!) and learn about a new featured animal each week.
Find Lakeside Feed on Facebook here.
Staehly’s, 278 Town Street, East Haddam
Folks head here for hanging baskets, veggies, Grannie’s pies and fruit wines but we like the rows of mason jars filled with all manner of tempting treats. The spiced peaches make a handy dessert, just pile a few over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Bread and butter pickles are a staple in our house, and who could resist a jar of old fashioned pickled beet balls? A stash of these in your pantry make fantastic hostess gifts.
Bishop’s Orchards, 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford
EVERYONE knows about Bishops, but when one is writing an article on farm stands on the Shoreline, one must include it! For many of us, it’s where we go not only for a stellar selection of produce, but for everyday groceries (even though it’s a bit of a hike for me). I always pick up a few jars of their unsweetened applesauce (just like homemade), some turkey pot pies for the freezer, D’Artagnan pork belly (!), and my absolute favorite chicken sausage from Longhini in New Haven. But this time of year is a don’t miss for pie. And what we love about Bishop’s is you can buy a half of one. I’m a huge fan of the Fruit of the Farm with NO added sugar. It’s summer pie perfection, stuffed with apples, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, it’s not too sweet with a lovely crumbly crust. And if you’ve only bought a half a pie, that’s all you’ll eat.
Four Mile River Farm, 124 Four Mile River Road, Old Lyme
Those burgers at the Lyme Farmers’ Market? Yup, those are Four Mile River, and occasionally we have them for breakfast. But there’s lots more than burgers at the farmstand. You’ll find every cut of beef imaginable from sirloin strips to steak tips plus nitrate free hot dogs and kielbasa. We’re mad for their prepared goods, too, especially the cheesy bacon butter that is just as delish as a topping for steak as a tangy spread for a baguette. Get your entire dinner here: a refrigerated case is stocked with Four Root Farm’s salad mix, arugula and herbs, and grab some lovely chèvre from Sweet Pea Farm (try the orange cranberry). Paleo peeps can stock up on bone broth, too.
Scott’s Farm Store, 356 Middlesex Turnpike, Old Saybrook
We head here for tomatoes and corn virtually every week (and a fat chunk of cheddar cheese and some Liuzzi’s burrata), but it’s also a great stop for gardeners. Open everyday. Find Scott’s on facebook: www.facebook.com/ScottsFarmStoreLlc/
Panfili’s, 42 Norwich Road, Salem
If you’re in the market for a life-sized buddha or giraffe, this is the place. All the statuary out front may be confusing, but inside this is a normal farmstand with some basic groceries available, too. We snagged fresh cut flowers in mason jars for $6.50 a bunch and an absolutely perfect cherry pie.
