WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It’s that time of year, and The Big E is almost here!
A collaboration between the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and the state’s Office of Tourism will spend 17 days showcasing what makes the Nutmeg State an ideal place to live, work and play, and a big part of that will highlight Connecticut’s agriculture sector.
From Friday, Sept. 13 through Sunday, Sept. 29, a total of 30 businesses will represent the diversity of CT Grown farm products in and outside of the Connecticut Building, according to CT DoAg.
Newly featured this year will be the Farmer Veteran Coalition of CT, Roaring Acres Alpacas, Bella Alpacas and Home Harvested Herbals.
CT DoAg says returning vendors include Amazing Love Farms, Blue Hill Too, Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture Science and Technology Education Center, CT Agricultural Experiment Station, CT Dairy, CT Grown, Double Trouble Acres, Guardians Farm, Killam & Bassette Farmstead, Maplewood Farm, Newgate Farms, R Farm, Sweet Lil Details, Sweet Wind Farm, Soapium, Twin Pines Farm, Union Bee Company and Wholly Goat Farm.
Beginning next Friday, these businesses will provide a blend of honey, maple syrup, fiber products and dairy as well as value-added products such as jams, jellies, relishes, tomato sauce and goat milk products. A list of when each business will be featured can be found here.
“The Connecticut Building at The Big E is a unique opportunity to share with fairgoers from throughout the region and beyond what makes our state special. Agriculture is a big part of that from pick-your-own farms for all the seasons to farm wineries and award-winning chefs using CT Grown ingredients in their creations,” CT DoAg Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt said. “After you visit these businesses at the fair, plan a day trip or weekend adventure using CT Grown Trail as inspiration.”
The Connecticut Farm Wineries booth will be operated by the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council and show off a variety of wines made by participating farm wineries located across the state. Fairgoers can purchase glasses of featured whites, reds, rose’, and froze’ – a frozen wine slushy.
Blueberry Bliss from Jones Family Farms Winery will have their products available; the business was named the Best Fruit Wine, Best Connecticut Wine and Best Connecticut Grown Wine during the 2024 Big E Wine Competition.
On Sept. 18, attendees can visit the CT DoAg and CT Grown exhibit during Connecticut Day for information on all fall farm activities. There will also be handouts of apples from Rogers Orchards in Southington. Those who are there can enroll in the digital newsletter to be entered for a chance to win a CT Grown swag collection that is valued at over $100. Sign up to receive the CT Grown digital newsletter from Sept. 13-29 and be eligible for the drawing.
Harvest New England Day is scheduled for Sept. 27; attendees can have their Harvest New England passport stamped at the CT Grown tent and spin the trivia wheel to test their farm knowledge to win a prize, CT DoAg says.
Three more vendors will present on the front lawn, including Amazing Love Farms, Bella Alpacas and Connecticut Dairy; they will offer free samples of milk with the New England Dairy Mobile Milk Bar. To recognize National Chocolate Milk Day, the first 500 chocolate milk samples will receive a CT Dairy branded stadium cup.
The Connecticut Building is open each day during the fair from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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