Locally Bottled Olive Oil Added to Farmers' Market Offerings

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 are 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.

A new vendor will be joining the market for the remainder of the season, The Olive Oil Factory from Waterbury, CT bottles, flavors and blends olive oils, balsamic vinegars, bread dipping oils and salad dressings. They are well known for their flavored olive oils that include garlic, and hot pepper flavors as well as their flavored balsamic vinegars which include lime, chocolate, and raspberry. The Olive Oil Factory also offers a gift sized package of samplers that make great hostess or teacher gifts or even stocking stuffers for the chef in your life.

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. 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 apple varieties cooking or for for eating fresh.

Carrot Top Kitchens 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 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 how much they mean to you this holiday season .

Paradise foods of New Fairfield brings to the market a huge array of pre-made foods. Culinary Institute of America graduate Lisa Marie 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.  Most of the prepared foods that Paradise offers freeze very well and are great to have on hand during a chaotic holiday season for a quick meal instead of take out !

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. They will not be at the market on November 30th but will be back for the remaining 4 weeks of the season.

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. Daffodil Hill Growers also has Christmas wreaths, and arrangements available for sale at the market to start your holiday decorating.

Make your 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.