Farming is, in more ways than one, a young man’s game, especially if the aim is to help heal the planet at the same time, which is precisely what Tyler is trying to do.
It’s all too rare when a restaurant’s interior is as good as its food. Located at the juncture of Sharon Road and Route 44 in the old firehouse, Fern is a treat for both the eye and the palate.
Risks seem to have a way of working out for chef David Di Stasi. Today Di Stasi is arguably cooking some of the best and most exciting food in Connecticut.
Picture homeowner Bob Wolfe in a rakishly tipped fedora, shaking cocktails at a stylish bar while his lovely blonde wife, Laurie, greets guests warmly at the door.
Susan Bednar Long is an interior designer residing between Connecticut and Texas. Trained at a design firm in Los Angeles, she later moved to New York City where she cut her teeth designing retail stores for Ralph Lauren.
The workers at @calfandclover in Cornwall go beyond standard hospitality. Molly gives me a gentle smile, Helena licks my hand, and Starlight nuzzles my leg before resuming their lunch of fermented alfalfa and clover. Greetings complete, the “ladies” stride into the barn, find their name printed on individual chalkboards hanging over their stall—reminiscent of a preschool classroom—and milking begins. Molly, Helena, and Starlight are part of a 20-cow herd (Jersey and Normande breeds) that bring raw milk to hundreds of uncompromising customers who stop by the farm 365 days a year, sunrise to sunset, to get what owners Sarah and Jeff Casel describe as, “One of the healthiest foods available.”
Full story - link in bio ‘On Our Radar’ By Michelle Madden 📸 @ryanlavine1
Holistic medicine is based on the philosophy that mind, body, and spirit are one. Dr. McKelvey augments this approach with genomic testing, which identifies unique variants in a person’s genetic code that could be leading to suboptimal health. A simple cheek swab provides data on thousands of variants, or what Dr.McKelvey calls “typos” in our genomic code. These variants get turned on and off like a switch (through diet and lifestyle) and if not identified and managed, can lead to everything from obesity to dementia.
Full story - link in bio ‘On Our Radar’ By Michelle Madden 📸 @zophotography_
It’s all too rare when a restaurant’s interior is as good as its food. Located at the juncture of Sharon Road and Route 44 in the old firehouse in Lakeville, @fern_lakeville is a treat for both the eye and the palate.
The fourth and latest restaurant from chef Gianni Scappin and Luciano Valdiva, the team behind @market_st in Rhinebeck and @barbaro_mlbrk in Millbrook, Fern’s interior looks like a combination of Soho and Santa Barbara.
Full story - link in bio ‘On Our Radar’ By @charlesdubow 📸 @sabrinaeberhard_photography
The first thing you notice about Tyler Hoadley is how young he looks. At 26, it’s hard to believe he has a college education and years of farm experience under his belt, much less that he is now running his very own farm, Hoadley Hills Farm in Kent, on the land three generations of his family call home. Then again, farming is, in more ways than one, a young man’s game, especially if the aim is to help heal the planet at the same time, which is precisely what Tyler is trying to do. “We are proud to provide the most nutrient-dense food we can to our neighbors,” Tyler says. “While we are nourishing them with this food, we are also nourishing the land. Animal agriculture has gotten a bad rap in recent years because of the way conventional confinement operations take away value from local ecosystems, all while creating an inhumane, polluting environment that hurts people and animals alike. What’s different about having a regenerative livestock operation in your community is that not only do these regenerative practices like rotational grazing allow animals to express their natural behaviors like scratching and foraging for chickens and rooting for pigs, but they create healthier animals and thus more nutrient-dense meat for our customers. It’s worth it,” Since most of Tyler’s peers have left small town life behind for opportunities in big cities, I was curious what he feels he might be missing out on. “Nothing,” he replies. “I’m not making a sacrifice. This is what I want to be doing. I breathe fresh air every day. I do the kind of work I love. And I get to see the impact I’m having on my community.”
@hoadleyhillsfarm @toadal_mvmnt @kentconnecticut
Link in bio for full story By @paulmarcarelli 📸 @ryanlavine1
For parents, the death of a child is beyond devastating. Some are so shattered, they never recover. Yet in 2022 when Jeffrey and Jennifer Forlastro of New Milford lost their son Brandon in a motorcycle accident, they decided to turn their grief into action. They created Gears in Heaven, a nonprofit run out of their home which helps the families of motorsport enthusiasts who have been killed or seriously injured in a vehicle accident. “We searched for an organization that would connect with families of loved ones with that same passion, and we couldn’t really find anything,” Jennifer explains. “Brandon always talked about how he wanted to have a nonprofit to help people who couldn’t do things for themselves. So we said, ‘Let’s start something, knowing what people are going through, and give them what they need.’ It all happened very rapidly. Brandon knew a lot of people in the industry. And he also had a lot of friends.” When asked if they ever feel Brandon’s presence, both parents answered in unison. “Oh yeah. He’s definitely steering the ship.” To volunteer for Gears in Heaven or use its services, visit gearsinheaven.org or facebook.com/GearsinHeaven.
@gearsinheaven @downtownnewmilford
Link in bio for full story By ML Ball 📸 Melissa Langevin
As a travel destination, Litchfield County strikes all the right notes. It’s sophisticated and easy-going. Outdoorsy and cultural. There are restaurants and cafes, art galleries and boutiques, cute villages to explore, farms and vineyards to visit, glorious hiking trails, watersports, and cycling routes. The only kink in the works? For years, the area has been hampered by its lack of overnight accommodations, especially during the high season. That’s about to change. This summer the region will welcome a number of new—and newly renovated—properties, a win-win for visitors and residents alike. “It’s wonderful to see all these new hotels,” says Stephen Brighenti, a hospitality industry veteran and owner of POSH Pads luxury home rentals. “It’s a phenomenal story of change that’s 30 years in the making.”