Jones Family Farmer's Blog

The Farmer Jones Blog Has Moved!

2011-06-15T14:11:00.005-04:00

We've headed on over to Wordpress for our blog. So CLICK HERE and see what's going on over at the NEW Farmer Jones blog!

http://jonesfamilyfarms.wordpress.com/

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

2011-04-22T10:58:00.009-04:00

Did you know there is a way to help the Earth (and yourself) each and every day? Reduce, reuse, and recycle by creating a compost pile! Creating a compost pile helps reduce the amount of household waste that ends up in landfills. Composting also allows us to reuse kitchen scraps in the garden and recycle raw materials to create healthy new topsoil.

Compost is simply decomposed organic material, which can be either plant or animal matter. If you have ever walked in the woods on a blanket of fallen leaves, then you have seen composting at work. Plant and animal matter is constantly recycled in nature by worms, insects, and microscopic organisms to create rich soil that supports new life.

Decomposing organisms including bacteria, fungi, worms, sowbugs, and nematodes work together to break down organic matter into healthy soil. These organisms need four key elements to thrive: nitrogen, carbon, moisture, and oxygen. Rain provides moisture, but you may need to water or cover the pile to keep it damp (just be careful not to saturate the pile!). Turning or mixing the pile provides the organisms with oxygen, which allows them to work faster.

To create a compost pile, simply add food, air, and water. The key is getting the right mixture of brown materials (carbon) to green materials (nitrogen). The best combination is about 4 parts of “browns” to one part “greens” by volume. If we add too much brown material the compost pile will take a long time to break down. But adding too much green material creates a compost pile that is slimy and smelly. If you have a yard and like to eat, you have everything you need to provide your compost pile with these ingredients!

Sources of “brown” ingredients:
• Brown, dry leaves
• Dried grass
• Cornstalks (shredded)
• Straw
• Sawdust (only in moderation)

One secret to making compost faster, is to finely shred the carbon-rich ingredients such as leaves, hay, straw, paper and cardboard. Since the brown materials take the longest amount of time to break down, shredding them will significantly reduce the finishing time of compost.

Sources of “green” ingredients:
• Fresh (green) Grass clippings
• Fresh manure (horse, chicken, rabbit, cow)
• Kitchen scraps (fruit, vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags)
• Weeds (careful with the seed heads!)
• Green leaves
• Leftover fruits from the garden

* You can also add egg shells as a source of calcium!

Do Not Add:
• Meat, Fish, fat or oil, dairy products: Adding these materials is likely to attract unwanted visitors to your compost.
• Pet waste: This material may contain diseases that could be passed on to humans.
• Colored newsprint or paper: Even shredded, these materials may contain chemicals.

Compost works wonders in the garden because it improves the soil, which in turn will support healthier and more productive plants. Compost provides important nutrients that plants need to grow, and improves soil structure so that the soil holds enough air and water to support the plants and animals living in it. Healthy plants are more equipped to fight disease, which helps eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. As an added environmental benefit, composting reduces the amount of solid waste that would otherwise find its way to the garbage can. So do the environment and your taste buds a favor this year – start a compost pile and grow some food!

A Little Off the Top

2011-04-19T09:55:00.010-04:00

On cold spring mornings summer can seem like it's years away, but farmers know differently. Before long, buds will be bursting and we'll be in the midst of the New England growing season. If the upcoming berry seasons are going to be fruitful now is the time for prep work, and during the early spring our farmers have been helping the blueberries prepare for the coming harvest season with a little haircut.

How does pruning help the plant prodcue more berries? Blueberry fruit develops on woody canes produced in the previous season (one-year-old wood), and the fruiting wood will produce flower buds during the late summer. By pruning older or diseased canes and thinning the plant so that only the strongest canes remain, farmers and can help the plant concentrate its energy into producing the best tasting fruit. But there is an art form to successfully pruning a blueberry bush. When plants are pruned too lightly, they become dense with weak, twiggy growth. These plants will fail to develop strong new wood for future fruit production and will produce small fruit. But if the blueberry bushes are pruned too heavily, they will not be able to produce enough energy to grow strong new canes and create new blossoms.

Pruning blueberries is an important part of our annual spring work to keep our crops healthy and help the bushes produce larger amounts of good quality fruit. Once the blueberry plants are mature, this means pruning the bushes every year using loppers and hand pruners. With 15 acres of blueberries at Jones Family Farms, pruning has become a major spring project for our farmers. With the completion of blueberry pruning for this year, we've created several towering piles of old blueberry canes!

It's Time to Bottle Wine

2011-04-01T08:52:00.011-04:00

The Tasting Room is open for the 2011 season and brimming with wine! Throughout the winter our winemakers, Jamie Jones and Larry McCulloch, have been hard at work creating distinctive wines from the 2010 grape harvest.

All of our wines are made on the farm at the Jones Winery, in a renovated army building that was once part of the Nike Missile Project in the 1950's. Earlier this week we began bottling our 2010 vintage with Pinot Gris and Stonewall Chardonnay, and both wines are already available for sampling in the Tasting Room.

Our winemakers can bottle several hundred cases of wine in just one day using a bottling machine. Cases of bottles are loaded onto a conveyer belt, and one by one the bottles are pulled into a line. The machine cleans and sterilizes the bottles, fills them with wine, corks the top, presses the foil into a seal covering the cork, and wraps a label onto each bottle. We then load the bottles into boxes and transport them down the farm roads to our winery. So the bottle of wine that you purchase in the Tasting Room has traveled less than 1 mile from barrel to shelf!

Let the Planting Season Begin!

2011-03-28T10:42:00.008-04:00

After a long winter the farm is coming to life as a new season of planting begins. With 200 acres of land dedicated to growing Christmas trees, our farmers need to work quickly to plant all of our baby trees in March and April!

At Jones Family Farms we grow six varieties of Christmas trees from all over the country. Some of these tree varieties come to our farm as seeds while others arrive as small seedlings from nurseries. Many of these trees travel from different areas of the country, including Colorado, North Carolina, Vermont, and even New Mexico. Seeds and seedlings are planted in our tree nurseries, where the young trees gather nutrients from the soil to grow healthy and strong. Cover crops like winter rye help us to renew these soil nutrients and prevent erosion in the nurseries.

After a tree spends one to three years in the nursery (and is about 1 foot tall), our farmers will transplant it into one of our fields in place of a tree that was cut the previous Christmas. Every newly transplanted tree receives a ring of compost from our "Mulch Montain" to add extra nutrients to the soil and hold in moisture.

Our farmers will take care of these young trees for many years, protecting them from drought, disease, and hungry insects. Trees grow about one foot per year, so the Christmas trees you harvest in December are typically 8 to 12 years old!

Pumpkin Season is Here!

2010-09-22T08:30:00.007-04:00

With crisp nights and cool days, the pumpkins area ready for harvest! Visit the farm September 25th and 26th for our Pumpkin Preview Weekend at Pumpkinseed Hill, featuring hayrides, a corn maze, and over 50 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds. The Harvest Yard features specialty varieties like pink pigs and speckled swans picked by our farmers. Or take a walk to one of our fields and harvest a pumpkin straight from the vine.

From 12-4 pm all weekend, we will also be celebrating local winners of Connecticut Magazine’s “Best of CT 2010.” Liquid Lunch (Best Connecticut Soup), Stockbridge’s Cheesecake (Best Connecticut Cheesecake), and Jones Winery (Best Connecticut Wine) will be in the courtyard outside the Jones Winery for tastes of their delicious products. Meet our winemaker, Larry McCulloch, as he takes farm guests on a guided tour through the demonstration vineyard. Or sample some of Stone Gardens’ vegetables at the height of the Connecticut harvest. Visit the farm events page for details. We look forward to seeing everyone this weekend for the kickoff of pumpkin season!

A Field of White Flowers

2010-08-18T10:15:00.007-04:00

The buckwheat flowers are blossoming! Besides offering a beautiful view, cover crops play a huge role in sustainably managing our land. Buckwheat has been used to help control weeds and build soil health on New England farms for over 400 years!

Cover crops are used in crop rotations to limit soil erosion and slow the runoff of water during heavy rains. They also naturally help suppress weeds while reducing insect pests and diseases in the fields. If our farmers planted the same crop repeatedly on any piece of land, the plants would quickly become a prime target for their specific pests and diseases. By rotating families of plants over the course of several seasons, farmers limit this problem by changing the habitat. A Colorado potato beetle might devour potatoes, tomatoes, or eggplants, but it fees less at home in a field of buckwheat. Diversity strengthens communities in nature and the agricultural fields!

Buckwheat can also act as a “green manure” when the plants are tilled into the soil. The organic matter found in these plants is quickly broken down by earthworms and microorganisms to help build the soil. The plant’s root system also opens up passageways that help air and water move through the soil. At Jones Family Farms, we plant and till buckwheat into pumpkin fields, tree nurseries, and even our Harvest Kitchen garden.

Not only does buckwheat improve the soil, it also offers food and shelter for beneficial insects. Visit any of our buckwheat fields in the early morning and the air vibrates with the sounds of bees, flies, and beetles moving over the little white flowers. The leaves create a home for beneficial insects as they search for pest insects in the fields, while buckwheat flowers provide pollen and nectar for important pollinators. And without pollinators such as honeybees and native bees, we wouldn’t be able to harvest strawberries, blueberries, or pumpkins on the farm. Those buckwheat fields truly keep our farm growing through the seasons.

Farmer Shannon

Cultivate a Taste for the Blues

2010-07-23T16:45:00.005-04:00

The dog days of summer are here and the blueberries continue to ripen across our 15 acres of blueberry fields. At Jones Farm we grow five varieties of highbush blueberries that ripen at different stages of the blueberry season, so there are always berries to pick until the very end.

How did we get all of these varieties? During the early 20th century, a horticulturalist named Elizabeth White domesticated the wild blueberry that grew in her home state of New Jersey. In 1911, White teamed up with botanist Frederick Coville joined forces and by 1916 they had developed 68,000 hybrids! They chose six of the plants they considered best for commercial production, and the modern highbush blueberry was born. At Jones’ we grow Patriot, Bluejay, Blueray, Bluecrop, and Coville.

This summer’s heat waves have caused the berries to ripen earlier than usual, and their flavor is incredible. Check out the Harvest Kitchen’s recipe guide for ideas about blueberry care, freezing, and fresh new recipes.

In addition to blueberry harvesting, pumpkin weeding, and Christmas tree pruning, the Jones farmers are working hard to prepare for a huge event at the beginning of August. Jones Family Farms will be hosting the 50th meeting of the CT Christmas Tree Grower’s Association at our Homestead Farm. The fourth generation of the family, Philip Jones, served as the association’s first president, and after fifty years the annual meeting is returning to its original site.

Philip will be honored at this year’s event, and he has been named Honorary Chairman for this historic meeting. Tree growers from all over New England will spend several days touring the farm, speaking with scientists from the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, and enjoying our beautiful corner of Connecticut. We’re looking forward to a fun and busy weekend!

See you in the fields!

Farmer Shannon

(Top photograph courtesy of Farmer Katrina)

Harvest Kitching Cooking Studio Announces 2010 Schedule

2010-04-06T16:26:00.005-04:00

Last year The Harvest Kitchen debuted here at Jones Family Farms. Cooking classes taught with a focus on healthy and local eating were shared with guests as they got hands-on experience, often taking the vegetables directly from the garden straight into the kitchen!

2010 promises to bring even more fun and education to your kitchen table.

You can visit the Harvest Kitchen webpage and download a PDF of the entire class schedule. But some examples of what is being offered this year are as follows:

Bread Basics
Homemade bread is the best way to warm the kitchen and nourish your family. Learn simple ways to incorporate bread baking into your weekly schedule and enjoy whole grains every day.
Menu: Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, Crusty No-Knead Bread, Elegant Baguette, and Versatile Flatbread

Healthy Kitchen Seminar Series
Join our farm nutritionist and favorite home cook, Jean Crum Jones, for a four-week seminar series on healthy eating. Learn how to transform your kitchen into a more enjoyable, delicious, and nourishing environment. Classes will include a cooking demonstration, discussion, and food tastings.

A Fresh Take on Spring
Use herbs to add fresh flavor and excitement to your meals, year-round.
Menu: Bruschetta, Hand-rolled Gnocchi with Assorted Pestos, Herb Frittata, Black Bean Cakes with Spicy Cilantro, and Rosemary Polenta

Splendid Strawberries
Use fresh strawberries as the basis for a unique, delicious summer meal!
Menu: Flatbread with Balsamic Strawberry Sauce, Strawberry and Spinach salad, Duck with Strawberry Sauce and Creamy Polenta, Strawberry shortcake cookies, Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.

We hope to see you at the Kitchen!

Easter Sunrise Service 2010 Info

2010-03-25T17:36:00.002-04:00

Sun, 04/04/2010 - 6:30am - 7:15am

Watch the sunrise from the top of the farm's hill during the annual ecumenical Easter Sunrise service. It's a beautiful and peaceful way to begin your Easter celebration. Several pastors from Shelton's church community lead different parts of the service.

After you park at the main parking lot at our Homestead Farm, you can walk up to the hilltop. Remember to dress warmly because it is often breezy - but exhilerating!

Some Winter Work

2010-03-05T16:31:00.004-05:00

While during the winter we don't invite the public to come share in our crops, the farm never truly sleeps.

This winter we have a lot of projects keeping us busy and one of the big projects is tree management.

Yes, we have to tend to our 200 acres of Christmas trees, but all the other natural trees on our property need that as well.

Here's a short video of some big work we've been doing here including taking down some cedar trees to make room for a new Christmas tree nursery as well as taking down our big beautiful maple tree in the valley that had become very ill.

What kind of yard work are you all doing this winter?

Ask Farmer Jones

2010-02-22T08:50:00.000-05:00

How many Christmas trees do you have? Where do all those pumpkins grow? How long has the family been living in Shelton? What's the recipe for those chocolate-chip cranberry cookies at Christmas time? Who does the designs for the wine labels?

Questions we get all the time. But, what about YOU? Do you have a question you'd like Farmer Jones to answer? Well, now's your time to ask!

As the farm prepares to SPRING into action, Farmer Jones will take some time out, from time to time, to answer YOUR questions right here on the Jones Farmer Blog!

So, ask away! You can email your questions to AskFarmerJones@jonesfamilyfarms.com and then keep checking back here at the blog to see when Farmer Jones submits his answers!

Note that only questions for the Farmer Jones blog will be answered. This email is not for contacting the farm.

Enjoy Spring!

-Farmer Keith

SANTA AND FRIENDS TO VISIT JONES FAMILY FARMS DEC 19 & 20

2009-12-17T09:25:00.002-05:00

The farmers at Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT have been in touch with some of the elves at the North Pole and the jolly old elf has cleared his schedule to come visit with all his friends from 10am to 4pm on Saturday December 19th and Sunday December 20st.

Santa’s Annual Family Weekend at the farm will include time for kids of all ages to spend time with Santa and have their traditional pictures taken with St. Nick. A special performance from the Christmas show at CenterStage Theater in Shelton will take place at 12pm on Saturday. Also, each day will have carol sing-a-longs, Frosty’s Christmas Parade, crafts for the kids and more.

Jones Family Farms would appreciate anyone who could bring a canned food or non-perishable food item to the farm that weekend. The farm will bring the food to the Valley Food Bank after the weekend is over.

Jones will also be open for harvest-your-own and pre-cut trees, wreaths, garland, tree stands, pine cones, kissing balls and other traditional Christmas décor. Guests will find unique gifts in the Holiday Gatherings gift shop and be able to purchase and sample some of Jones Winery’s award-winning wines, including the special Holiday Labeled bottles.

Jones Family Farms is open daily through Christmas Eve, 9:00am – 5:30pm (4pm close on the 24th). Directions and more information about Jones Family Farms can be found by visiting their website and/or Facebook Page at www.JonesFamilyFarms.com or by calling Farmer Jones’ crop report number (203) 929-8425.

Keith Bishop Bales Trees

2009-12-09T14:43:00.002-05:00

Here this past Monday to pay off his friendly Facebook Battle loss, Keith Bishop is shown how to bale trees by Jamie Jones. Check out all the fun on www.facebook.com/JonesFamilyFarms

Some New Christmas Music

2009-11-23T16:16:00.002-05:00

Hello gang! Jones Family Farms & Winery's own David Oxford has a new Christmas CD out for this holiday season! It's a great CD full of classics and you can listen to "A Smooth Jazzy Jivin' Ebony Ivory Christmas" here and find it online and at the Holiday Gatherings gift shop for purchase soon!

New Website Launched!

2009-11-21T09:00:00.003-05:00

It's finally here. After months and months of work, the new and improved JonesFamilyFarms.com has launched, just in time for Christmas season!

The harvest your own tree fields and the Holiday Gatherings gift shop open today, November 21st and the pre-cut trees will be coming into the Barnyard next week. Wreathes are here for you in our Fireplace Barn and the Winery is open and has the new Holiday Labels for sale.

So, check out our new website and let us know what you think, then come on up and visit us for your traditional Christmas needs. We're open every day from 9am - 5:30pm (closed on Thanksgiving).

JONES FAMILY FARMS ON FOOD NETWORK WED NIGHT – FACEBOOK CHALLENGE

2009-11-10T11:59:00.003-05:00

Just a reminder that Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT will be seen this Wednesday (Nov 11th) at 9PM EST on Throwdown With Bobby Flay on the Food Network. The entire show was filmed on Jones Family Farms this past September.

From the Food Network’s website: “Michele Albano of Michele's pies in Norwalk, CT is taking the traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie to new heights with her newest creation, the decadent Maple Pumpkin with Pecan Streusel Pie. Michele has won many awards for her delicious pies, but she has never had to compete against an Iron Chef. Stay tuned to see whose pie will squash the competition!”

Also, we are just past our halfway mark for the Facebook Challenge between Jones Family Farms and Bishop’s Farm in Guilford. The farms are vying to see who can get the most new Facebook fans between Oct 22nd and Thanksgiving. Both farms have reached their goals of 2500 new fans each and $5000 total will be donated by the farms to The Valley United Way, The Guilford Community Fund and the Working Lands Alliance.

However, bragging rights are still up for grabs! The farmer with less new fans by Thanksgiving will travel to the winning farm and put in a good honest days work during the Christmas season.

The best part of this competition has been the fan interaction on the Facebook pages. People have been recounting favorite memories and family traditions here at the farm and it’s really special to be able to share in all of that. It’s also fun to see the pride people have in our farm, they want us to win. We have a nice Facebook community now and hopefully more people will continue to join before Thanksgiving – bragging rights are always fun!

www.facebook.com/jonesfamilyfarms

UNICEF FESTIVAL INVITES FAMILIES FOR FUN, GAMES AND PLENTY OF PUMPKINS!

2009-10-24T08:41:00.000-04:00

Families dressed in costume are invited to come spend a classic crisp autumn day at Jones Family Farms’ Pumpkinseed Hill for their annual UNICEF Family Festival from 10am – 4pm on Saturday October 24 and Sunday the 25th. Games and crafts for kids will include pumpkin painting and button making. Face painting, beanbag tosses, funny fortunetellers, entertainment and more will be available for families to enjoy. All of this added onto the hayrides, corn maze and of course pumpkin picking makes for a fun adventure – all while benefiting the UNICEF organization.

Celebrating Connecticut’s own P.T. Barnum and the circus, the Jones Family Farms has transformed Pumpkinseed Hill into a circus themed event. Sets remind people of circus animal houses, feature paintings of trained seals and dancing bears, fun photo opportunities abound where you can have your picture in a classic farm setting, as a box of Animal Crackers, as Barnum’s Swedish Nightingale – Jenny Lind or Tom Thumb and even riding an elephant!

Entertainment will take place on the Barnum Sideshow Stage throughout the weekend. Led by the Jones Family Farm Ringmaster both days will feature fun farm kid shows and characters in costumes. Saturday performances will include champion pumpkin carver Bob Bonazzo, magician Bryan Lizotte, musician Mike “The Muffin Man” Binck, and Sunday spotlights the return of performers from Center Stage Theater in Shelton. Gina Scarpa, director at Center Stage, said: "Center Stage is thrilled to be back performing at Jones Family Farms for the second year in a row. The Jones Family have always been incredible supporters of Center Stage and we are happy to be able to be able to give back and perform for the UNICEF festival!"

What about the pumpkins? Well, thanks to innovative growing methods, Jones Family Farm is full of them! The farm grows over 50 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds on their farm. While many farms have had lesser crops than usual, or bring in crops from other areas – the Joneses are happy to report that all their pumpkins are grown right on the property and they have a big beautiful supply for everyone. Take a hayride out to pick one out of the fields or pick your beauty from the main sales yard. Select some great squash varieties for cooking your autumn meals out of the Jones Family Farms Express Circus Train filled with squash such as; buttercup, ambercup, delicatta, acorn and more.

Do you have a circus strong man in the family? The All-You-Can-Carry pumpkin special will be in full gear for UNICEF weekend. Help load up the arms of a member of your family and all the pumpkins they can carry across the finish line will only total $29! “The all-you-can-carry is a great way for guests to share the harvest with folks who may be homebound and help the UNICEF mission” said farmer Terry Jones.

Since 1985, the Jones Family has invited families to come enjoy their autumn harvest and have fun at the festival all while helping UNICEF. With the help of the community the farm has been able to donate well over $85.000 to UNICEF over the years and hopes people will come help do it again.

Jones Family Farms, where memories are ALWAYS in season, is located in Shelton, Connecticut, off Route 110 - 5 miles North of Shelton Center and 2 miles south of the junction of Route 110 and 111 in Monroe. For more hours, directions and other information call the Farmer Jones crop-info line – (203) 929-8425 or visit the Jones website and blog at: JonesFamilyFarms.com. You can also follow Jones Family Farms on Facebook and Twitter.

FACEBOOK CHALLENGE - BISHOP’S ORCHARDS VS JONES FAMILY FARMS FOR CHARITY

2009-10-22T09:41:00.001-04:00

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARM – ON LINE!
BISHOP’S ORCHARDS VS JONES FAMILY FARMS FOR CHARITY

Farmers spend their entire lives cultivating - apples, vegetables, Christmas trees, pumpkins, squash, pears, and these days – Facebook fans. Two popular Connecticut farms are curious as to who can grow the largest crop of Facebook fans by this Thanksgiving.

Keith Bishop of Bishop’s Orchards (www.facebook.com/bishopsorchardsfarmmarket) in Guilford and Jamie Jones of Jones Family Farms and Winery (www.facebook.com/jonesfamilyfarms) in Shelton are willing to put some charitable money where their mouths are that they can find the most fans. Both farms have fan bases of over 1000 fans already on Facebook and are looking to make those numbers grow.

For every fan that joins their respective Facebook pages between Thursday October 22nd and 8:00am on Friday November 27th (day after Thanksgiving) the two farms have dedicated themselves to donate $1 each (up to a maximum of 5000 fans total between the two farms) to charities of their choosing. Those are the numbers the contest will start at. The friendly battle doesn’t end there however. The second place owner will travel to the winning farm and put in a good honest days work during the Christmas season. As of 8:00 AM on Thursday October 22nd, Jones Family Farms had a total of 1119 fans and Bishop’s Orchards had 1437 fans, those numbers are the start point for the contest.

Bishop’s Orchards will be donating to the Guilford Community Fund, while Jones Family Farms has selected to donate to the Valley United Way. Both farms will also donate a portion of the funds to the Working Land’s Alliance.

The Working Lands Alliance is a CT project of American Farmland Trust. Founded in 1980, American Farmland Trust has helped win permanent protection for over a million acres of American farmland. AFT's hard work and sound strategies unite farmers, environmentalists and policymakers.
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Working-Lands-Alliance/126225149625)

The Valley United Way's (www.valleyunitedway.org) mission is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of our community. Valley United Way will measurably improve the lives of people in our community through: Philanthropy, volunteerism and collaboration – Working with others to build coalitions that leverage resources to address identified community priorities.

The Guilford Community Fund (guilfordcommunityfund.org) exists to assist the Guilford community by providing a single entity through which donors can make contributions to support those non-profit organizations best qualified to serve Guilford residents in need. The GCF serves 20 non-profit service agencies and organizations. These organizations provide vital services to Guilford and its residents of all ages from babies to senior citizens.

Fans have been flocking to local farms for years and as the world of technology grows, farms and farmers grow right along with it. The use of Facebook for local farms is a great way to get word out to people who truly want to know what’s going on. Whether Jones Family Farms asking fans to post photos of their visits to the pumpkin patch or Bishop’s Orchards spreading the news of their green initiatives, the use of Facebook to talk to their consumers is a priceless tool. Word-of-mouth advertising helps farms thrive and social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow the spreading of the word even further. So login to Facebook and show your support for your favorite farm and in the process help out some worthy causes.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

2009-10-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

PUMPKINS, SQUASH, THE CIRCUS AND EVENTS ABOUND FOR 2009 FALL SEASON

2009-09-22T09:55:00.002-04:00

PUMPKINS, SQUASH, THE CIRCUS AND EVENTS ABOUND FOR 2009 FALL SEASON

The leaves are turning, and so are the minds of families in New England - turning to autumn fun. Jones Family Farms invites families to return to Pumpkinseed Hill and enjoy the beautiful season with the farmers. Opening for a preview weekend on September 26th, Jones Family Farms will offer up a fall harvest of over 50 varieties of squash, pumpkins, gourds and other classic autumn goodies. Hayrides for the entire family run daily. On weekends the family corn maze is open.

Recent stories have depicted the difficult time New England farmers have been having with their pumpkin harvests this year, however the Jones farm is feeling good about their harvest. “We’re very fortunate that despite all the rain this summer, our crop looks great! We’ll have plenty of pumpkins, squash and gourds for our guests and of course they are all grown right here on the farm” exclaimed Terry Jones, fifth generation farmer at Jones Family Farms.

This year Jones Family Farms will be featuring Connecticut’s own P.T. Barnum and the circus as their annual theme. The man who brought The Greatest Show on Earth to life will be celebrated by Jones Family Farm with a sideshow stage, a circus train full of squash, various circus-themed photo opportunities, information about the man who called Bridgeport home and so much more.

As is tradition, the Joneses will host their annual UNICEF Family Festival the weekend before Halloween. For over 20 years families have been invited to come in costume and enjoy the all-you-can-carry pumpkin special, kids games, crafts and entertainment. This year the festival falls on Saturday October 24th and Sunday October 25th and features entertainment from groups including CenterStage in Shelton and local magician Bryan Lizotte. The festival directly benefits the UNICEF organization.

Earlier in the season, Jones Family Farms will host two events that are unique to the area.

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) will be conducting a “Fiddle Faddle” event at Jones Family Farms’ historic dairy barn on Saturday, September 26th at 12pm and again at 2pm. The one-hour shows are a part of the NHSO’s Family Concert Series. Fiddling and singing duo, Paula Bradley and Bill Dillof of Moonshine Holler, will take guests on a journey of American fiddling traditions both old and new, accompanied by NHSO bassist Jim Andrews. Children will sing, dance and clap their way through this fun filled experience. Ending with NHSO Assistant Concertmaster Artemis Simerson displaying the astounding beauty of the modern violin, it will truly be a program to remember for young and old. Ticket and other information can be found at newhavensymphony.org or by calling 203-865-0831.

That same weekend, biking their way through local farms, will be the Naugatuck Valley Tour des Farms bike ride. The “Tour” will begin at Jones Family Farms at 9:00AM on September 26th. Riders will have the option of a 10-mile route, a 30-mile route or a metric century (62 miles) route. Stops will be at vegetable farms, orchards, farm stands, nurseries and ends up back at the Jones Winery. For registration, pricing and other information visit active.com or call 1-800-805-8313 ext 3.

For information on Jones Family Farms visit www.JonesFamilyFarms.com or call 203-929-8425. You can also find Jones Family Farms on Twitter and Facebook.

Blueberries Still Rolling Along

2009-08-21T09:16:00.005-04:00

Our Valley Farm is still loaded with an unprecedented late season blueberry harvest.

Rain, heat and berry supply may lead to days where we change the hours, or close - so be sure you have our Farmer Jones Crop Report number which is updated daily with picking information. It's even updated during the day if something changes.

Always call before you leave the house. 203-929-8425

See you in the Valley!

-Farmer Keith

Blueberry Box Special is Back!

2009-08-13T10:33:00.002-04:00

It's been a few years, but the Blueberry Box Special has returned to Jones Family Farms!

For the rest of the blueberry season (call 203-929-8425 for details) fill all the berries you can into one of Jones Family Farms' blueberry boxes for only $24.90!! The more you pick, the more you save!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter now too.

See you in the fields.

Berry Good News From Jones Family Farms

2009-07-14T08:37:00.003-04:00

The strawberry fields are nearly empty at Jones Family Farms in Shelton, but the bushes of blue are full! Blueberry season has come immediately on the heels of strawberry season at the farm.

“The unusual of weather of June kept the strawberries fresh much longer than usual this year” said Terry Jones, fifth generation farmer. “All the rain and cooler temperatures really kept the strawberries red and ripe. Now the blueberries are ready to go. It’s quite fun to see the different fields peppered with reds and blues at the same time.”

Celebrating the reds and blues of the summer crops, as well as the colors of American independence, Jones Family Farms recently hosted its first Red, White and Blue Festival on July 3rd to help benefit the ACT Spooner House of Shelton. Shannon Murray, Education Manager for the farm said; “We didn’t know what to expect, but our courtyard and the winery tasting room were filled will visitors all day long. The kids seemed to love all of our activities and the crowds really responded to the performances from Fran Scarpa and the Youth CONNection as well as our own Jones Farmer Band.”

Jones Family Farms was ecstatic to see guests bringing bag loads of canned food items to donate to the Valley Food Bank. The farm also reports that through the special activities and wine tastings that they were able to donate $2000 to the ACT Spooner House Charity.

Blueberries pickers are invited to harvest their own at the farm through mid/late August. The farm is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00am till 5:30pm, they are closed on Sundays and Mondays. The Jones Winery Tasting room is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am till 5:00pm.

Jones Family Farms is located in Shelton, Connecticut, off Route 110 - 5 miles North of Shelton Center and 2 miles south of the junction of Route 110 and 111 in Monroe. For more information, including daily picking locations and directions call the Farmer Jones hotline (203) 929-8425 or visit the Jones website and blog at: JonesFamilyFarms.com. For information on ACT/Spooner House visit http://www.act-spooner.org/

Sights from the Festival

2009-07-05T10:01:00.002-04:00

Click the photo to see it enlarged!

Jones Band ROCKS The Red, White and Blue Festival

2009-07-04T08:51:00.002-04:00

CELEBRATE AMERICA AND THE CROPS OF SUMMER WHILING SUPPORTING THE SPOONER HOUSE CHARITY ON JULY 3RD

2009-06-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

On Friday July 3rd, Jones Family Farms will be hosting their first annual Red, White and Blue Festival. Guests are invited to the farms’ Homestead Courtyard to celebrate the colors of America as well as the berries of summer with an olde-fashioned ice-cream social, to benefit the ACT Spooner House / Valley Food Bank of Shelton.

Red strawberries, blueberries and ice cream will be on display for visitors to the farm. The farm’s harvest-your-own fields will be open for pickers and the courtyard will feature Red White and Blue ice-cream sundaes, games and crafts for children, special wine tastings at the Jones Winery, local entertainment, a lemonade stand, a mini farmer’s market, cooking demos from the farm’s Harvest Kitchen, information booths from many local organizations that focus on agriculture and family fun, and more.

“We’ve always loved how families would come out and enjoy our UNICEF Festival for kids in the autumn and we’re hoping we can offer up another fun family event to the community in the summer” said Keith Padin, Director of Marketing for Jones Family Farms. “When we have the ability to have some fun and give back to such a great organization as Spooner House at the same time, it’s a win-win situation.”

The Connecticut Agriculture Experimentation Station, Webb Mountain Discovery Zone, Shelton Land Conservation Trust, Center Stage Theater / Youth CONNection, Shelton History Center, and more will be on hand to discuss their summer offerings to guests at the festival. Fran Scarpa, owner and director of CenterStage and the Youth CONNection will be providing entertainment at the event and commented; “We’re so happy to be able to participate with the Joneses in this endeavor to benefit the Spooner House charity. Jones Family Farms and Spooner House are treasures in our community.”

Summer time is a traditionally difficult time for food banks and this festival hopes to help reverse that. The Jones family and Spooner House encourage everyone attending to bring non-perishable food items to help restock the nearly empty shelves at the ACT Valley Food Bank. For a list of suggested items please call 203-225-0453 or visit www.act-spooner.org

ACT Spooner House / Valley Food Bank provides food, shelter and support services to people in need in the Lower Valley. They are devoted to helping clients establish a self-sufficient living situation. Spooner House recognizes the dignity of their clients; giving them respect and delivering services without proselytizing.

Jones Family Farms welcomes guests to harvest their own berries that day from 8:00am till 5:30pm and the Red, White and Blue Festival will run from 10:00am till 4:00pm. Call the Farmer Jones Hotline at (203) 929-8425 for daily picking locations and hours. For directions and more information visit JonesFamilyFarms.com.

STRAWBERRIES THRIVE DESPITE THE RAIN

2009-06-26T08:23:00.001-04:00

There’s rain in the forecast! Thankfully, farms in the area have learned from history and take measures to deal with the all the moisture. Tom Rathier, scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Valley Lab in Windsor says: “Many Connecticut farmers have used Yankee ingenuity to develop horticultural methods that overcome weather extremities, such as excess rain. Strawberries on raised beds are a perfect example.”

One such example are the farmers at Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT who use an innovative style of planting strawberry fields on high raised beds of soil. This is a perfect antidote to the deluge of rain that the state has seen this month. “I can’t remember any season containing this much rain in recent memory”, states Jamie Jones, sixth generation farmer of Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT.

Added Jones; “Because of the raised elevation of the beds, all this water is shed away from the plants and their precious berries. The natural straw mulch that is used to protect the berries also acts as a wonderful cushion for guests who come to harvest their own berries and keep them out of the wet soil. The farm has graded fields that allows for the rainwater to quickly flow away.”

Gil Simmons, Meteorologist from News Channel 8 WTNH in New Haven, talked about the rain in the area; “We have had quite a soggy June. After yesterday's record rain, we are around two to three inches above normal for June to date.”

Of course, rain is not all bad for the berries; the added moisture helps a lot too. Terry Jones, fifth generation farmer, states: “The berries are beautiful and oh so juicy and packed with nutrition. You can’t help but say YUM when you bite into one of these berries. This could be one of the best crops of berries we’ve had in a long time.”

Commissioner F. Philip Prelli from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture urges local residents to head out to a farm and enjoy; “It’s a great time to go out and pick your own Connecticut strawberries. There are plenty for all to enjoy despite the rain.”

Jones Family Farms welcomes guests to harvest their own berries the month of June and into early July. Call the Farmer Jones Hotline at (203) 929-8425 for daily picking locations and hours. For directions and more information visit JonesFamilyFarms.com. For more news visit the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at www.ct.gov/caes or the CT Department of Agriculture website at www.ct.gov/DOAG.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-26T08:32:00.008-04:00

Hello gang!

We had a blast 'marching' along the Shelton/Derby Memorial Day parade route yesterday! We got to see a lot of old friends and hopefully we made some new ones!

Did you see us? Are you enjoying your Strawberry information or your Jones Family Farms summer reading bookmark? We sure hope so.

Some popular questions we heard all morning were:

"When are the strawberries ready?"
- As with everything on a farm, the weather plays a big part in that answer. Usually we could find some pick-able berries the 2nd or 3rd week of June. Sometimes it's been earlier, sometimes it's been later. We won't know until the berries show up. Keep checking our website and the Farmer Jones Hotline (203-929-8524) for information as it becomes available to us.

"Wow, where did the new logos on the t-shirts come from?"
Thanks for noticing! Gwyn Jones designed the beautiful new Jones Family Farms logo and we have some other great looking designs coming from Gwyn for each crop!

Where's the wine?
- We thought throwing glass bottles into the crowd might have been a bad idea - come up to the farm for a tasting. :)

Ask Farmer Jones - Farmer Jones Answers!

2009-05-05T08:43:00.007-04:00

It's time for the first installment of Ask Farmer Jones!

We've received some wonderful emails from folks looking for more information on the different events and things going on here at the farm. Let's get to the questions!

Q: Do you have new/used oak large barrels for sale? I would like to use a couple at my wedding.
Thank you.
Sarah

A: Hello Sarah. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We use high quality oak barrels for the wine making and they are very expensive to purchase. We do not sell any, however, try Maltose Express (Maltose.com), they do.

=======================

Q: When do we get to come and pick strawberries?
-Jonas

A: That's a very good question Jonas. Much of a farmer's life is dictated by the weather and the life of a plant, such as a strawberry, is the same. Really hot temperatures, really rainy days, late frosts and more influence when a strawberry plant decides to share its fruit with us. All that being said, check back on our website starting the beginning of June and we'll have a better idea of when you can come join us in the strawberry fields!

=======================

Q: Hello, I have a small group of friends who like to take photos. Is it OK for us to hike on your property for a day?
- Giles

A: Giles, we are happy you think our landscape is so picturesque - we do too! However, when we are closed for the season, we do a lot of work in our fields and cannot allow visitors to hike our private property for safety reasons. There are wonderful state parks in the area, including Indian Well State Park and Osborndale State Park. Also, right around the corner from us on Rt 110 are hiking paths looked over by the Land Conservation Trust. Thanks for writing and happy hiking!

=======================
Q: How does someone register for the Wine Down events at the winery?
- Samantha

A: Hi Samantha, at the present time registrations must be made in person at the Jones Winery Tasting Room during hours of operation.

Thanks to everyone for the questions. Do you have a general question for Farmer Jones? Email us at AskFarmerJones@JonesFamilyFarms.com Note that only questions for the Farmer Jones blog will be answered. This email is not for contacting the farm.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T09:56:00.003-04:00

In celebration, we are re-releasing an Op-Ed piece that Terry Jones wrote five years ago for Earth Day in 2004. Enjoy!

‘A Call to Farms’

Farming is about faith and a sense of optimism. One of our crops is Christmas trees. Two hundred acres of fragrant evergreens thrive on our rocky hillsides and provide opportunities for family harvest adventures each December. We grow our trees from seed. Recently my father Philip, my son Jamie, and I sowed seeds for trees that will be harvested around the year, 2020. Sifting the tiny seeds into the rich soil of our seedbeds, I thought about our faith in tomorrow. When today’s sprouting seeds are ready to harvest, Philip will be 101. And, the high school student workers who are planting with us this spring will be bringing their children to our farm for their Christmas harvest.

This Earth Day, 2004, I want to share with you a farmer’s vision for Connecticut. It is a vision tempered by a lifetime of patiently coaxing trees, vines, and bushes to bear fruit and bring happiness to families that visit our farm and savor what we grow. It is a vision cradled in the tradition of our family’s love for the land. It is time to wake up and begin thinking beyond tomorrow so we leave our children a legacy of opportunities for a green and healthy environment.

Imagine for a moment those special places in Connecticut that make us want to live here. Likely, the fields and forests of our farms are part of your vision. They are a cornucopia. They feed our bodies and they nurture our spirits. And they are vanishing! Nine thousand acres each year grow their final “crops”: asphalt, houses, malls, and office buildings. Yet thousands of urban acres lay fallow – underutilized “brownfields” – waiting opportunities to be recycled into attractive places to live and work.

In 1776 our patriot forbearers saw their basic freedoms threatened. They stepped forward and issued a call to arms! With wisdom and sometimes with their lives and fortunes, they laid down the foundations for our United States of America. I say to you in 2004, we must think beyond tomorrow. If we want our Connecticut landscape to be green, growing food and providing wholesome experiences for our families, we must step forth and issue a Call to Farms! That call must echo across our neighborhoods, through our municipal chambers, and rattle and shake the hallways of our state capitol! Sustaining a diverse and healthy agriculture should be at the heart of our public policy. We need to favor balanced growth so farms can compete with sprawl.

…A Call to Farms! Did you know:
▪ Our Connecticut Department of Agriculture is slated to close on June 30 of this year. This cabinet level agency is ‘the little engine that could.’ For every $1,000 of your state tax dollars spent annually, only 39¢ goes to its operation.

▪ We are investing a few pennies per capita per year for farmland preservation – lowest among the Northeast states. New Jersey invests almost $10.00! Although our legislature has allocated funds for farmland preservation, 18 months have passed since the bond commission has released them! This poor record may cause Connecticut to lose millions of dollars in federal cost sharing for voluntary programs to protect family farms with conservation easements.

▪ ‘Bio-security’ and ‘Homeland Security’ involve protecting our food supply. The food grown by our state’s farmers is a treasure and wise public policy should encourage production and consumption of “Connecticut Grown”. Yale University’s dining hall at Berkley College is using Connecticut Grown farm products and the students are raving about the food!

▪ Connecticut has some of the world’s best agricultural soils. We have sun and water. The rain we all complained about earlier this April would be liquid gold to the farmers and ranchers of the drought stricken West.

▪ Connecticut’s 3,900 farms directly contribute $2 billion to our economy, but their contribution to our environmental quality and economic development is even greater!

▪ Agriculture makes an enormous contribution to tourism, a leading part of Connecticut’s economy. If tourism is to remain strong in Connecticut, we must maintain a landscape of working farms, forests, clean rivers, lakes, and streams, and preserved placed of historic interest. This natural beauty makes our state attractive to visitors and residents alike!

Connecticut farms are not just another industry crying for help, not merely an economic impact statement to tout. Farms are part of our heritage. Like our rivers, lakes, and our shoreline, their fields and forests are integral to our ‘quality of life’.

A Call to Farms! For the sake of our children and grandchildren we must think beyond tomorrow. May we have the wisdom to grow our communities with a balance and diversity that sustains a healthy quality of life, places of beauty, and the vitality of the human spirit. A Call to Farms - let this be our gift to the next generations.

Terry Jones is a fifth generation farmer on his family’s Connecticut farm.

Tree Planting Has Begun

2009-04-09T10:42:00.004-04:00

Along with the Robins and Daffodils a sure sign of Spring is when the farmers at Jones Family Farms start planting the baby Christmas trees among the 400 acres of the farm.

So, how do we 'urge' these trees out of their cozy little nursery? We use a big tractor and a lot of human power!

Winery Opens For Weekends on April 3rd!

2009-04-01T09:10:00.002-04:00

Spring is taking its time arriving in the area; however, Jones Winery in Shelton, CT is ready to welcome the season with open arms – and open doors. Opening a month earlier than tradition, the Jones Winery will be ready for guests on weekends starting Friday April 3rd.

Located in the newly renovated historic dairy barn on Jones Family Farms, the Jones Winery will be offering tastings of their 12 wines on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am till 5pm (closed on Easter Sunday). Guests will be able to taste wines including new vintages such as the brand new Rose, as well as some of the other award winning wines the Jones family produces. “Winning the Best In Show Award at last year’s Big E wine competition was a thrill,” said Jamie Jones, owner and wine-maker. “We have always been proud of the wine we make here, and our ability to use our own grapes and fruit in the wines. To know that our peers feel the same is a great thing.”

Along with the tastings, guests to the Jones Winery will be able to purchase all of the Jones Wines, collectible Jones wine glasses and more. Jones Winery is located at 606 Walnut Tree Hill Road in Shelton and more information can be found at www.JonesFamilyFarms.com.

Virtual Fireside!

2008-12-20T14:12:00.005-05:00

Can't make it out in the weather to the farm for a nice hot cider by our fire? We'll bring the fire to you. Enjoy!

Snow Keeping Santa Away on Sunday

2008-12-20T08:56:00.002-05:00

A little update for everyone: With the next snow/ice storm that's heading for the area on Sunday, Santa has to stay with Mrs. Claus and the elves at the North Pole on Sunday.

Be sure to come out today, Saturday the 20th, for Carol Sing-A-Longs and to spend some time with the Jolly Old Elf!

Santa Is Coming To Town!

2008-12-17T12:01:00.001-05:00

Sunday's Snow Canvas of Jones Family Farms

2008-12-08T10:42:00.010-05:00

This past Sunday, we woke up to a beautiful blanket of snow covering Jones Family Farms. Many guests enjoyed a nice hike through the few inches of white to search for their family Christmas tree. Since they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll let them do the talking. (Click on the images to see larger sizes.)

The Life Of Your Christmas Tree

2008-12-05T12:39:00.019-05:00

We currently feature a photo display in our main yard depicting the life of a typical tree here at Jones Family Farms. I thought it would be worth sharing with you all here in cyberland too. I hope you enjoy!

IN THE NURSERY
Seeds and saplings are planted in our nurseries to start their journey towards becoming a part of your Christmas holiday.
[pictured: Farmer John L]

LEAVING THE NURSERY
After about 4 years, the trees are around 18” tall and strong enough to leave the nursery and head out to the fields.
[pictured: Farmer Bill]

PREPPING THE FIELDS
Crews mark the fields with lime to designate spots for trees and planting holes are drilled into the soil.
[pictured: Farmer Justin]

PLANTING IN THE FIELDS
Every baby tree is planted by hand into its new home in the Christmas tree blocks.
[pictured: Farmer John L]

KEEPING A CLEAR PATH
To keep grass from overrunning the trees in the fields, constant mowing and the planting of special fescue grass is needed.
[pictured: Farmer Terry Jones]

SHAPING THE FUTURE
Trees need to be shaped to have that classic Christmas tree look. All trees in the 200 acres get pruned by hand every year.
[pictured: Farmer Justin]

HELPING TREES GROW-UP STRONG
The trees need our help to stay healthy. Multiple times a year each tree in the 200 acres receives a healthy helping of fertilizer.
[pictured: Farmer Brian]

BRINGING IN THE HARVEST
The harvest crew works hard thru Nov and Dec to find and harvest great trees to bring into the yard for those guests who prefer a pre-cut tree.

FINDING A NEW HOME
Finally the trees are chosen by a family, bailed and secured for their trip to your home, where they hopefully become a part of your traditions.
[pictured: Farmer Hank & Farmer Rob]

A DECADE OF LOVE
After their 4 years in the nursery, trees grow about 1 foot per year out in the fields. So, that 6-8 foot tree you’re bringing home has been tended to by Jones farmers for the past decade.
[pictured: Farmer Terry Jones]

See you soon!
-Farmer Keith

The Season Hath Started!

2008-12-01T11:45:00.007-05:00

Hello again,

Everyone at Jones Family Farms hopes that you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

We've seen a lot of familiar faces returning this season and we're very happy to have seen a lot of new faces here in the 200 acres of Christmas trees. We opened for Christmas season on November 22nd and now that Thanksgiving is past us, we'll remain open every day, 9:00am to 5:30pm, through Christmas Eve.

Have you been here yet this season? Well if not then you haven't seen our newly renovated historic dairy barn. It's the current home base for our traditional Holiday Gatherings gift shop as well as our Jones Winery tasting room and sales area.

The Holiday Gatherings shop has many beautiful displays of hand-made ornaments and holiday crafts, specialty food items, antiques and collectibles, Christmas music, decorating items and much much more. With brand new glass doors and big picture windows, our dairy barn is really a sight to be seen as the lights twinkle from within.

Also included in the dairy barn is our Winery room. We offer wine tastings during the week and some samples during our busy weekends. Make sure you stop in and look for our special holiday themed label on our bottles of Woodlands White.

This past weekend we were visited by a TV crew from WTNH News Channel 8 and had some real fun crowds. Even the hardy folks who made it out this past Sunday during the snow and rain seemed to enjoy themselves.

We look forward to seeing you here soon! Don't forget that Santa is coming the weekend of December 20th!

Til next time,
Farmer Keith

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...

2008-11-17T12:13:00.006-05:00

You know the song.

The pumpkins have been put to bed, Pumpkinseed Hill is empty and now the Historic Barn Yard and the Valley Farm are being prepped for the upcoming Christmas season.

The farmers are very busy now making sure Jones Family Farms is ready for your family's traditional trek into the 200+ acres of Christmas trees to find the centerpiece of your holidays.

The trees have been pruned, the walking paths have new gravel, the photo opportunities are going up, the Holiday Gatherings gift shop is being set up, the wreathes are getting ready, the garland is being made, the firewood is being chopped, the cookies are being baked, the annual pewter ornaments are on their way, and most importantly, our people have been in touch with Santa's people and he's cleared his schedule to visit us the weekend of December 20th!

You may be saying, "Wow, you guys are really ahead of the game." Well, we are actually right on time. We will be open for our guests to come harvest your own early season Christmas tree this weekend, November 22nd!

We can't wait for you and your family to come make a new memory at Jones Family Farms this Christmas season!

Hope to see you soon!
-Farmer Keith

Everyone Had Fun at the 24th UNICEF Festival For Kids

2008-10-27T13:11:00.006-04:00

This past weekend we were visted by many friends of the farms, guests, special visitors and many many happy kids! Here are some fun photos of what was going on at the farm. We had events such as face painting, button making, hula hooping, extreme pumpkin carving, Star 99.9 appearances, performances by the Center Stage Teen Theater Workshop and the Jones Family Farms original "Rock Around The Flock" show featuring the Jones' distant cousin Indiana, Ozzie the Pig, Harriet the Cow and even THE KING! We hope to see everyone next year for our special 25TH Anniversary of the UNICEF Festival and Pumpkinseed Hill!

Take a Virtual Hayride!

2008-10-23T11:37:00.002-04:00

If you couldn't make it this Pumpkin season, or if you want to relive the fun - here is a virtual hayride around our Pumpkinseed Hill farm. Enjoy!

JONES FAMILY FARMS HOSTS 24th ANNUAL KIDS FESTIVAL FOR UNICEF

2008-10-23T11:30:00.005-04:00

Once again Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT will be hosting their Kids’ Festival for UNICEF – a weekend full of farm fun and activities. Saturday October 25th and Sunday October 26th the Jones Family welcomes guests to celebrate their 24th annual event that directly benefits the United Nations Children’s Fund.

This fall’s theme at Jones’ Pumpkinseed Hill farm is “Milk, Missiles, and Mickey Mouse” - a trip back to the 1950s. Familiar music from the era fills the air as visitors dance on the Bandstand Stage, ride the old-fashioned, tractor-drawn, hayride, make their way through the corn maze, visit with farm animals and search for the perfect pumpkins and squashes to take home with them. A history board tells the story of farm life at Jones (then a dairy farm) during the 1950s, including the US Army’s use of some Jones property as a Nike Missile Radar site.

UNICEF also has strong links to the 1950s, having started its Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program in 1950 when kids in Philadelphia collected $17 in decorated milk cartons on Halloween to help kids left vulnerable by World War II. Fifty-eight years later, kids are still collecting for UNICEF on Halloween, adding to UNICEF’s slogan: “Make Halloween count”, by raising over $140 million to help change children’s lives.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to help out again this year,” says farm co-owner Jean Crum Jones. “The Kids’ Festival started our first year we had Pumpkinseed Hill, in 1985, and since then we have been able to donate more that $85,000 to UNICEF from the annual event. Every year we have special events and performances geared towards the children that help attract donations and this year we are excited about what we have planned.”

Admission to the farm is free and everyone is invited to come in costume! Kids who visit Jones Family Farms on the 25th and 26th and who make donations to UNICEF will be able to participate in fun farm and 50s inspired games. Performances over the two days include musical numbers by the CenterStage Teen Theater Workshop, peace crane origami folding lessons with the local group from Peace Pals, and a return visit by Bob Bonazzo, a champion pumpkin carver, who will create a pumpkin masterpiece right in front of the crowds’ eyes.

Guests are invited to come share in all the fun on that weekend (special events take place between 10:00AM and 4:00PM) and to enjoy a day among some of the most picturesque views that the area has to offer. What a great way for families to help give to a worthy cause and to make themselves a new memory.

Jones Family Farms is open daily through October 31st, 10:00am – 5:30pm. Directions and more information about the farm can be found by visiting their website and blog at JonesFamilyFarms.com or by calling the Farms’ crop report number (203) 929-8425.

CORNOCOPIA OF EVENTS START PUMPKIN SEASON AT JONES FAMILY FARMS

2008-09-24T12:40:00.005-04:00

There’s crispness in the air, some color in the trees and the sight of orange peeking out from underneath the pumpkin leaves – it’s time for Pumpkin Season at Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT.

This weekend, September 27th, kicks off the sneak-peek weekend at Jones Family Farms' Pumpkinseed Hill. Guests will be able to get their early pumpkins, squashes, gourds and more. What is a better way to usher in Autumn than a good old-fashioned ride in one of Jones’ hay wagon tractor rides? Get lost in their corn maze and you’ll forget that you’re not standing in a field deep in Iowa somewhere.

When you visit the farm this weekend, you’ll be in good company. On Saturday the 27th, Jones will act as the starting and ending location for the Eastern Connecticut and King’s Mark Resource Conservation and Development Councils’ (RC&Ds) Tour des Farms bike ride. The “tour” will take the bikers on a 24-mile loop of farms in the area to enjoy the scenic views, the fresh local produce and Autumn fun the farms have to offer. If you are interested in joining the tour, you can register online (www.tourdesfarms.org) or at the farm the day of the event.

Along with the “tour”ists on September 27th, the Jones Farm will also play host to the Great Farm Adventure. The adventure is a part of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) “No Child Left Inside” initiative. Families who have registered with the DEP will be visiting Jones to take part in all the farm has to offer.

The Jones family and Jones Family Farms have always been leaders in community involvement and these two events are proof. “We are always happy to do what we can for the community” said Terry Jones, owner and operator of Jones Family Farm, “and when we are able to be a place for families to gather, spend time together and make new memories, we are delighted to be a part of it.”

You can find more information about Jones Family Farms by visiting their website and blog at www.JonesFamilyFarms.com or by calling the Farms’ crop report number (203) 929-8425.

Are You Ready? We're Getting There!

2008-08-29T10:22:00.002-04:00

Virtual Blueberry Berry Ferry Ride

2008-08-21T16:15:00.003-04:00

Were you unable to join us this summer or do you just want to re-live the Berry Ferry Experience? We're here to help! Climb on board our virtual Berry Ferry ride as Jim takes you out to the Valley blueberry fields here at Jones Family Farms! Enjoy!

Picking, Pruning and Pumpkins!

2008-08-19T12:11:00.012-04:00

Hello friends!

OK, it's been a while, but have you seen these blueberries? They need help getting to your kitchens, so that's where I was. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

We've been having a stretch of some VERY beautiful summer days and you can always tell by how far the sunflowers are stretching to the sun. It's like they are trying to reach out and touch those puffy white clouds.

Blueberry season is winding down quickly and it's important that you call the Farmer Jones Crop Report Line at 203-929-8425 to find out which days we are open for retail and for what hours. This is very much the end of the season, but we do still have some berries hanging in there waiting for you.

So, what else is going on around the farm these days? What ISN'T? Did you know that every single one of our Christmas trees gets pruned and shaped by hand, every year, before you come to harvest your own family tree? We wouldn't want them to be all wild looking for you, now would we? That major task is currently in process with a lot of those young folks you've seen working at retail, out in the fields pruning the trees. This process will continue through September, October and November to get everything ready for your traditional visit to Jones at Christmas time.

Hey, what's that hiding under those gigantic green leaves all around the farm these days? PUMPKINS!! October is closer than you realize and we're busy right now, here at Jones, growing our pumpkins, gourds, squashes, and more for you when you visit us at Pumpkin Seed Hill this fall! Hayrides, corn maze, apples, cider, themed photo opportunities and so much more are in store. The entire farm is working hard to get this season ready for you.

And finally, how could we not mention the grapes? Our vineyards are showing off their beautiful grapes now and in a little bit, our farmers will be harvesting our crops of grapes to get ready for new wines coming your way from the wonderful Jones Winery. Have you visited our tasting room yet this summer? If so, you've noticed that our historic dairy barn (was our Holiday gift shop) is currently under major renovations to become an even bigger and better tasting room and gift shop. We hope to have it done by Christmas.

Thanks to all of you that have been reading (we miss you John L!) and sorry I've been AWOL for a while.

See you in the fields!
-Keith

It's Time to Feel Blue

2008-07-08T14:54:00.010-04:00

No - not sad... BLUE as in BLUEBERRY!!

That's right berry fans, the strawberries may be practically finished, but the blueberries are just about ready!

This past weekend we were able to have a special double-header and allowed guests to pick the end of the strawberries and a small early-season section of blueberries.

Be sure you're calling the Farmer Jones Crop Report line at 203-929-8425 to find out when we will be open for blueberry retail. It's coming REAL REAL soon! (Shhh, don't tell anyone I told you - but call later this week!)

We are busy as bees here at the farm. It's never a rest time here. The winery is still in full swing, new vineyards are reaching for the sky, new strawberry fields are being irrigated, the sweet corn is busy growing, the pumpkins have shown their green leaves through the straw, the pruning of the Christmas trees has begun and so much more!

When you come to pick blueberries with us in the (very) near future, be sure to ask about our corn, pumpkins and more. We love to share information with our guests!

So, we hope we'll see you soon in the blueberry fields. Trust me - they are very sweet this year - judging from the samples I've had. Hey, come on, it's market research for the blog! It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

See you soon!
-Keith

Strawberries Winding Down...

2008-06-30T09:32:00.008-04:00

Hello folks!

Yes, it's sad to say, but the strawberry season is winding down. However, we do still have plenty of berries to fill your boxes! Late season berries tend to be smaller and are great for freezing, jam making, or just a great snack!

Be sure to call our Farmer Jones Crop Report Line for information on our picking locations, box special prices, directions, hours of operation and more. You can listen to Farmer Jones' daily updates by calling 203-929-8425.

Many people wonder if we are open during these spot rain showers that we've been experiencing on, what seems like, a daily basis here in the North East. Yes we are! Fog, rain, heat, humidity, etc. - we're here for you.

Of course, we really can't complain about the weather this season. More times than not, we've had beautiful skies above and lovely breezes blowing on by. There's something invigorating about standing in one of our strawberry fields while a warm summer wind blows across the back of your neck and the air is filled with the scent of sweet summer strawberries.

We're only a few weeks away from blueberry season! Mid-July usually ushers in the little round berries of blue. They are busy getting ripe for you and from Mid-July into August we'll be open for blueberry retail. The Farmer Jones crop report will keep you abreast of the blueberry info too!

Finally, what's better than a cool refreshing glass of Harvest Time wine or Strawberry Serenade on a hot summer day? Haven't tried it yet? Head on over to our Historic Main Farm and the Jones Winery tasting room and outdoor tasting tent Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am - 5pm. Even the rainbows point you in the right direction to the Winery.

Enjoy your 4th of July holiday folks! And yes, we're open on the 4th too! 8am - 12pm.

See you all in the fields!
-Keith

Jones' Strawberries on WTNH!

2008-06-24T20:56:00.005-04:00

Gil Simmons from News Channel 8 showed up at our Pumpkin Seed Hill location today and filed this report on tonight's news:

The Berries are Here!!

2008-06-12T11:32:00.006-04:00

That's right folks! This week Jones Family Farms has been open for business!

It's time to gather up the clan and head on over to Jones Family Farms' famous Strawberries Fields.

From the drivers of the ever-popular Berry Ferry rides, to our greeters as you enter the farm, to the friendly faces waiting to show you to your picking row out in the field- our farm family is ready for you every step of the way.

This intense heat that we experienced earlier this week has made a lot of our berries just burst into ripeness. Watching the expressions of the guests in the fields as they sample the fruit - it's obvious that the crop this year is a tasty one!

“Local strawberries are highly appreciated and vanish quickly from the vines. The season usually ends within several days after the 4th of July,” says Terry Jones. The farm opened Monday June 9th. When strawberries are at peak season, which is weather dependent, the farm will open daily at 8 a.m. Customers may enter the fields until 5:30 p.m. On Sundays the strawberry fields will close at noon. As always, the Jones suggest that their guests call the crop information line (203-929-8425) and listen to the Farmer Jones updated report for picking locations and hours of operation before they visit the farm.

A few tips for strawberry pickers:
• Wear comfortable clothing that can keep you cool. Hats, shoes with closed toes and heels, and a bottle of water will help keep you safe and cool while picking in the fields. Also bring your sunscreen and apply liberally.
• Jones provides cardboard containers for the strawberry harvest and printed information on the care of berries as well as recipes.

Berries and Wine!

2008-06-06T10:16:00.003-04:00

The anticipated 90 degree temps this weekend will turn the last of the green on this berry into the brilliant bright red! What does that mean? That means it's STRAWBERRY time!!

Jones Family Farms will be open on Monday morning, June 9th, for Strawberries at 8:00am. Be sure to call the Farmer Jones Crop Report Hotline at 929-8425 for details on hours and what field we'll be at!

Also, have you been to the Winery Tasting room on the historic homestead yard yet? We're open for tastings and wine sales on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am - 5pm.

Here's a video of a brand new batch of our "Harvest Time" wine being bottled.

It's Almost Time!!

2008-06-02T11:33:00.002-04:00

Strawberries are growing and getting ripe!

Strawberry season will begin in mid-June. We hope to open the weekend of June 14th, but we will not know until the week of June 9th. Please continue to the check this website or call the Farmer Jones Crop Report at 203.929.8425 for the latest details.

It's FREEZING!!

2008-05-21T10:08:00.010-04:00

Ok, maybe it's not freezing, but it sure is cold!!

What do these unusually cold nights in May mean to us here at Jones Family Farms?

FROST!!!

Frost is the enemy of our sweet little strawberry and blueberry plants! Not to mention our infant christmas trees too.

If the newly forming flowers and buds were to frost over, we could lose a lot of our fruit for the upcoming harvest-your-own seasons.

So, what can we do to help our babies survive? We freeze them.

Yes, you read that right, we spray water on them from our irrigation/sprinkler systems all throughout the night so that ice will form around the buds.

Farm crew members will stand vigil over the fields all evening to be sure that the sprinkler system continues working properly until the air temperatures reach back into a healthy level for the plants.

The water spraying from the sprinklers falls in a fine mist around the buds and creates a frozen shield around the growing fruit. The freezing keeps the buds warm inside.

Wait! Did I just say that freezing keeps them warm? Yes, yes indeed I did. Ready for some science? Ok, here we go.

When you withdraw thermal energy from a liquid or solid, the temperature falls. When you add heat energy the temperature rises. However, at the transition point between solid and liquid (the melting point), extra energy is required (the heat of fusion). To go from liquid to solid, the molecules of a substance must become more ordered. For them to maintain the order of a solid, extra heat must be withdrawn. In the other direction, to create the disorder from the solid crystal to liquid, extra heat must be added.

What does all that mean? As the water becomes a solid heat must be withdrawn. That's right, heat is needed to make ice. SO, while the buds are freezing the heat of fusion will keep them warm.

Ok, I admit, while spraying yourself with the garden hose on a cold night probably isn't the best idea to keep yourself warm, it sure is working for our plants. Just ask the Jones farmers who have recently been spending long hours watching the ice keep our berries warm!

So, in a few weeks, while you're here picking the strawberries, take a minute to think back to these photos (you can click on the photos to see larger versions) and how several icy nights have helped to make your trip a "fruitful" one.

"Big Read" Kite Fly at Jones Family Farms

2008-04-25T11:18:00.012-04:00

Last weekend 40 fans of flying kites arrived at Jones Family Farms to participate in a community kite fly.

The kite fly was a part of Shelton's participation in The Big Read 2008. According to http://www.neabigread.org/:

"The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest."

Two key cities in southwestern Connecticut, Bridgeport and Shelton, are combining their efforts to create a unique regional approach to The Big Read. The cities are coming together to create a comprehensive program accessible not only to residents to the key cities, but to those in all the neighboring towns.

The area is densely populated and is compact enough to allow ease of travel to all events within a 15-mile radius. This combined effort creates a unified approach and the profound impact of hundreds of thousands reading the same book as one.

Through a public vote, Bridgeport and Shelton have chosen The Joy Luck Club for The Big Read 2008. The novel will serve as a backdrop for the exploration of Chinese culture and heritage.

Events will draw from all aspects of Chinese life—from the literature, to the music, from the food to the language. In addition, The Big Read will develop programming to highlight the experience of immigrants from all areas of the world into the United States. Avid and reluctant readers will be brought into the mix through a variety of activities. There is truly something for everyone.

The people in this area learned to draw dragons, write memoirs, discussed the book, and flew kites among many activities, that are still happening! You can go to http://www.neabigread.org/events.php to see what is still on the way.

Here at Jones we had kites of all sizes and shapes. We had store bought and home made. We had Barbie, a shark, a bi-plane and beautiful hand painted/designed kites that local children put together at the Plumb Memorial Library.

People of many different ages enjoyed the hour or so we all spent at the top of Candy Cane Hill in the beautiful sunlight. Our birch trees even wanted to play along and kept one of the Barbie kites for their own enjoyment.

Till next time,
Be well! - Keith

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-22T09:36:00.010-04:00

Today, April 22nd is Earth Day!

Many communities are celebrating the day with events - be sure to check with your local town's community calendar to see if anything this happening in your neck of the woods.

The U.S. Government's Earth Day webpage is http://www.earthday.gov/ and has great tips on how to contribute to the earth, where to volunteer and more!

In Connecticut you can CLICK HERE to find what the Nutmeg State is doing for Earth Day.

Here on the farm, it's ALWAYS Earth Day to us. Here are some recent photos of the beauty of nature right here at Jones Family Farms! Click the photos to see larger images. Enjoy!

-Keith

Spring Has Sprung!

2008-04-02T12:13:00.014-04:00

Greetings!

Can you believe it's April already? We sure can't, and the time sure flies once those temperatures get out of the 40s.

Many signs of Spring have shown their faces on the farm in recent days. Our friends, the robins, have arrived in full force. The robin tends to be a big sign for many that Spring really is coming. While robins occasionally overwinter in the northern part of the United States and southern Canada, most migrate to winter south of Canada from Florida and the Gulf Coast to central Mexico, as well as along the Pacific Coast. Most depart south by the end of August and begin to return north in February and March (exact dates vary with latitude and climate).

Another popular sign is when the crocus flowers start to pop their heads out of the ground adding some color to our yards. As one of the first flowers to bloom in spring, the large hybridized and selected "Dutch crocus" are popular with gardeners. However, in areas where snow and frost occasionally occur in the early spring it is not uncommon for early-flowering crocuses to suddenly wither and die from an unseasonable frost or snowfall.

How do we, at the Farm, know it's Spring? Easy. There's a ton of work to do! Just this week I've been able to capture different crews at work in various locations over the 400 acres.

Up at Pumpkin Seed Hill - Will and a crew have been marking fields for Christmas tree planting. The crew will go to a field marked for Christmas trees and using a rope line will mark off the first row of trees. Every few feet a crew member will drop a cup of limestone powder on the ground marking where the trees will be planted. Row after row this continues until the entire field is marked. Soon we will be bringing our Christmas 'babies' to this field and introduce them to their new home.

Over amongst the growing Christmas trees you can find John L and Justin doing some corrective pruning to the trees. They will walk amongst the trees looking for odd off-shoots of branches, dead limbs, and other areas where they can use their pruners to help the Christmas trees to look their best.

Walking through another field of trees you can spot Brian and some crew in their bright orange backpacks. No, they aren't off on a nice nature hike, those backpacks are used to dispense fertilizer into a cup that then has to be spread on the ground around each tree. When you're farming 200 acres of Christmas trees, you can imagine the amount of hiking these guys do!

Over on the hillside facing our Harvest Kitchen I ran into Terry who was busy spreading grass seeds among the Christmas trees. Now, this isn't just your average grass seed, no sir. Terry has selected Aurora Gold II Hard Fescue grass!

You may ask WHY Aurora Gold II Hard Fescue? Good question! This grass is a special hybrid referred to as a 'dwarf' grass. It is selected because the roots will not compete with the Christmas trees and it doesn't grow to tall lengths. Maintenance, such as mowing, isn't as necessarily with this type of grass and among all those Christmas trees that's a great thing.

The process of getting these seeds in the grounds now is called frost cracking and is done as soon as the ground gets soft to get a nice head start on the growing season.

So, all this sounds like a lot of work now doesn't it? I haven't even mentioned the Vineyards yet, but that's a story for another day.

Keep warm, turn on some Spring baseball and enjoy the sun!

Till next time,
Cheers!

-Keith

[remember you can click on the photos to view larger versions.]

Time to Wake Up the Strawberries!

2008-03-28T09:58:00.008-04:00

Hello again friends!

Many people don't even think about strawberries until the warm sun of June starts to toast their bare shoulders, however, at the Jones Family Farms, we can assure you that strawberries are thought about with our sweatshirts, jackets, gloves and ski caps on!

Starting in late November, Terry and the crew lays a bed of hay (grown here at the farm) over all the strawberry fields in both our Valley Farm and up on Pumpkin Seed Hill. Terry can always be heard saying "There are two crops for strawberries, the berry crop themselves, and our hay crop."

The hay serves as a nice warm blanket for the berry bushes during the winter. Strawberries are perennials which means that they will flower year after year for the life of the plant. Now, you're probably reading this and thinking to yourself; "Wait a minute, did he say flower?" Why yes, I did. Not many people know this but the strawberry is not a fruit at all, technically speaking, but a flower part! The true fruits of the strawberry plants are what look to be the seeds on the surface of the berry. Each tiny "achene", as they are called, is an individual fruit containing a single seed.

Once late March rolls around, this hay needs to be removed. The hay is carefully removed and placed between the rows of plants, where it forms the comfortable cushion for all you pickers out there to kneel on at harvest time.

How is this done you ask? We use a large tractor with a special type of mower on the back. This mower very gently removes the layer of hay from the top of the berries and spreads the hay out in either direction away from the bushes.

Watch this video, from earlier this week, to see Billy and Terry in action with the tractor removing the hay.

Once the hay is removed, you can now see the strawberry plants, still green, underneath. Now the plants will resume their growth, and by May the fruit buds will have emerged and will burst into flowers. We will be tracking this happy little strawberry bush, which is located up on Pumpkin Seed Hill, every two weeks or so on this blog. Keep coming back to check on the growth of our little friend.

Do you have questions or comments about what you just read? Do you have a name we should use for this strawberry plant as we watch it grow? Do you want to share them? It's easy, just click the link below that says "comments" and leave your message.

There a whole lot of activity going on at the Farm these days, so come back real soon for another update from Jones Family Farms.

Cheers,
Keith

Sunrise Service - March 24, 2008

2008-03-24T09:44:00.011-04:00

Every year the Jones Family invites a few local congregations to join them for a Sunrise Service on Easter morning at the farm.

The cars began rolling in around 6:00am and friends, old and new, began their walk through the main farm yard and eventually up to Candy Cane Hill where a large grass field (used as a parking lot during Christmas Tree Season) awaited them.

This year Easter fell extremely early in the year and the early morning March temperatures helped to keep us all awake on our hike up Candy Cane hill. According to Farmer Jones, the temperature was hovering around 20 degrees and a cool breeze was helping to bring the feel down to about 15.

Bundled in hats, gloves, scarfs, ski jackets, blankets and more, everyone gathered as the moon set in the West and the sun was getting ready to rise out in the East.

Seventy-five programs were printed up for the event and we ran out while the stream of people was still flowing up the hill from the parking lot. An estimate of at least 100 people isn't too far off for the numbers on the hill. Hand shakes and hugs were exchanged as people greeted each other and added to the circle on the hill.

The huddled mass of people gathered close as prayers and readings were given by a few local clergy. Hymns were sung along to a single trumpet player as the tones from his horn filled the crisp morning air.

After the service came to an end the group turned their attentions to the far hill in the East. Quicker than one would expect, the large yellow sun rose above the tree line, spreading its orange-yellow glow over everyone. Within in mere minutes the sun was completely out from behind the hill and morning had arrived in full.

Many cameras (digital, film, video) were poised to capture this moment and then the group turned to walk back down the hill. With friends of the farm leading the way, the group made its way down from Candy Cane Hill and either to their cars to return home and spend Easter with their family or to gather in the Harvest Kitchen here on the farm.

In the Harvest Kitchen the Jones Family invited all to coffee and some tasty treats. Meghan in the Harvest Kitchen had prepared some snacks such as lemon squares, buttermilk bisquits, blueberry crumb squares, cranberry-orange mini muffins and more. The group piled in to the Harvest Kitchen and from the happy looks on everyone's faces, enjoyed it all very much.

-Keith

[click on the photos for larger versions]

Blueberry Work Isn't Just For August...

2008-03-18T12:42:00.008-04:00

Hello again friends,

The Jones Family Farm has been a buzz this past week or so with all kinds of activity as the longer day light hours and a little bit warmer temperatures have allowed us to work on some of our crops.

Many people don't realize that our crops have to be managed practically year round.

As an example, we've captured some recent work in our Blueberry fields located on the Valley Farm portion of the property.

We have crews working out in the fields pruning back the older branches on the blueberry bushes, so that the younger, fruit bearing, branches can flourish.

Standing in the aisles with a lot of water around, the crew uses pruning clippers and larger 'loppers' to remove the branches that have given up the majority of their lives fruit already.

We have a lot of blueberry bushes to prune as Spring is about to get here, so if you happen to be driving by our Valley Farm and see us working way out there in the fields, you'll know what we're doing.

When you come to pick your own blueberries later this summer, hopefully you'll remember back to the kind of work that goes into these wonderful fruits.

Until next time,
Keith

[click on the photos for larger versions]

Lt. Governor Stops By The Farm

2008-03-03T11:40:00.005-05:00

Hi gang!

Welcome to the Blog for Jones Family Farms in Shelton, CT. You'll be able to follow all the happenings at the farm here as often as we can find time to update this site.

We're currently working at getting the farm in shape for the upcoming picking seasons. On Monday Feb 25th we had a special day as Connecticut Lt. Governor
Michael Fedele visited the farm to film a new television show he hosts called "Open Mike".

Jamie Jones participated in a round table discussion about agriculture in Connecticut along side Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner F. Philip Prelli. The entire round table was filmed inside the Jones Family Winery right here on the farm.

Later in the day the Lt. Governor filmed many smaller segments all around the historic farm yard. These clips will be used for intros and such on Open Mike when it airs.

It was a great day and the TV crew and Lt. Governor and his staff couldn't have been nicer.

Look for our episode of Open Mike to air on all CT Public Access channels in the near future. We'll have updates as they become available.

-Keith