Soft Frost Had Small Effect On Montville-Area Farmers' Markets

Christmas tree growers are getting in some last minute pruning and beekeepers are beginning to button down their bee hives but Mark Zotti, of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, said that despite the winter preparations, summer vegetables are still hanging in there.

"What has been available last week is available this week," he said of summer vegetables like summer squash, tomatoes and eggplant.

Zotti said the frost had a small impact, if at all, on farms in Connecticut. Zotti said farms that got hit by the frost late last week may have ended their summer season.

"A couple low lying areas may have been hit but not enough to kill all the summer vegetables," he said.

Zotti said the summer vegetables are lasting late into the season but that's not uncommon.

"It depends on the year, like anything," he said. "They (farmers) just plant, plant, plant and hope for weather like this so they can harvest."

What's fresh this week:

Apples

Pears

Brussels sprouts

Peppers

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Grapes

Winter squash

Potatoes

Lettuce

Onions

Corn

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Kale

Spinach

Collard greens

Swiss Chard

Pumpkins

Gourds

Cider

Celery root

Where to find them:

The Norwich Uncas Farmers’ Market is on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Uncas on the Thames, 401 West Thames Street, 100 Campbell Building until Oct. 31. WIC/Senior FMNP accepted, SNAP/EBT.

The Norwich Downtown Farmers’ Market is on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the boat marina in Howard Brown Park on Route 2 until Nov. 2. WIC/Senior FMNP accepted.

The Waterford Farmers' Market is on Saturdays from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. at the Town Hall Parking Lot at 15 Rope Ferry Road until Oct. 29. WIC/Senior FMNP, WF&V accepted. Check out www.waterfordfarmersmarket.org for more information.

The Preston Farmers’ Market is on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Preston Plains School on Route 164 until Oct. 29. WIC/Senior FMNP accepted.