Connecticut Holiday Gift Guide: Creative Gift Ideas From Local Makers
In partnership with: Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Connecticut might be better known as a home to many financial services firms and a large maritime industry, but since colonial times, it has been a leader in agriculture with a diverse mix from plant nurseries to dairy farms to fruit growers. The average farm size is only 82 acres, and the state is made up of mostly small- to medium-sized family farms.
We’ve selected a few products from Connecticut farms for our state gift guide. Imagine the delight in the faces of your friends and family when opening presents this holiday season to find they were carefully selected gifts from one of the many farmers, artisans, chefs and creators in Connecticut. You can find even more local products through the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
Milk House Chocolates
Not even the Grinch could resist artisanal chocolates made from fresh milk, cream and butter, as well as fresh fruit, garden herbs and honey. Milk House Chocolates is part of Goshen-based Thorncrest Farm. The farm’s owners, Clint and Kimberly Thorn, consider their No. 1 job to be giving their cows a stress-free life. Stressed cows affect the taste of the milk, which in turn affects the taste of the chocolate. They believe the flavor of the chocolates can be altered depending on which cow’s milk is used and therefore, each variety of chocolate is made from a single cow’s milk. Options include dark, milk and white chocolate, truffles, citrus dipped in dark chocolate and more. Buy them online at milkhousechocolates.net.