Buying
a Christmas tree at the farm where it grows instead of a chain store is
like buying fresh fruit at a pick-your-own farm instead of a
supermarket chain….Buying locally grown trees ensures freshness. Many of
the real trees being sold at chain stores and in parking lots were cut
and bundled in October and trucked from plantations in southern
Canada....Many growers let buyers select, tag and cut trees. Tagging
season usually starts in October. On sunny weekends, families head out
to select Christmas trees. “It’s an exercise in the family democratic
process,” said Jan Eckhart, owner of Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown.
Pumpkins
have become an important crop on Rhode Island farms. At Sweet Berry
Farm in Middletown, farmer Jan Eckhart and his staff plant the seeds of
more than 40 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash in June. Many of
them will be ready for picking in September, others in October…. •
Pie pumpkins, with such varieties as Small Sugar, Baby Bear and
Buckskin, have thicker and drier flesh than many others. The flesh is
better for baking, Eckhart says. •Decorative pumpkins include such
varieties as Long Island Cheese, which looks like Cheddar cheese, and
Rouge Vif de’Etampes, a bright orange variety, sometimes called
Cinderella’s Coach. Both varieties are often used as soup terrines,
Eckhart says. • White and blue pumpkins are becoming more popular at
farms in the state. Strange-looking pumpkins also sell well. At Sweet
Berry Farm, the variety Warty Thing is popular. “It’s red, and looks
like it has peanuts attached to it,” Eckhart says. • Connecticut
Field Pumpkins and similar heirloom varieties are favorites for making
jack-o’-lanterns because they are orange, tall and traditionally shaped. Pumpkin
season starts in September, but pumpkins purchased early may not last
through Halloween, Eckhart says, especially when you carve them. “Some
people believe that covering the carved flesh with Vaseline will
preserve the pumpkin longer,” he says. The Internet has several websites
offering advice on preserving jack-o’-lanterns, including refrigerating
them when they are not on display.
“Newport Wedding: Sweet Berry Farm” by Sarah O’Neill Fernandez
Last fall a very good friend approached me about planning her wedding
for her. She is the type who cares about the details but never bought a
wedding magazine. She and her fiance gave me these simple guidelines: it
had to be a clambake with lawn games and there must be dark and
stormies and Narragansett beer. The rest was up to me which couldn’t
have been more fun. After taking photos at her family’s summer home on
Easton’s Point, everyone headed over to Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, RI for a beautiful ceremony against the backdrop of the orchards followed by lots of merriment.
“Beyond the line: Raising mushrooms is growing business” by Midge Knerr
“If
you had asked me a year ago if I’d be harvesting mushrooms, I would
have asked you, ‘Are you crazy?’” Robert DiPietro said last Tuesday
afternoon. He had stopped by the inn to chat and offer me a basket of
stunning creamy clusters of blue oyster mushrooms.
In January, the partners sat down with Sweet Berry Farm owners Jan and Michelle Eckhart
to discuss the possibility of using their basement…at the Middletown farm for their science project. With an
agreement to use two 8-foot by 8-foot rooms — one for a sterile
laboratory and the other for harvesting — it was a go.
DiPietro
met Thompson when doing some work on his house. Thompson is from Oregon —
foraging country — so he had the mushroom process and DiPietro had the
curiosity and culinary interest. Many may know DiPietro from his days at
the White Horse Tavern, where he managed and waited tables. He still
waits tables today at Mamma Luisa’s, which he enjoys very much.
The venture will be year-round, as climate has nothing to do with growing these mushrooms.
“This
is more manufacturing than farming,” DiPietro said. “We have applied
for organic status from the (state Department of Environmental
Management); as there are no pesticides or herbicides used in the
method, it should be approved with no problem.”
With the ability
to cultivate several hundred pounds of mushrooms a week and with no one
else in the Southern New England area producing mushrooms this way, the
partners — with the blessing of the Eckharts — could have a very
lucrative enterprise on their hands.
It does take work and
precision. Thompson goes in for the lab work daily at 4 a.m., while
DiPietro mists the product sometimes twice a day. Once under way..., the
mushrooms move along quickly and DiPietro uses his restaurant contacts
to go to kitchen back doors, enticing chefs with these beauties. He
already has received raves.
With “farm-to-table” dining being the rage right now, these mushrooms should be appearing on many menus in town....
I
asked DiPietro if there were plans for other varieties. He told me
shitake mushrooms were in the future, but the process involves a log
with dowels sealed with wax that takes a year to produce the mushrooms.
“We
are looking to clone local morel mushrooms and hen of the woods” — the
maitake mushroom used often in Japanese cookery — he said.
Newport Daily News July 30–31, 2011 _________________________
“Arts: The Neighborhood Files: Kid-Friendly Fun” by Sarah Fernandez
Take advantage of time with your kids and get out and enjoy these hot spots in Middletown....
Whether you’re looking to pick strawberries in
June, pumpkins in October, tag your Christmas tree in December… Sweet Berry
Farm is a must-do in Middletown if you’ve got kids. With…lots of space to run around, it’s
great for a quick stop off or as a spot to plant yourself for a few
hours.
“Fire and Ice: Middletown-made ice cream named New England’s best” by Matt Sheley
MIDDLETOWN
— In celebration of National Ice Cream Month, visitors to Sweet Berry
Farm will be able to buy a cone of all-natural handmade ice cream for
the first time on Sunday
[July 24, 2011].
Make that award-winning, too
Susanna’s
Ice Cream, made by Susanna Williams of Middletown and sold at the
farm, has been named “The Best Ice Cream in New England” by Yankee
Magazine.
“What makes Susanna’s Ice Cream extraordinary aren’t
just the flavors, which are seasonal, often exotic, and intense: white
peach and ginger, Damson plum, strawberry-champagne,” reads the article
in the July/August issue. “It’s also the hard work that goes into
sourcing, prepping and hand-mixing every ingredient.”
The results
of that effort will be available in cone form for $3 each on Sunday
[July 24, 2011] from 3–5 p.m. at Sweet Berry Farm, where Williams makes
her ice cream and sells it by the pint, half pint, and quarter pint, also known as a “scoop.” A new special flavor—cherry-vanilla swirl—is
expected to make its debut on Sunday as well, Williams said.
“Besides
the people you meet and work with, the best part of making ice cream is
experimenting with all the different flavors,” said Williams, who lives
in town with her husband, Herb Zornow. “It’s fun to play around with
the fruit and see what you get.”
Williams said she got involved
in the ice cream business at Sweet Berry Farm almost by mistake. She
said she enjoyed eating and cooking with gooseberries and currants while
growing up in England, but had difficulty finding them anywhere in the States—until she visited the Eckhart family farm on Mitchell’s Lane.
Jan
Eckhart, who runs the farm, said the story about currants and
gooseberries is an interesting one. After World War II, growing the
berries was banned in New England because they were believed to be the
source of a white blister that damaged trees across the region, he said,
something that has since been discredited.
“It’s unfortunate a whole
generation of people grew up without gooseberries or currants because
they’re so popular and such a big part of the diet in Europe,” Eckhart
said. “(Williams) came by and recognized them and made some jam, and as
they say, ‘the rest is history.’”
Now, Williams has space…to make
batches of ice cream. She also makes dairy-free sorbets and confections
including apricots and candied ginger dipped in extra-dark Callebaut
chocolate.
Eckhart says he particularly likes the Meyer lemon sorbet and blood orange sorbet.
“It’s all very purist and everything she does
is hand-made and hand-selected. She’s meticulous about the quality and
it’s all-natural, no additives or anything chemical. People realize this
is an artisan’s product,” Eckhart said.
Williams also sells her ice cream at
the Coastal Growers’ s Market on Saturdays at Casey Farm in
Saunderstown. She has considered taking her ice cream to a wider
audience, but there’s more to it than people might think, she said.
“A
lot of energy goes into making Susanna’s already and I can’t imagine
doing anything more than I already am,” Williams said. “I have a couple
of people help me, but it’s honestly flat out, 80 hours a week. The way I
look at it, it would be difficult to scale up (making) my ice cream. If
someone wants to offer me $1 million for my recipe book, I’d certainly
listen to what they have to say.”
On a smaller scale, Williams said she looked forward to offering cones for the first time on Sunday
[July 24, 2011].
“We
have people come in and ask for them all the time. ‘I’ll have a double
scoop of mint chocolate chip,’ and we have to explain we don’t offer
cones,” she said. “I know we’re making people happy by doing this.”
Newport Daily News, p. 1 July 23–24, 2011 _________________________
“Provision and Hike to Hanging Rock” by GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team
It’s one of the best summertime towns in the country, so who can blame
tourists for flocking to Newport? But Rhode Islanders deserve a place to
play and enjoy the famed resort. Here, from insiders who know about
these things, are 10 ways to enjoy Newport, off the beaten path....
Locals with the best taste recommend provisioning at Sweet Berry Farm
(915 Mitchell’s Lane, Middletown, 847-3912).... From there, your best bet is a hike out
the Hanging Rock trail to Hanging Rock at the Norman Bird Sanctuary.
It’s one of Newport's most famous sights, but get out onto it for
something really different.
My first taste of Susanna’s Ice Cream happened on a chilly March day at a farmers’ market
in North Kingstown, Rhode Island....I almost walked past the tall woman
with corkscrew hair standing behind a red Igloo cooler. But a friend, a
market regular, called me over, and I was drawn by Susanna’s toothy
grin and outstretched sample of tangerine-vanilla swirl.
The first
spoonful was a cold wash of silk, rich with egg yolks and cut through
with bright orange sorbet that tasted like a fresh wedge of tangerine.
It was smooth as gelato, but with a purer cream flavor.
“Wow,” I said. “Do you use fresh-squeezed juice?”
“Yes,” Susanna replied.
“And is that tangerine zest?” I asked, noticing the fine slivers of fragrant peel.
“Of course,” she replied, as if to make a tangerine-swirl ice cream without hand-zesting several cases of fresh fruit would be a sacrilege.
“And you make the ice cream yourself? No commercial bases?” I asked.
“Yes,” she beamed. “The cream is from Tiverton.”
I tasted another sample, this one Irish Coffee, just as delicious. Well, I thought, there it is: the best ice cream in New England....
What
makes Susanna’s extraordinary aren’t just the flavors, which are
seasonal, often exotic, and intense: white peach and ginger, Damson
plum, strawberry-champagne. It’s also the hard work that goes into
sourcing, prepping, and hand-mixing every ingredient. Many ice
creameries—even local, award-winning ones—buy commercial bases of cream,
sugar, and natural stabilizers such as guar gum and carrageenan and
then customize them with their own flavors. Susanna, on the other hand,
makes custard-based ice creams from scratch, cooking egg yolks, fresh
cream from Arruda’s Dairy, and sugar together, and then slowly chilling
the result to produce a base that’s both richer and lighter than you’ll
find elsewhere. It’s a labor of love and a production method that’s
costly and difficult to scale up, which is why Susanna’s ice cream is available only at Sweet Berry Farm and at the Coastal Growers’ Market
in Saunderstown (summer) or North Kingstown (winter)....We’d argue that
something this good is well worth a drive and a splurge.
“Journal Confidential: Have your pick of local produce at Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, R.I.” by Lisa Vernon-Sparks
As
the weather finally warms to a sizzle, everyone starts thinking about
all those great summertime treats: ice cream, grilling and eating fresh
summer fruit. Rhode Island has some of New England’s best “u-pick ’em”
farms, and what summer holiday is complete without a little fruit
picking?
Want to know where to find peaches as huge as softballs?
Sweet Berry Farm, at 915 Mitchell’s Lane in Middletown, has some. Sweet
Berry is a full-service farmer’s market with plenty of produce. And
with 100 acres, it’s a great little escape to the country, sprawling
with rows of fruit groves and berry patches. There are lots of low trees
for shade [and] fresh-cut flowers.…Of course, Sweet Berry grows more than peaches. If you’re
hankering for variety, there are u-pick strawberries, raspberries,
blueberries, apples and pumpkins, which are available as early as June.
Check out the website at www.sweetberryfarmri.com, or call (401)
847-3912 for harvest times and hours of operation.
She
wrote “It is the most amazing and delightful treat for those who love
ice cream and want something fresh, handcrafted, local, and all natural.
My favorite flavors are the warm, spicy Cardamom Coffee, the decadent
Crème Brûlée, and the sweet citrus Blood Orange Sorbet.”
“A Farm Wedding: Where Else to Begin a Sustainable Journey?” by Andrea E. McHugh
When
[Nicole Migliarese, a native Rhode Islander and self-described
naturalist at heart, and Keith Campbell, an avid fly fisherman]
discovered Middletown’s Sweet Berry Farm, the decision to wed there was an easy one....
Surrounded by 100 acres of preserved farmland, carpeted with fruit
orchards, vegetable crops and flowering plants, Sweet Berry Farm sits
atop a hill less than a mile from Aquidneck Island’s coastline. For
locals, it is a hub of Newport County’s agricultural community, [with] pick-your-own strawberries and blueberries in
season, and offering the spoils of the farm and other locally grown and
organic goods at their market.
Wedding invitations advised guests to refrain from wearing high heels,
and warned them to watch for “free-range children” roaming around from
one pick-your-own field to another as the farm would remain open to the
public for much of the afternoon and evening. “It’s a working farm,
after all!” Nicole points out....
By the time evening fell and the ocean mist had surrounded the tent
in the meadow, family and friends were feasting on Keith’s dessert
inspiration. “My proudest moment in the menu planning was convincing
Nicole that we ought to have pie rather than a traditional cake,” he
beams. “I told her that I could easily recall the 10 best slices of pie I
had ever had but that I couldn’t remember ever having even one decent
slice of cake at a wedding.”
Six different flavors were offered at a pie bar…. As a
token of the day’s event, guests departed with miniature ceramic pots
filled with Sweet Berry Farm honey, a sweet finale Nicole says she and
Kevin hope will serve as “a delicious reminder of the terroir of Sweet
Berry Farm.”
Recently featured in the spring issue of Edible Rhody — weddings at
[Sweet Berry Farm] are a true celebration of love. Love of nature and the
farm’s abundant bounty and love of community and its passions and
practices that bring people together.
Like an ideal marriage, the farm supports and sustains....When [Sweet Berry Farm] began offering on-site weddings last season,
Nicole and Keith knew upon first visit that it was the ideal location
for their wedding, reflecting their shared love of nature and their
commitment to self-reliance and community....Enjoy a sampling of great images from Nicole and Keith's beautiful day...from Oggi Photo ....
“ORANGE You Glad it’s the Weekend?” by Libby Kirwin
Have you triedSusanna’s Blood Orange Sorbet at Sweet Berry Farm?It’s a summer must. Orange is one of our signature colours
here at LKRE. Orange is the color of creativity, power & curiosity.
They say to incorporate orange in your life if you need relief from
things too serious. I think we could all use a little orange in our [everyday] lives.
If you’re from the Newport area, you most likely experience the same withdrawals I do during Sweet Berry Farm’s
winter “nap”. Finally, they are open for the season and it makes me so
happy!….
Going to Sweet Berry Farm is truly an “experience” and I look forward to
making it a staple in my summer routine! (Lucky me, I live down the
street!) What do YOU enjoy most about Sweet Berry Farm? (Click the link
below to view the blog and nine Sweet Berry Farm photos.)
When
asked what they do in this off-season, Jan Eckhart responded, “All the
paperwork!...We have all the farm machinery to service, cleanup,
planning and
ordering the seeds and plants....All the stuff we need to
prepare for the next season.”
Overall, the Eckharts are happy with the 2010 season....“We had a good season,” he said....
When Sweet Berry Farm closed its doors for the season on Friday, Dec.
31, a steady stream of customers took advantage of year-end sales and
stocked up on favorite items before the farm stand closed.…
Other die-hard fans of the place were savoring their moments there, saddened to have to bid farewell for a few months.
Kate Bradford, of Chappaqua, NY, said she stops in whenever she visits
her mother in Newport. Bradford was picking up her mother’s favorite
Susanna’s [French] Vanilla Bean Ice Cream....
Carl Barchi of Jamestown and Dianne Pritchard of Newport
lingered…on closing day. The two are regulars and
described themselves as big fans of the farm. Barchi said they started
coming…a few years back and often bring
guests from out of town. On this particular day they came to Sweet Berry
Farm because they were looking for the perfect spot to enjoy a nice
lunch and read a poem that Pritchard, an artist and writer, had written
about a crow.
The crow is part of Sweet Berry Farm’s logo. “We're here because of the moment,” said Barchi.
“If I want to really enjoy myself I can sit around here, I can see
all the wonderful art, see what’s new coming in…” says Barchi....
As to whether they’ll be at the farm when it re-opens in April, Pritchard said, “Can't wait! What are we going to do?”
“Ripe for the Taking, Sweet Berry’s Peaches are a Late Summer Treat” by Meg O’Neil
On
a recent beautiful afternoon, while scooting around town on my trusty
moped, I came across the colorful sign pointing my way to Sweet Berry Farm. One work in particular jumped out at me: Peaches.
Having spent part of my youth in Georgia, The Peach State, I know a
thing or two about the delectable fruit. I decided to swing by and spend
some time picking the perfect peaches to take home and enjoy….After the
short walk down to the rows of peach trees, I was ready to put my
peach-picking skills to the test.
When reaching for the targeted
fruit on the branch, it’s all about color and feel. Peaches that are
green are definitely unripe and peaches that are red can be too soft and
a little overripe. If a peach is too hard to pull from the tree, it
isn’t ready and wants to keep growing! You want a fruit that separates
easily from the branch. Peaches won’t really ripen too much once removed
from the twigs, they only soften. Your hands are the ultimate judge of
the perfect peach. Unless you like your peaches very firm, look for
peaches that have just a little “give” when you press gently.
I
have to admit I did a darn good job at filling my half-peck bag. Before
scooting back home, I couldn’t wait to try one. Perfectly fuzzy and
sweetly messy, my first bite of a Sweet Berry peach was luscious
perfection. I highly recommend you get yourself out there before the
best peach trees are picked clean….A perfect family activity, or cute
date for couples, there is something for everyone here, for every
season!
Newport This Week
September 1, 2010 _________________________
“Adventure Rhode Island: Sweet Berry Farm” by Bock
Pick your Pleasure:Today we went back to a family favorite in
the nearby town of Middletown. Sweet Berry Farm is a local venue that
offers…fruit picking. The farm has peaches, plums, apples, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and much more.…Today we went for peaches and
blueberries to take up an afternoon as well as restock our fridge. As
you can see, the fruit was plentiful. (Click here to view the blog and the seven Sweet Berry Farm photos.)
The main store…features an array of locally grown produce, berries
and fruit from the farm…and containers of
Williams’ creative limited edition ice creams: Louisiana Banana Ice
Cream, based on bananas foster, with bananas roasted with brown sugar
and butter, with a splash of dark rum; Toasted Coconut Ice Cream,
Cherry-Vanilla Swirl, Salted Caramel, known in Britain as burnt sugar
ice cream, and dairy-free sorbets: Key Lime, Blueberry, and Mango.
Back in the 1980s the farmstand was literally a tent in front of the
greenhouses of what was then a strawberry farm on Mitchell’s Lane.…They
opened in June to sell strawberries and in December for Christmas
trees.…
Today, the 100-acre farm has expanded its offers of store-sold and
pick-your-own products starting with strawberries in June to apples in
September and pumpkins in October [and Christmas trees in December].
“The first in a series of local farm and farm stand reviews by New England Bites” by Laura & Diane Laura & I love to go to farms and farm stands and to support our
local farmers. We’re very lucky to live in New England where numerous
farm stands abound. This is how we came to the conclusion that a farm
stand review was in order. But we couldn’t possibly include every stand
in this area so we decided to concentrate on those that have something
extra to offer, something more than great fruits and veggies. And this
is what brought us to Sweet Berry Farm....(Click here to view the blog and the 20 Sweet Berry Farm photos.)
“Middletown Ice Cream Maker Named ‘Best in RI’” by Jessica Walsh
Simply perusing the creative flavor offerings of Susanna’s Ice Cream is enough to make one suspect that Rhode Island Monthly
may have been onto something when naming the Middletown farm-based
Susanna’s Ice Cream the “Best Ice Cream” in Rhode Island for 2010.
Taste one of the creamy flavors and there is little room for
disagreement—this has got to be the best ice cream our state has to
offer.
Sue Williams, proprietor of Susanna’s Ice Cream at Sweet Berry Farm in
Middletown, is full of kinetic energy that seems appropriate for
someone who spends her days crafting mouthwatering ice creams and
sorbets. We caught up with Sue at the Coastal Growers’ Market, just
over the bridge at Casey Farm in North Kingstown, where her tall frame
could be seen frequently darting across the market as she ran to grab a
specific flavor from the freezer to fulfill a customer’s request.
Free samples of a new flavor Sue is perfecting—crème fraîche with
fresh blueberries—were available for taste testing. As she scoops
samples she requests feedback, “Tell me what you think—I didn’t cook the
blueberries as I might normally do; I just picked them off the bushes
yesterday and wanted to keep the fresh flavor.” Customers seemed
pleased with the fresh blueberry innovation, having only positive things
to say. Sue explained, “I often test my new flavors at the market
before producing them in larger quantities.”
The blueberry bushes Sue refers to are those at
Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown…. Susanna’s Ice Cream is
made with fresh fruit and other local ingredients whenever possible.
While a handful of flavors are available year round (such as French
Vanilla Bean, Ginger, and Salted Caramel Swirl), an abundance of unique
flavors turn up on the menu throughout the year, created from and
inspired by the flavors of the season. Right now, customers can enjoy a
refreshing blueberry sorbet, a smooth and rich strawberry ice cream,
and many more exotic flavors such as Louisiana Banana—bananas roasted
with brown sugar and butter with a splash of dark rum, an ice cream take
on the New Orleans original Bananas Foster.
Only a few days ago, Susanna and her husband, Herb, were at the
Providence Performing Arts Center receiving the distinction of best ice
cream in Rhode Island. When I asked how she was notified, Sue laughed,
“Well, about a month ago we received a cryptic letter from RI Monthly,
saying ‘Congratulations! You’ve won! Come to the ceremony to find out
what you’ve won!’” She assumed it would be for some niche
category—like best ice cream in Middletown made with bananas—which was
certainly exciting, but Sue was totally amazed to find out they were
being honored as the best ice cream in Rhode Island.
“As we would say in Britain, I’m chuffed.” Seeing my look of
puzzlement, Sue, originally from England, obligingly offered a
translation. “I’m pleased and proud. During these 80 hour weeks of 90
degree temperatures in the kitchen, the validation feels good.”
Visit Sweet Berry Farm
to try some of Rhode Island’s best ice cream for yourself! Susanna’s
Ice Cream is available in the freezer case at the Farm’s Market, which
is open daily from 8am–7pm.
“Best of Rhode Island: Eating: Ice Cream” Our Ultimate Guide to the Best of 2010
You wouldn’t think Sweet Berry Farm could conjure anything sweeter than their homegrown fruit, but Susanna’s Ice Cream
(founded by England-transplant Sue Williams and handmade on the farm)
pulls it off with dairy-rich panache. Summer offers flavors like
Louisiana Banana, Cantaloupe Ginger, and Bellini Sorbet, but the crop
doesn’t stop when cooler weather comes to town. Autumn brings
Apple-Cinnamon, Quince, and Cardamom Coffee, which makes even the first
frost more palatable. On tough days we like to add chunks of white
chocolate to the Damson Plum and celebrate our riches.
“Sweet Berry Farm Blueberries: This Week’s Top Pick”
by Jessica Walsh
It is easy to forget just how good local, in-season blueberries really are. I bought my first fresh pint from Sweet Berry Farm at the Aquidneck Growers’ Market
this past Saturday. After that first irresistible taste (in the
parking lot, of course) I wasn't sure that any of the berries would
actually make it home. They were so good, in fact, that I was inspired
to do something I haven't done since I was a kid—go pick my own
blueberries.
Sweet Berry Farm is one of Middletown’s hidden gems—100 acres of
farmland nestled, unpresuming, just off Third Beach Road.…
Outside, the farm offers three picking options—blueberries,
blackberries and peaches. “During the season there aren’t too many days
where someone can’t come out here with their family and pick
something,” claimed the farm’s co-owner Jan Eckhart.
In fact, I had enlisted my family to join me, and although all three
options were tempting, we had our hearts set on those scrumptious
blueberries, and that is what we set out to pick. After about a half
hour or so, our two-quart container was spilling over with those
beautiful, sweet blueberries.
As we headed home, of course, I was already thinking about what I would do with them.
Let’s get cooking…
On green salads. Blueberries are a great addition to any
salad, and can help entice kids to eat their greens. Recently I
introduced a berry salad, adapted from a Better Homes & Gardens
kid-friendly recipe book, that has been a hit at lunch and dinner.
Simply top greens with blueberries, blackberries, and any other fruit
that is in season, toss with fat-free vanilla yogurt and honey, and
sprinkle with whole-wheat Goldfish crackers on top. We actually get
requests for “fish salad!”
Soup. Seriously. Blueberry soup is popular in Sweden, and given that all things Swedish are all the rage—thanks to the film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo—
consider this suggestion my subtle nod to the venerable Stieg Larsson
and the craze he has posthumously created. Soup is a great option after
a day of picking because it requires a lot of blueberries. I found the
recipe I use at the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council website. (http://www.blueberrycouncil.com/recipes-popup.php?id=102)
“Nicole & Keith, the very first wedding at Sweet Berry Farm” July 27, 2010
Oggi photographed the very first wedding held at Sweet Berry Farm in
Middletown, RI, for Nicole and Keith. And a true farm wedding it was,
with tractors, a pie bar, cider pressed by the bride and groom, Mason
the wonder-dog (who drove from CA to witness the celebration), and
friends and family who enjoyed this truly green wedding feast. Check out
Mason's face on the cider bottles. And for you DIY brides, look at the
table design, ribbon runners and place-card holders by the bride.
oggiphoto.com/blog (Click link to see the photos.) _________________________
Insider Pages Review of Sweet Berry Farm by Andrea H. of Warwick, RI
Great place for pick-your-own all summer-fall long. Excellent fresh produce.…
“Notable Edibles: Farm-Fresh Licks” by Johnette Rodriguez
Summer is almost synonymous with ice cream, and the frozen treats from Susanna’s Ice Cream have become a quintessential part of any visit to the Coastal Growers’ Market,
which Susanna’s founder Susanna Williams likens to a country fair in
her native England. She and husband, Herb, eagerly dip up samples for
curious customers. Susanna was originally inspired to make strawberry
ice cream after picking strawberries at Sweet Berry Farm, where she now makes her ice cream in the farm’s certified kitchen.
The ice cream and sorbets, sold in pints and half-pints, are offered in seasonal flavors (using cream from Arruda’s Dairy Farm) that give freshness
new meaning: gooseberry-elderflower (her first invention), peach,
raspberry, blackberry, black currant, rhubarb (with ginger), all fruits
from Sweet Berry. Consumer favorites also include Louisiana Banana,
Meyer Lemon, DARK Chocolate with a Belgian chocolate base, coffee with a
cardamom kick, and cocktail combos, such as the Bellini, Kir Royale,
and Strawberry-Champagne.
Available at Sweet Berry Farm, Middletown, and the Coastal Growers’ Market at Casey Farm, Saunderstown.
“Sampling
the Flavors of the Ocean State” by Anita Rafael
With
so much seawater around us, it’s easy to forget there are
many
small, family-run farms on Aquidneck Island, too. One of the
most
beautiful farms is Sweet Berry Farm, about five miles from
Newport
Harbor.
“We’ve had the entire crew of some of the yachts come
up here,” says Jan Eckhart, who owns and runs the farm with
his wife Michelle. “It seems they like to get off the water
to mix things up a bit, and picking their own apples, for
example,
is a great way to provision before heading out on a cruise.”
The
farm stand has expanded over the years from a little tent
and table
where they sold baskets of strawberries…. Sitting
outside
at the picnic tables and watching the farm tractor go by
with a wagonload
of just-picked produce makes you never want to go to a
supermarket
to buy food again.
“Get Your Licks From Ice Cream Makers in Rhode Island” By Eva Pasco
Susanna’s Ice Cream & Sorbet at Sweet Berry Farm (915 Mitchell’s
Lane, Middletown): products are handmade at the Sweet Berry Farm, using
local ingredients whenever possible. No stabilizers, preservatives,
artificial colorings or flavors, corn syrup or artificial sweeteners are
used. Seasonal concoctions such as summer’s “Cantaloupe Ginger” and “Strawberry-Rhubarb” grace their menu.
Spend an hour or two in Newport getting dirty and smelling sweet. This small farm is just a few miles from Newport’s beaches and grows acres of berries. Sweet Berry allows visitors to pick their own strawberries, purchased by the pound, during the early summer season. Farm hands will provide materials and instructions for berry picking and the farm welcomes families and small children. This seaside farm stand also offers fresh eggs, honey, and cut flowers for purchase as well as seasonal fruits, vegetables and homemade wreaths.
go.w.cities.com December 2009 _________________________
“Best of Boston 2009”
Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, RI: Kids can try their hand at harvesting strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, and even Christmas trees at this 100-acre pick-your-own paradise.
“Buying a Christmas tree on a farm is a whole experience,” says Jan Eckhart, owner of Sweet Berry Farm. “People won’t get that experience in a parking lot.”
What people may get in a parking lot is often unclear. They may get a tree that could have been cut weeks earlier and shipped from Canada. It won’t last as long in the stand, and it’s not as environmentally friendly....
’Tis the time to tag. Pick your preference. From late October to early December, people pay their respects to local tree farms, and pay their local farmers for a tree of their choice, which they’ll mark with a tag.
The idea is simple. Before you need your tree, you take your time selecting it. Ideally, you do this when the weather is nice, and the selection is large....
Tags placed on trees reserve them for the purchasers to claim at their convenience.
“You do it before the hectic holiday season begins,” Eckhart says. “It’s one more thing they can check off their list.”...
There are three general species of Christmas trees: spruce, fir and pine. There are dozens of varieties within each. And each tree within each variety of each species will look a little different — in size, shape, color, fullness....
“People have different perspectives of what an ideal Christmas tree is,” Eckhart says. “A lot of that is influenced by what they had growing up.”
The “ideal” tree is a function of familiarity and nostalgic longing. A husband and wife who agree on everything may disagree on a tree if he grew up in a spruce household and she grew up in a fir family.
“There is a lot of verbal interchange,” Eckhart says. “You eventually get a summary decision. Or someone makes a major ruling.”...
Spruces have stronger branches that can hold heavier ornaments, but they also have sharp needles. Firs and pines have weaker branches and soft needles, and a stronger aroma....
Cutting the tree down is pretty straightforward. All the farms will cut a tree for you, unless you ask to do it yourself.
“It’s usually the men who want to do it,” Eckhart says. “I think the women are smarter. They just want it cut and wrapped. The men want to go into the woods, cut the tree, throw it over their shoulder and drag it back. It’s primordial.”...
“I’ve been asked how much a tree will grow after it’s been cut and in the stand,” Eckhart says. “They want to know how much bigger it will get by Christmas.”
Remind yourself not to ask a farmer that question. A cut tree doesn’t grow. But it does live, sort of.
Keep plenty of water in the stand, and keep the stand away from a radiator.
“Make a fresh cut of the trunk before putting it in water,” Eckhart says. “Trees should be treated like flowers.”
’Tis the season to make apple pies and what better way to do so than with fresh picked apples? Feeling very seasonal, Melissa and I headed down to one of our favorite places, Sweet Berry Farm,
in Middletown. With the weather cooperating and thoughts of great
pictures and even better food in our future we took a very leisurely
Sunday drive. Sweet Berry Farm offers seasonal “pick your own”
everything but today picking apples that would later be turned into
delicious warm apple pie was the driving force in my morning.
Macintosh,
Gala, Macoun, Red Delicious, Golden Supreme, Cortland, Honey Crisp...the list goes on. Sweet Berry has no shortage of apples, and we quickly
filled our pre-paid apple bag. For four years Melissa and I tried to get
to any orchard before the season ended. One year we arrived on a Sunday
only to find out that this one particular orchard was picked clean the
day before. This wasn’t the case at Sweet Berry Farm; with rows of
fragrant fruit surrounding us, we had a field day.
Typically
we spend a fair amount of time in the post and beam farmhouse that has
been transformed into a gorgeous farmstand…and who wouldn’t, when you
see what’s inside.…We’ve
always encountered friendly smiles and great service—that’s why Sweet
Berry Farm should be a “Rhode Island Must” on your list. Enjoy!
active rain October 26, 2009 _________________________
“The Dish: How sweet it is” by Deborah Allard
Sweet Berry Farm’s “garden of eathly delights” are sold in the farm’s market…. Folks can also pick their own berries
(look for blueberries, blackberries and raspberries this time of year).…
When the fresh blueberries and raspberries have passed their peak, Sweet Berry Farm
visitors can look forward to peaches (late July to early October),
apples (September), and pumpkins (late September to October). Christmas
tree tagging starts in October.…
Speaking
of ice cream, there was a small booth [at the Wednesday Aquidneck
Growers’ Market in Newport] manned by Susanna of Sweet Berry Farm in
Middletown....Lets talk about Susanna’s Ice Cream
because it’s extraordinary. She makes DARK Chocolate, Louisiana Banana,
Toasted Coconut, and my personal favorite, Meyer Lemon. Don’t forget
Cardamom Coffee, White Peach & Ginger, Spiced Plum,
Strawberry-Champagne, and Mocha Chocolate Chip. What’s important here is
not that she makes a dizzying array of unique flavors (though that is
important); what’s important is that the ice cream is glorious. It’s
heaven on a spoon.
When you take your first bite it will quickly
become clear that she makes her ice cream using French technique and the
best quality ingredients imaginable. She does not use preservatives,
stabilizers, corn syrup, or added colorings or flavors. If you do
nothing else this summer, drive to Middletown and try this ice cream.
Of course that’s just the ice cream. Sweet Berry Farm also has…outdoor picnic tables which are surrounded by manicured farms and flowers.…Lest we forget, you
can also pick your own berries.
“Best of Rhode Island 2009 Editors’ Picks” Berry Picking
Picking your own strawberries is just the beginning at Sweet Berry Farm,
where you can also try your hand at harvesting blueberries,
blackberries and raspberries (all of which stay true to the farm’s
moniker). Celebrate all that hard work in the fields with a visit to the
post-and-beam farmstand where you’ll find…homemade ice cream… — made with the prized berries.
“PYO (Pick Your Own) Season: Plan accordingly” by Katy Killilea
PYO (pick you own) farms grant us the opportunity to hunt and choose and pick and amass baskets of lovely fresh food. Kids are great pickers. To some extent, the younger a child is, the better she’ll be: with a lower point of view, ripe gems other pickers miss are easier to spot. This is a fun way—for anyone with a sun hat and comfortable shoes—to spend a hunk of a summer day. This year at my local farm, PYO strawberry season came and went in a blur. But there are plenty more opportunities coming along to harvest an abundance, eat fistfuls of goodness and then make pie, jam, pickles, sauces…My favorite farms are Four Town Farm in Seekonk, because where else can you go from being in Target to being in a field of berries in under five minutes? And....Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, because where else can you get Callebaut chocolate ice cream as a rejuvenating snack after your labors?
Mercury Love Awards: Editor’s Picks “Afternoon Delight: Sweet Berry Farm”
The sparrows dart about to feed the young’uns chirping in their nest tucked under the corner of the roof of the farm stand porch. But the pace is relaxed for everyone else here at Sweet Berry Farm, including Rex the Zen-like 10-year-old German shepherd lying in front of the cut flowers by the entrance. The rustic stand nestled amid 100 acres of fields and orchards in Middletown offers a tranquil timeout for lunch and lounging…under umbrella-covered picnic tables. It’s our favorite quick getaway when the workday gets a little too hectic. Those feeling adventurous can venture into the fields for pick-your-own strawberries or you can let someone else do the work and pay a little extra for a quart in the market. The stand boasts a bounty of fruits and veggies…. But you know the office is beckoning. All the more reason to gaze at the cherry trees a little while longer — and indulge in Susanna's ice cream or sorbet.
Mercury June 24–30, 2009 _________________________
My aunt, Charlotte Bliss, and I can vouch for…Susanna’s house-made Meyer lemon ice cream, their wildflower honey… and an armload of freshly cut flowers. (This was all part of one visit…no kidding!)
Aunt Charlotte, a true New
England lady, is proper, not at all prone to silliness and a bit formal.
On the ride home she dove into the [Meyer] lemon ice cream (“Oh dear,
this may melt before we get home…”). She ate straight from the container
with a plastic spoon. For a minute I thought she might tear open the
cardboard container in order to lick out the rest. It was worth every
fat-laden super-premium, lemony, creamy, tangy drop. The play of lemon
zest against the velvety rich ice cream was perfection.
With 400 miles of coastline and an abundance of inland ponds and parks, Rhode Island has plenty of places for eating ice cream. Many places make their own and here’s the scoop on 10 hot spots for the cold treat....[3] Susanna’s Ice Cream at Sweet Berry Farm uses many of the farm’s berries in its ice cream and dairy-free sorbets. Grab a half pint of the exotic rhubarb and ginger (rhubarb from Rehoboth, ginger from Australia) and pull up a stool outside to eat it, near swaying branches laden with fruit. 915 Mitchell’s Lane, Middletown, 401-847-3912
Boston Globe June 21, 2009 _________________________ Editors’ Choice — Yankee Travel Guide (2009) RI’s Best Agricultural Expedition
Come for the market, relax for lunch, stroll the gardens….When it’s time to go home, take a little bit of Sweet Berry Farm with you, from the pick-your-own strawberries, to the homemade ice cream….
This small Farm
in Middletown, RI — near Newport — can be a quick stop or an hour long
event. In the summer, you can pick your own berries. In the fall, pick
your own pumpkins and apples. The farm stand always has an array of
fresh fruits and vegetables…. The atmosphere is wonderful. Kids are welcome in this
laid back country experience.
trekaroo.com March 23, 2009 _________________________
Aside
from having a fantastic name, Sweet Berry Farm is a post & beam
farm market on 100 acres of preserved farmland. It is filled with
seasonal fruits, vegetables, & cut flowers
including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries,
peaches, & apples.....Most of the fruits will still be in season
when we hope to have our wedding. How fun would it be to spend the
morning of our wedding picking our own fruit to enjoy later? They also
have a homemade ice cream & sorbet shop on the farm. I am there!
_________________________ Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown, you’ll find everything you need there, pick your own apples and pumpkins….
Kitzy on chowhound.com October 9, 2008 _________________________
I was down in Middletown over the 4th of July weekend and stumbled across this farm on Third Beach road. I wanted to share the love, because they sell Susanna’s very good ice cream. Now, I'm not an ice cream freak but even I was bowled over by what we had. There is a chocolate...and a ginger cream with big chunks of candied ginger. Absolutely swoony....It’s worth a visit...you’ll have a blast. And I'm really still thinking about that ice cream. Amaaaazing.
yumyum on chowhound.com July 8, 2008 _________________________
RI (like most of New England) also shares your passion for ice cream. The only on-farm option I know of is Sweet Berry Farm, in Middletown. I had their homemade strawberry sorbet last month and was blown away by how good it was.
celeriac on chowhound.com August 6, 2008 _________________________
Sue Williams, the maker of Susanna’s Ice Cream available only at Sweet Berry Farm,
was born in a small village in Devon, England. Educated at Oxford
University, she attended graduate school at McGill University in
Montreal, where she went on to teach Shakespeare, then theatre history
at the National Theatre School of Canada. Sue now lives in Middletown,
to which she moved in 1998 with her husband, a native Newporter.
How did you begin making ice cream? About
10 years ago I was at a Williams-Sonoma store and saw a quart-size ice
cream maker, which I thought was quite cute. So I bought it and began
experimenting and fooling about. I even tried making ice cream with a
pomelo, which I had never heard of before. The result was delicious, but
rather exotic and peculiar.
How did you discover Sweet Berry Farm? About
five years ago, I saw a sign that said Sweet Berry Farm had
strawberries ripe for picking, just at the time that my husband and I
were about to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. Since family and
friends were coming from all over to join us, I decided we would
celebrate in both the English way—with strawberries—and the American
way—with ice cream. My ice cream was such a success everyone at the
party encouraged me to make more.
How did you become the maker of Susanna’s Ice Cream at Sweet Berry Farm? I
noticed that the owners, Jan and Michelle Eckhart, were experimenting
with growing different kinds of fruit—like gooseberries and black
currants. I’d never seen gooseberries growing on this continent before.
Picking them reminded me of one of my favorite childhood desserts,
gooseberry fool. But I wanted to try something different so I made
Gooseberry-Elderflower ice cream….It was the first recipe I invented,
and I found the process interesting and fun. The fact that my recipe
worked was also encouraging so I gave some of the ice cream to Jan and
Michelle as a thank-you…, and they thought that using their fruit in ice cream was a great idea.…
So you opened last year? Yes,
but we had to wait ages for the dairy license. In fact, it wasn’t until
July 4th that we got it…and in less than an hour all but one pint of
the Strawberry Ice Cream had been sold. From that point until today, I
haven’t stopped running. What kind of ingredients do you use? It
starts with the best cream in the world—from Arruda’s Dairy in
Tiverton. They were named Rhode Island’s Outstanding Dairy Farm in 2006 [and again in 2008]
by the Rhode Island Green Pastures Committee. Their cows are a
Holstein/Guernsey cross which produces fabulous cream….Arruda’s does
not use bovine growth hormone, and the cream isn’t ultra-pasteurized,
which makes a great difference to the taste. The cream is unbelievably
fresh—it comes straight from the cows twice a week. If it were any
fresher, it would still be in the cow.
I also use Sweet Berry
Farm’s fresh fruit whenever I can, as well as cane sugar. I do not use
corn syrup, artificial colors, preservatives, stabilizers, or
emulsifiers. That’s why some of my ice cream, for instance the Coffee,
looks beige, but I can assure you it does not taste beige.
What flavors do you make? Strawberry
is the most popular flavor….French Vanilla Bean is a close second. For
that flavor, I use a mixture of Madagascar Bourbon and Tahitian vanilla
beans. The Tahitian cost $200 a pound wholesale, but they are worth it. I
scrape the tiny seeds into the cream and egg-yolk base to give the ice
cream its delicate flavor.
As soon as Jan’s peaches are ripe,
I’ll start making Peach Ice Cream. Other popular year-round flavors are
Chocolate, Coffee, and Ginger.
My Pomegranate Sorbet is turning
out to be a best seller. And my Meyer Lemon Sorbet sells out as soon as
it’s in the freezer, but I only make this when Meyer lemons are in
season. I also make seasonal ice creams—like Peppermint Stick, Eggnog,
and Spiced Chocolate Orange for Christmas; Kir Royale Sorbet for New
Year’s; and Pumpkin Ice Cream for Halloween and Thanksgiving. What sizes do you sell? I
have been selling pints, but I’ve just introduced Susanna’s single
servings so people can try the flavors or enjoy them after a lunch at
Sweet Berry Farm.
Newport This Week August 29, 2007 _________________________
Eileen took us to the Sweet Berry Farm
stand....I
loved this place because it had an interesting mix of local foods....We picked up some local sweet
peas and berries for a snack and...ice cream for dessert that evening. Yummy!
