How to Make Exploring Norfolk, Connecticut, Easy This Spring

Norfolk is an enchanting small community located high in the Litchfield Hills. Although it is a small town, it has an amazing number of things to do and see, sure to delight the whole family. Known for its natural beauty, classic village green, interesting shops, good eateries, and architectural treasures, this community also makes it easy for visitors to find their way around town. The folks that live here have made a series of virtual visits that give visitors a sneak peek into the Norfolk life that they enjoy and like to share with others. These videos are part of their town-wide, semi-annual festival Weekend in Norfolk (WIN) that takes place every winter and summer.

If you are in the mood to explore one of Connecticut's brightest hidden gems, you might want to watch these short videos to get the lay of the land.  A must-see video before an in-person exploration of Norfolk is the guided tour of the Battell Chapel's beautiful stained glass windows, designed by D. Maitland Armstrong and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Three large windows designed by Armstrong and made of opalescent glass fill the west end of the chapel. Tiffany’s five smaller windows face them from the east; they depict the four seasons, with a brilliant sunrise as the center. In addition to highlighting the magnificent stained glass windows, this video provides an overview of all of the attractions that surround Norfolk Green including the Congregational Church, the White House, the Yale Summer School of Music, the Stanford White Fountain, the Norfolk Historical Society, the Norfolk Library, Battell House and Battell Chapel. To view, the Stained Glass Windows video and more click here. Another option for history and architectural lovers is the nine-minute tour of Norfolk with historian, William Hosley. For the architectural tour of Norfolk click here. 

Originally founded in 1744 as a farming community, today Norfolk's farmers proudly carry on the town's agricultural heritage that can be seen in a fascinating video, "What Farmers Do in the Winter." Everyone knows that summer is the busiest time for farmers when they are taking care of their crops and produce, making cheese, and tending to their animals. This video gives viewers a glimpse into life on a New England farm in the winter. To watch the video click here.

Husky Meadows Farm is situated on three acres and is an organic-certified farm sustainably growing a wide variety of vegetables. In addition to vegetables, they tend to antique fruit trees including a one-hundred-year-old pear tree, planted by John Curtiss. A new venture that is highlighted in this video is the cultivation of log-grown mushrooms including shiitake, chestnut, and pearl mushrooms. Coming in the summer of 2021, Husky Meadows Farm will also be offering a Seed and Spoon Culinary Retreat to one Covid pod per weekend. For more information click here.  This is your chance to actually live on a Connecticut farm!

Broad Field Farm grows organic tomatoes and fresh vegetables and sells them at local farmers' markets as well as at their own stand on Winchester Road in season. In this video, enter an empty greenhouse and learn about the work and different techniques used to cultivate organic produce. The surprising amount of winter office work from ordering seeds to planning for crop rotation and getting the greenhouse ready for cultivation is also discussed.

Lost Ruby Farm is a micro goat dairy and creamery specializing in crafting small-scale handmade cheeses. They use only milk from their small herd of pasture-raised goats. This heartwarming video shows how lovingly these goats are cared for and is an interesting glimpse of how the goats live in the winter. If you are a cheese lover and want to try their cheeses, Lost Ruby Farm is open for farm pick-ups Thursday to Sunday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Pre-orders 24 hours in advance are required and can be made by clicking here.

These are just a few highlights of the many videos to choose from when visiting the Weekend in Norfolk website. There is something for everyone online that will appeal to the entire family and make in-person visits easy. For a complete listing of videos including many from the Summer 2020 virtual festival  click https://weekendinnorfolk.org