The UConn Extension Sustainable Food Systems program launched a new brand in Northeastern Connecticut to help connect residents in the region with farms and farmers providing products directly to consumers. This new brand “Grown ConNECTed: A Community of Farms in Northeastern Connecticut” consists of a new website (grownconNECTed.org) with multiple resources for finding farms that fit residents needs, social media channels on Facebook and Instagram, and providing resources and trainings for farmers to enable them to connect with more customers. 

The brand was chosen and created in partnership with farmers and community members in the region. The phrase and logo were chosen to indicate that there is more than just the labor that a farmer puts into the products they produce. There is a community they are connected with that supports them through not just buying their products, but creating relationships that make every meal—for the farmer and consumer, a little richer in it’s meaning (and flavor too!). 

Through the Grown ConNECTed campaign, you can find farmers markets, farms that have CSAs and Farm Stands, and also alternative locations like other retailers and restaurants that sell products from local farms. 

This program was made possible through a USDA Agriculture Marketing Services grant. Visit grownconNECTed.org  for more information.

Article by Becca Toms