Fort Hill Farm Logo



Fort Hill Farm


fresh * local * organic


Facebook  Instagram


Fall Schedule:

CLOSED FRIDAYS,

with reduced hours on the remaining open days:


FALL PYO & Farmstand Hours:

Tuesday & Thursday: 2 - 5:30 PM

Saturday: 9 am - 12:30 pm

Last Farmstand Day: Nov. 25

Online ordering begins: Nov. 29

******


FARM NEWS ~ October 28, 2025

The kids are gearing up for Halloween, the nightly frosts are coming fast and furious, and our crew is bringing in the last of the fall carrots, preparing beds for garlic planting, and planting the last seedlings into our greenhouses.   Crops in the field and the greenhouses are still abundant, but this time of year our ability to protect sensitive crops in the field begins to diminish.  The hard frosts of the weekend are spelling the end for the peppers and eggplants, and the flower patch has faded from its early fall glory.  We’ve fought the good fight to keep the dahlias brilliant through most of October, but now it’s time to let them go so we can get them out of the ground and stored for winter in November.  The flower patch is at gleanings stage for this week, and we will close it on Saturday.  It’s been a great ride thanks to the planning and work that Faye, Rebecca, and the crew put into it this season.

Sophie, Fab, Nick, Abi, and Tony dig into the kale on a chilly morning.

 

I really love this time of year.  The sun moves lower in the horizon, our pace can slow a bit, and we can turn some of our attention to repair, cleanup, and organization projects we had to drop back in May.  As Farmer Laura at Riverbank Farm likes to say, “it’s too late to worry about this season and too early to worry about next season.”  That said, there is still a boat load of produce to manage.  

Faye captured the fiery hill, lit up by a hole in the clouds.

Carpe diem on these joyful decorations! We're having a deep discount Jack o' blowout.

 

This season has been good to us.  The dry fall has gifted us an abundance of cold hardy cabbage, kale, collards, chard, spinach, fennel, radicchio, leeks, and lettuce.  We’ve squirrelled away tens of thousands of pounds of beets, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash, and this week we’ve started harvest on the Brussels sprouts.  The long stalks bear yummy sprouts in the leaf axils of the tall stalks.  They are a fussy and demanding crop for us to grow, but when they turn out well, they are one of our favorite late-season treats.


We’ve put pumpkins on sale this week at the farm for your carving projects, and we hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend.


Rebecca, Paul, and the Fort Hill Farm crew



Brussels sprouts:   This is where I usually complain about the liability of growing these swollen-bud micro cabbages nestled along woody stalks…. the months of weeding, the fungal disease pressure, the pests, the weed generation, and the inconsistency in the final product… but not this year! No, we are just going to accept them for what they are. Delicious, imperfect, iconic, anatomically ingenious. We hope you enjoy this seasonal treat as much as we do. Roast up in the oven or check out the recipe below.

 

Blackberry potato: This yummy new release has the deepest purple flesh we’ve seen yet and is rich in anthocyanins. It stains your hands just like its namesake but also retains its color when cooked. It’s a moist potato with great flavor for roasting or baking. Try it out! Store in a cool, dark place, but not in the fridge.

 

Also available:

Head lettuce; spinach; salad mix; arugula (limited); pea shoots; curly and lacinato kale; rainbow chard; red, purple, and French Breakfast radish; cilantro, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage; red beets; chioggia beets; gold beets; baby bok choy; carrots; leeks; celeriac; radicchio; dandelion greens; escarole; fennel; sprouting broccoli (limited); Beefsteak and heirloom slicing tomatoes (limited); Savoy and red cabbage; German Extra Hardy garlic; jalapeño, shishito, cayenne, and poblano hot peppers; green bell peppers, sweet red and yellow Italian peppers, sweet orange snacking peppers; eggplant: classic Italian Graffiti, Rosa Bianca, and a bit of two Asian types; red and yellow storage onions; Satina Gold, Dark Red Norland, LaRatte and Pinto Gold fingerling and Kennebec potatoes; zucchini; Jester delicata squash; Honeynut squash; Butternut squash; Koginut squash; Sugar pie pumpkins, Jack 'o lantern pumpkins; collard greens; traditional and Murasaki Japanese sweet potatoes; fresh ginger; Brussels sprout greens; plus choice apple varieties from Hidden Gem Orchard, Maple Bank Farm, and Averill Farm!

Coming soon:


parsnips

Pick Your Own:


Flowers- I's gleanings out there, meaning the good flowers will be hard to find.

Please pick up a flower ring at the barn to get the right size bouquet.


Perennial Herbs: oregano, sage, thyme

Please pick up an herb ring at the barn to get the right size bunch.


Recipes:

Suggested by Rebecca Batchie

– Not into this particular recipe? For more recipes arranged by crop, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database.


Brussels Sprouts Mac and Cheese

Author Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com


Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 389cal


Ingredients

For the pasta:

8 ounces gemelli pasta* (or any pasta of choice)

For the brussels sprouts:

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1 pound brussels sprouts, halved and any outer yellow leaves removed

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Freshly ground salt and pepper

For the cheddar cheese sauce:

2 tablespoons butter or ghee

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

¼ cup all purpose flour (whole wheat or all purpose GF flour will also work)

1 3/4 cups unsweetened almond or cashew milk (can also use regular milk)

6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese)**

Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste


For topping:

2 oz cheddar cheese (about ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)

Parsley, for garnishing


Instructions

First boil the noodles until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and set aside.

While the noodles are boiling, cook the brussels sprouts: In a large oven safe skillet or pot, add in olive oil and place over medium high heat. Once hot, add in brussels sprouts and sprinkle garlic powder on top, then season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook until brussels begin to turn slightly golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Once nice, golden and tender, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet or pot, make a slurry: add butter and garlic. Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds until a paste forms. Slowly add in cashew/almond milk (or regular milk), whisking away any lumps. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes, stirring every so often. Next add in 6 ounce of cheese and stir until cheese is completely melted. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Finally, fold in cooked noodles and cooked brussels sprouts to the cheese sauce. Taste again and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Top with additional 2 ounces shredded cheddar. At this point you can either serve the mac and cheese and just fold in the extra cheddar you just added or remove from heat and place under the oven broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden brown. Serves 6. Top with a little freshly ground black pepper, and parsley if you’d like.


Notes

To make gluten free: Feel free to use a gluten free pasta. My favorite is Banza.

To store: Place any leftover brussels sprouts mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. I wouldn't recommend freezing this recipe as the texture and taste might not come out the way you want it to when defrosted.

To reheat: Feel free to reheat in a bowl in the microwave until heated through. You may want to add a splash of additional milk for extra moisture. If you're reheating in the oven, simply place your portion of mac and cheese in an oven safe dish, mix in a tablespoon or so more of milk, cover it with foil and heat it for 20 minutes or so at 350 degrees F.

FARMSTAND & PYO FALL SCHEDULE:


Tuesday & Thursday: 2 - 5:30 PM

Saturday: 9am - 12:30 pm

Last Farmstand Day: Nov. 25

Online ordering begins: Nov. 29


FARMERS' MARKETS


Come see us on Thursdays from 10-2 at the Westport Farmers' Market

50 Imperial Ave, Westport

~Goes inside at Gilbertie' Greenhouses

November 20


and on the Green at the

New Milford Market,

Saturdays from 9 - Noon

~Last market November 22


Facebook  Instagram