A Touch of Monet’s Giverny @ Norfolk's Husky Meadow Farm’s Art and Cooking Intensive Farm Stay

October is the crown jewel of months in New England which is why Husky Meadows Farm, a certified organic working farm, in Norfolk, Connecticut has put together a farm stay that embraces the beauty of the season through art, cooking, garden walks, and the harvest. At the Fall Art Intensive Farm Stay with Marie Colette-Dupont-Nivet from Thursday, October 12 through Monday, October 16, guests will be treated to a French countryside experience inspired by Claude Monet’s Giverny in France in New England. 

Like Monet’s fabled home, the autumn landscape of Husky Meadows Farm’s colorful gardens and orchards inspire a sense of serenity making them the perfect setting for an art workshop with Marie Colette-Dupont-Nivet originally from the storybook area of Alsace, France. Her specialty is decorative furniture painting in the historical tradition of using milk paint on wooden panels. 

Milk Paint is a traditional way to update old furniture or give new pieces a rustic, farmhouse finish, which is so popular today. Participants will learn that milk paint is made with natural ingredients like lime, casein (a milk protein), and clay, unlike regular paint. Marie-Colette will guide participants through the process of making a decorative wooden piece that they will take home as a memento of this artistic experience. A highlight of the class will be to learn how to match the wood grain with pigments, how to marbleize, and, how to paint a landscape of flowers on wood using milk paint. 

To finish this project, Marie Colette will guide participants through the different techniques of glazing, varnishing, and waxing to complete the final look of the piece. To add to the country French ambiance, there will be plenty of time to explore the property, engage in the rich bounty of the harvest, and participate in hands-on French-style cooking classes. Sunday night’s dinner will be a highlight of the stay because it will feature a sumptuous meal made from Monet’s recipes from Giverny that were once served in his famed yellow dining room. Sunday night’s dinner will be long cherished as the next best thing to sitting at Monet’s table! 

Guests will enjoy the comfort of Husky Meadows's luxurious suites; each offers something a little different. The Coop is the most private cottage with a fieldstone fireplace and loft bedroom. Wildflower is spacious and beautifully appointed with a private porch overlooking a wildflower meadow; and Wolftree’s arched ceiling, views, and steam shower make it cozy. 

Farm Stays include all meals, beverages, and activities. The Fall Art Intensive is $2500 per person, single occupancy, for the all-inclusive experience. A non-lodging rate that includes all activities and meals is $1200 per person. To book the farm stay, visit huskymeadowsfarm.com or contact the Culinary Director at tracy@huskymeadowsfarm. 

About Husky Meadows Farm 

Situated on three hundred bucolic acres in Norfolk, Connecticut, Husky Meadows Farm grows certified organic produce for its kitchen, farm stand, and community-supported agriculture membership. The farm kitchen offers year-round prepared foods. At the height of the growing season from May - October the farm also offers intimate farm stays, cooking classes, community dinners, and special workshops on a variety of farm-to-table and ecological topics.