Whizzing Wonders in New Milford & Cooking Class at the Silo

The New Milford Chamber of Commerce is once again hosting a special railroad display that provides special fun for families this year in  the Litchfield Hills community of New Milford where visitors will find a  lavish display of working model trains.

The 27th Annual Hands On Train Display will again transform the waiting room of New Milford's restored vintage train station. Four big layouts covering almost 100 feet of track will traverse a Lilliputian landscape of hills, valleys and villages.

Here, visitors are invited actually to take the controls, starting and stopping the action and operating signals and lights. The trains operate daily from noon to 4 p.m. December 22 to 28. This yearly free event is sponsored by the Greater New Milford Chamber of Commerce, 860-354-6080, www.newmilford-chamber.org.  The display is closed Christmas Day.  

While in New Milford, don't miss a visit to Hunt Hill Farm Trust where you will find a 50 foot Christmas Tree beautifully decorated in the gallery.  In addition to crafts and artwork, the Silo at Hunt Hill Farm offers a series of cooking classes. On Saturday, December 27, just in time for New Years, the Silo is offering a Champagne and Tapas class at 6:30 p.m.  This full participation class with Chef Jessie Riley and Kathryn Gordon will feature a full menu of tapas plus a sampling of sparkling wines and champagne.  To sign up for the calls visit http://www.hunthillfarmtrust.org/index.php?/silo/cooking#December

For area information on Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Voices of Poetry at Hunt Hill Farm - Comfort and Joy!

The Silo will present "Voices of Poetry / Comfort & Joy" on Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 2 p.m. This afternoon of original poetry and music – to celebrate the holiday season - will be held at The Red Barn at Hunt Hill Farm, Crossman Road, New Milford, CT. A "meet and greet" reception with the poets & musicians – with holiday desserts - will follow the program.

The Silo will present "Voices of Poetry / Comfort & Joy" on Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 2 p.m. This afternoon of original poetry and music – to celebrate the holiday season - will be held at The Red Barn at Hunt Hill Farm, Crossman Road, New Milford, CT. A "meet and greet" reception with the poets & musicians – with holiday desserts - will follow the program.

There is an admission charge of $15 @ person for this program; and reservations are encouraged. For more information, and to reserve tickets, please call (860) 355-0300, visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org, or e-mail info@hunthillfarmtrust.org. Reservations can also be made at The Silo during regular business hours. The Silo Gallery and Store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.

For more holiday event information www.litchfieldhills.com

About The Silo

Drawing on the creative legacy of Skitch and Ruth Henderson, the Henderson Cultural Center at Hunt Hill Farm, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public opportunities to explore music, art, cuisine, and permanently protected historic open space.

About Voices of Poetry (VOP)

VOP was founded by poet and poetry activist Neil Silberblatt. Since 2012, VOP has presented a series of poetry and music events featuring distinguished poets and writers at venues throughout the state, including The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield; The New Britain Museum of American Art; The Sherman Playhouse; Minor Memorial Library in Roxbury; Gunn Memorial Library in Washington; Ridgefield Library; Hopkins Vineyard; and Hartford Public Library. VOP also has presented poetry events to raise support for community organizations. Voices of Poetry / Thanks for the Giving events (in 2013 and 2014) raised more than $2,500 for Loaves & Fishes, New Milford's community soup kitchen and food pantry. VOP hosts a Facebook "group" page which (at last count) had more than 1,900 members, including numerous poets and writers, editors, publishers, composers, musicians in all genres, professors, and fans of the printed, written or sung word. 

Silo Kid’s and Teens Vacation Day and Valentine’s Day Classes

If you’re looking for an activity for your child on school vacation days – or for Valentine’s Day, The Silo has cooking classes for you.

Located at historic Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Road, New Milford, The Silo Cooking School will hold vacation day classes on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 20 and Presidents’ Day, Monday February 17. 

On January 20, two classes will be held.  The first, “Young Chefs Winter Warm Up” for children ages 6 to 10, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by “Teens and Tweens Winter Warm Up” from  2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

On February 17, President’s Day, “Young Chefs Cook Presidential” will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for ages 6 to 10, and “Tweens and Teens: Hail to the Chief” will run from 2:3 to 5:30 p.m.

In addition, “Valentine’s Sweets for the Sweet,” a three-hour class for children ages 5 to 11 will cover the basics from homemade cookies to candies, coming up hearts!

Classes are taught by Nancy Stuart, Silo Cooking School assistant director and are full-participation.  Students will learn basic skills such as kitchen safety, proper food handling, food preparation, cooking and baking techniques.  Class cost is $45 or $50 per student, depending on class chosen.

 The Cooking School is part of the Smithsonian Institution affiliated Hunt Hill Farm Trust, a non-profit organization.  Hunt Hill Farm Trust is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public the opportunity to explore music, art, cuisine, crafts and literature in a setting of historic farm buildings and permanently protected open space.

Hunt Hill Farm also includes The Silo Gallery, The Skitch Henderson Museum, and The Silo Store, which sells cookbooks, giftware, tabletop, foods and kitchen items. 

For more information and to register for classes and events, call (860) 355-0300 or visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org.  Registration is also available at The Silo during regular business hours.  The Silo Gallery and store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Barns and Farms Art Exhibit at The Silo at Hunt HIll Farm

February - Eric Sloane

The Silo Gallery at Hunt Hill Farm located in the Litchfield Hills on 44 Upland Rd. in New Milford Connecticut is hosting an opening reception on Friday, August 2 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. for the new Barns and Farms Exhibit that will be on display through October 5. Tosto, Laurence Neufeld, son and nephew of the Neufelds, and Art Kerber, of Millerton's Green River Gallery who is offering a selection of Eric Sloane paintings, will be greeting guests at the reception. The artwork in the gallery is available for purchase, and Tosto will also be accepting future commissions.

This exhibit that is hung in the hayloft gallery at The Silo features the work of some of the areas best known artists: Eric Sloane and Woldemar Neufeld. Also on display will be works from Kate Neufeld, Woldemar's sister, and by Merryall resident Frank Tosto.

Woldemar Neufeld

 The artists, each in their own style, have documented buildings, vistas and the history of their era. While the Neufelds and Sloane are deceased, Tosto carries on the tradition of recording the landscapes of our time for posterity.

This exhibit shows that barns are are more than just buildings. They are a witness to centuries of change. In this era of sustainable agriculture, part of the mission at Hunt Hill Farm is their focus on teaching future generations the importance of farming and barns through active adaptive usage of our historic buildings.

Frank Tosto

The Barns and Farm exhibit will be augmented in September by the addition of Barn Again, a retired Smithsonian Institution Main Street exhibit, now in the hands of Hunt Hill Farm.

The Silo Gallery and Store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, please call Liba Furhman at (860) 355-0300 or visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org.

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com.

About The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm

Drawing on the creative legacy of Skitch and Ruth Henderson, the Henderson Cultural Center at Hunt Hill Farm, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public opportunities to explore music, art, cuisine, and permanently protected historic open space.

Silo Cooking School Introduces “Second Thursdays: Literary Lunches” A Culinary Book Club Sept 8, Oct. 13 & Nov. 10

What could be better than this new series at The Silo Cooking School that joins two passions - reading and eating?

Cooking School Director Chef Mary Kravec and Book Maven Lauren Daniels combine a book discussion with a hands-on cooking class and lunch on the second Thursday of the month, beginning September 8. Lauren, a long-time Silo Cooking School volunteer, is a short story author and humor guest columnist for local newspapers, and the former manager of Walden Books and Borders in Southbury.

Recipes for Romance!

Thursday, September 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard.

Menu: Wild Mushroom Turnovers, Goat Cheese Salad with Figs, Fruit Yogurt Cake.

A Menu for Magic

Thursday, October 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.

Menu: Apple Fennel Salad, Calendula Biscuits, Herbed Swiss Chard Souffles, Mini Pound Cakes with Blueberry Lavender Syrup.

The Power of Food and Companionship

Thursday, November 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Book Discussion: The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. Menu: Sherry-Soaked Cranberry-Stuffed Pancetta-Wrapped Turkey Scalloppines, Butternut Squash Risotto, Carl's White Cake.

$30 per session. Registration required.

Programs are held at Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Road, New Miford, CT. For more information and to register visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org, or call (860) 355-0300. Registration is also available at The Silo during regular business hours. The Silo Gallery and store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Drawing on the creative legacy of Skitch and Ruth Henderson, the Henderson Cultural Center at Hunt Hill Farm, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public opportunities to explore music, art, cuisine, and permanently protected historic open space.