When Dina Brewster’s grandparents bought their place in Ridgefield, Connecticut, in 1936, the town was dominated by small farms. Many of those farms eventually disappeared to development, or were leased or abandoned. But now some are being revitalized—sometimes, as in Brewster’s case, by the grandchildren of the original owners.
Brewster is the first family member to farm the homestead since her grandmother ran it as a sheep farm. After her grandparents stopped farming, the land lay fallow for years and then was leased to another farmer. Brewster took over the farm in 2006 and set about converting it to a certified organic operation. Read more »
Audrey Rowe speaking at the Faith, Families and Schools Conference in CT
It was all hands on deck at the 3rd Annual Faith, Families & Schools Conference held in Cromwell, Connecticut. I was extremely pleased to see many of my state colleagues working together in such an important effort. I participated as the keynote speaker and was introduced by George A. Coleman, Deputy Commissioner Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE). Working together for Student Success was the theme throughout conference. Members of numerous organizations set up exhibits and had the opportunity to listen to our FNS message. Read more »
Fresh-cut apple slices like this one quickly turn brown and mushy when exposed to air. USDA-ARS chemist Dominic Wong and his collaborators discovered a method to protect apple slices from browning.
This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio.
It’s hard to imagine average Americans of the 1950s and ‘60s walking around carrying bottles of water or worrying about getting to the gym three times a week. But just as lifestyles have changed over the decades, so have eating styles. Today’s Americans demand a variety of fresh, convenient, healthy, quick snacks and meals—and USDA scientists made a major contribution to meeting that demand. Read more »
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