We held our 10th annual Tastes of the Valley feast and fundraiser on Sunday, September 13, at The Mansion at Bald Hill in Woodstock, CT.

For the third year in a row, participants voted for Bella’s Bistro from Putnam, CT, as the “Best Cuisine of the 2015 Tastes of the Valley,” for its Black Currant Braised Short Ribs with Slow Cooked Collard Greens and Leeks, topped with Black Currant and Apple Red Cabbage Relish. Bella’s created its dish using products from 18th-Century Purity Farm, Buell’s Orchard, Lapsley Orchard, Maple Lane Farm, New Boston Beef, Palazzi Orchard, Unbound Glory, and Wayne’s Organic Garden.

The “Best Beverage” competition resulted in a two-way tie between Black Pond Brews of Danielson, CT, and Sharpe Hill Vineyard from Pomfret, CT, both taking top honors for the second year in a row. Black Pond Brews’ offerings included Tears of Amber and Steampunk Coffee Stout brewed with coffee from Steampunk Café on Main Street in Danielson, CT. Sharpe Hill’s offerings included Ballet of Angels, Angelica Rosé, Fleur Rouge, and Red Seraph.

Thank you to all of the fine restaurants, beverage providers, and farms for their generous contributions to this event, including: 85 Main, Baldwin Brook Farm, Ben’s Beans, Bentley Brewing, Blackmer Farm, Blue Slope Farm, Cafémantic, Chase Road Growers, Couët Farm & Fromagerie, Creamery Brook Bison, Devon Point Farm, Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, G Seven Catering, Good Bug Gardens, Hart’s Greenhouse & Florist, Grill 37, Heirloom Food Company, Hosmer Mountain Soda, Marty’s of Dudley, Meadow Stone Farm, Oliver Wight Tavern at Old Sturbridge Village, Publick House Historic Inn, Raspberry Knoll Farm, Renee’s Working Girl Catering Service, Soleil & Suns Bakery, Taylor Brooke Winery, The Farmer’s Cow, The Inn at Woodstock Hill, The Mansion at Bald Hill, The Vanilla Bean Café, Turtle Ledge Farm, We-Li-Kit Farm, Westford Hill Distillers, Willimantic Brewing Company and Woodstock Farms.

We raised more than $25,000 to support our programs, in large part due to our generous sponsors: Platinum Level – Fiberoptics Technology Inc., Rebecca Harvey, Millennium Power, Savings Institute Bank & Trust, and UNFI Helping Hands; Gold Level – Charter Oak Federal Credit Union, Keith & Elaine Knowlton, and Putnam Bank; Silver Level – Southbridge Savings Bank, The Mansion at Bald Hill, and Titan Energy; Bronze Level – MaryLou Davis, Farm Credit East, Donna & Bruce Kosa, and Village Electric.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, participants, and volunteers!