Dairy & Animal Products
Bison
Connecticut features a small but active number of bison farms, with three locations tending to nearly 200 of the animals. The farms offer ground meat, steaks, ribs, and other cuts, and describe bison as a low-calorie and low-cholesterol alternative to traditional meats.
Dairy Products
With 85 dairy farms and 19,000 milk cows, Connecticut has plenty of dairy products to discover. In addition to milk, these farms create products like cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. It’s all excellent quality — a Connecticut farm even won the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in 2023! For more on Connecticut’s dairy farms, click here.
Eggs
From backyard coops to factory farms, Connecticut has plenty of egg producers — including some of largest table egg producers in the Northeast! Collectively, these farms tend to millions of birds, which regularly lay fresh eggs for consumption.
Equine Animals
Connecticut has more horses than any other state in New England, with about 43,000 of the animals in private and commercial stables. Horses are largely used for recreational purposes, such as trail riding or competition, though draft horses are still sometimes used for labor like plowing fields or pulling wagons. A small number of Connecticut farms also raise equine animals like donkeys.
Fiber Products
Numerous farms in Connecticut raise animals for their wool or fiber, which can be used to make clothing, rugs, and other products. More than 400 farms tend to sheep, with more than 6,000 of these animals in the state. In addition, you can find alpaca, mohair goats, llamas, and rabbits on Connecticut farms.
Game Birds
Some areas in Connecticut stock game birds for hunting, and several farms in Connecticut raise these birds to supply them. These include chukars, pheasants, grouse, quail, and Hungarian partridge. Learn more about the small game and pheasant hunting locations for these birds here.
Goat and Sheep Milk Products
Goats are a common sight on Connecticut farms, with nearly 600 farms tending to more than 5,500 of these animals. There are also thousands of sheep raised in the state. Milk from goats and sheep is used for a wide variety of products, including cheese, beauty products, and soaps.
Honey and Bee Products
Connecticut farmers, as well as registered beekeepers, tend to more than 7,000 hives in Connecticut. Bees are valued not just for the goods they produce, namely honey and beeswax, but also because they pollinate other CT Grown crops. For more information on Connecticut’s beekeepers, click here.
Lamb
More than 400 farms in Connecticut raise sheep, sometimes for meat. Lamb is considered to be an alternative type of red meat. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, including roasts, stews, and burgers.
Pork
More than 200 farms in Connecticut raise pigs and hogs, with an inventory of more than 3,000 of these animals. Some farms are dedicated piggeries, offering cuts ranging from chops to whole pigs. These farms may also rent out smokers or roasters to help you prepare larger quantities of pork.
Poultry
Connecticut has more than 1,200 chicken farms, ranging from major operations to small farms. There are also more than 100 farms raising turkeys, and an assortment of poultry producers raising geese, ducks, and even emu!