Connecticut organic farm prides itself on offering exotic produce

Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain, Conn., offers its customers a variety of products including flowers, potted herbs and vegetables from more than 15 Connecticut vendors. Located on 3½ acres, Fox 43 reports the farm is the largest urban organic farm in New England. Fruit and vegetables that would never grow in Connecticut can be found in the farm’s greenhouse. Crops include grapefruit and fig trees, heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers from India, Tibet and Armenia, peppers from China and Mexico and kale from Italy. Gourmet restaurants from across the state are major customers of the farm. The television station reports the farm’s biggest seller is mixed salad greens, with sales of 40-50 pounds per week. But the recession has had an impact on business, said farm general manger Mike Kandefer, who has seen sales cut in half. Kandefer, who enjoys growing crops that are different, like the strawberry husk tomato, expects the farm will survive the economic downturn.