Today I explored the CT Farm Map Website, which is based on a printed map put out by the CT Dept. of Agriculture (CT DoAG). The map is a collaborative effort between CT DoAG, CT Dept. of Transportation and UCONN College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
From the site: “With a choice of over 200 destinations, you can discover an array of farms, stables, greenhouses and pastoral scenery. Taste some Connecticut-made ice cream. Wander through colorful local nurseries. Visit a nearby farmers’ market for the freshest produce and artisanal foods. Sip our Connecticut vintners’ award winning wines. Boost the local farm economy and enjoy the open space.”
The map breaks the state down into counties. When you click on a county it lists the farms in that area on the right-hand side and displays markers on the map. When you click on a marker it gives you contact info and a brief summary of the farm. Then along the left-hand side, you can narrow your search by “commodity” within that geographic area. The commodities include ag tourism, Xmas trees, farmers’ markets, farm stands, honey, ice cream, livestock/equine, maple syrup, green house, orchards, pick your own, seafood and wineries.
I admit I was enticed by the simple, clean design. As for the substance…well…it’s a little thin. I decided to search for some organic farmer friends that I’ve featured on The Natural Princess. Unfortunately, I didn’t see most of them on the list. Maybe that’s because they are smaller places. Still, many of them have small roadside farm stands and welcome visitors. I think it would be nice for the website’s visitors to see just how many farms exist in our small state.
Overall, the CT Farm Map website concept is great. And, the simple design is great especially for those people who are a little less than tech savvy. However, there needs to be a lot more work to make the map truly comprehensive. I would suggest, as a start, to contact the CT Northeast Organic Farming Association. I want to see my organic farm friends fully represented.