Best Places for Home Ownership? Glastonbury, Enfield, Terryville Top List

The best places for home ownership in Connecticut are in Glastonbury, Enfield and Plymouth, according to an analysis that included home ownership rates, monthly homeowner costs, median household income, home value and population growth. Glastonbury Center, the Southwood Acres section of Enfield and the Terryville section of Plymouth were ranked as the top three slices of Connecticut for home ownership in the analysis by the website nerdwallet.com, which provides analysis on financial and consumer issues. Rounding out the top 10 were the Kensington section of Berlin, Simsbury Center, Cos Cob, Trumbull, Windsor Locks, Orange and North Haven.

NerdWallet looked at 60 communities in Connecticut with populations of at least 5,000 to determine what places were the best for homeownership. Overall, the pointed out that “although its median home value is substantially higher than the national average, Connecticut’s proximity to New York and Massachusetts, and its many commuting options, make the state a top destination for homeownership.”

Of the top three, the website pointed out:

• With a two-year population growth of 6.95% and an unemployment rate of just 1.4%, Glastonbury Center has all the signs of a top home destination.
• Up north, near the border with Massachusetts, Southwood Acres is within driving distance of Hartford and Springfield, Mass., and boasts the highest homeowner rate among our top 10.
• Terryville is the largest village within the town of Plymouth. It has shown relatively strong population growth (2.57%), and is the most affordable median home value among our top 10.

The next ten on the list of best places for home owneership in Connecticut include: 11. Shelton (city), 12. Newington, 13. Stratford, 14. Wethersfield, 15. West Hartford, 16. Bethel, 17. Riverside section of Greenwich, 18. East Haven, 19. Milford (city), and 20. Winsted.

The analysis focused on three main questions:

Are homes available? They looked at the area’s homeownership rate to determine the availability of homes. Areas with a high homeownership rate led to a higher overall score. (A low homeownership rate was seen as indicating competitive inventory, more options for renters rather than buyers and expensive housing.)

Can you afford to live there? They looked at median household income, monthly homeowner costs and median home value to assess affordability and determine whether residents could live comfortably in the area. Monthly homeowner costs were used to measure cost of living. Areas with high median incomes and low cost of living scored higher.

Is the area growing? The website’s analysis measured population growth to determine if the area is attracting new residents and showing signs of solid growth. This was seen as a signal of a robust local economy - another attractive characteristic for homebuyers.

Homeownership rate and population change from 2010 to 2012 each made up 33.3% of the total score, using data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Selected monthly owner costs as a percentage of median household income made up 16.7% of the total score, and median home value made up 16.7% of the total score.

Most Exciting in Connecticut? New Haven, New London, Hartford Lead the Way

Wondering where the most exciting places are in Connecticut? If New Haven is the first place that comes to mind, you’re right. New Haven was named the “Most Exciting Place in Connecticut,” followed by New London, Hartford, Stamford, and Manchester in an analysis by the real estate website Movoto. Described as “the most thrilling, the most rousing, and the most downright exciting,” the top 10 list for Connecticut includes five Fairfield County municipalities and many of the state's largest cities:

1. City of New Haven 2. City of New London 3. City of Hartford 4. City of Stamford (tie) 4. Town of Manchester (tie) 6. City of Bridgeport 7. City of Norwalk 8. Town of West Hartford 9. Town of Greenwich 10. Town of Westport

The website’s analysis pointed out that “New Haven had a ton of nightlife and music venues per capita” and was “much more densely populated than most other places in the state.” New London scored points in the website’s analysis for its “high percentage of young folks (just like New Haven, 36 percent between 18 and 34), and for its high number of nightlife options, music venues, and arts per capita.” New London ranked No. 1 in both nightlife and music venues, and No. 2 for its arts.

The highlights for Hartford noted that the Capitol City is “the second-most densely populated place in Connecticut; a good portion of that population is between the ages of 18 and 34- 31 percent, to be exact. With bars like Pourhouse and the Russian Lady, music venues like Webster Theatre, and so many museums, galleries, and festivals we can’t even name them all, Hartford is certainly way more exciting than just insurance.”

In order to come up with the list of 10, the website started out with a list of all the places in Connecticut with populations of 10,000 or more, according to the U.S. Census (2010), which provided 38 towns and cities. Then, they used the Census and business listings to assess:

• Nightlife per capita (bars, clubs, comedy, etc.)
• Live music venues per capita
• Active life options per capita (parks, outdoor activities, etc.)
• Arts and Entertainment per capita (movie theaters, festivals, galleries, theaters, etc.)
• Fast Food restaurants per capita (the fewer the better)
• Percentage of restaurants that are not fast food (the higher the better)
• Percentage of young residents ages 18 to 34 (the higher the better)
• Population density (the higher the better)

The municipalities were then ranked with scores from one to 38, where the lower the score, the more exciting the place.

Two Greater Hartford communities, in addition to the city, made the list – Manchester and West Hartford.

“Manchester also scored highly for its number of arts and entertainment options per capita, like the unique MCC on Main,” a program of Manchester Community College located on Main Street in the heart of the town. West Hartford, the website reported, “seemed to find its excitement, not in the nightlife … but in lots of healthy options,” including sports stores, gyms, galleries, theaters and “tons of restaurants.” Westport “really shined” in the number of yoga studios, sports stores, running clubs, parks, and places to get fit.”

Falling just outside the top 10 were West Haven, Stratford, Torrington, Middletown, Groton, New Britain, Storrs, Danbury, Derby and Wethersfield.

Jonathan's Dream Reimagined to Kick-Off Next Chapter

The original Jonathan's Dream playground, inspired by the Barzach family of West Hartford and built in 1996 as what would become the prototype for Boundless Playgrounds across the country, an inclusive, accessible play space for families and children of all abilities. It was a vibrant playground until 2013, when time and heavy usage of the wooden playground necessitated that it be taken down. But now, community leaders are back at it again, developing plans for what is described as “Jonathan's Dream Reimagined” – a new playground that will be accessible to children of all abilities - and include some new innovations for today's children.  Sunday, July 27, from 12 Noon to 3 PM,  will be the kick-off for the new effort, with free activities for children at the Mandell Jewish Community Center, site of the playground.

The new Jonathan's Dream will be designed to extend the original legacy with an engaging playground that keeps children of all ages and abilities active and moving. Leadership Greater Hartford (LGH) has convened a taskforce of alumni from its Quest and Third Age Initiative programs to help rebuild the new Jonathan's Dream, working with the Mandell JCC.. The project is also supported by Shane’s Inspiration and Jumpstart, along with a “Dream Team” of local agencies and individuals who have joined forces to advance the initiative.

Jonathan’s Dream Re-Imagined will be rebuilt three to six months after the needed funds are raised. Donations to help rebuild Jonathan’s Dream will be accepted at the July kick-off event. The project to rebuild Jonathan’s Dream is expected to cost $950,000 and, once funds are raised, will take three to six months to complete.

The original Jonathan’s Dream (photo at right), a wooden, wheelchair- accessible, inter-generational playground, was built by more than 1,000 volunteers in 1996 in memory of Jonathan Barzach, who died before his first birthday. Had Jonathan lived, he would have needed to use a wheelchair for his entire life. His family imagined that in Jonathan’s dreams, he would have wanted children of all abilities to be able to play and celebrate together.

Jonathan’s Dream was one of the first inclusive playgrounds in the country.  It led the way for the nonprofit organization Boundless Playgrounds, which coordinated the construction of similar playgrounds throughout the country.  Today, more than 100,000 children play on more than 200 Boundless Playgrounds in 31 states.

It began in Connecticut, with the inspirational leadership of Amy Barzach, Jonathan's mom. Back in 1994, she was at a playground with her two sons when she noticed a little girl in a wheelchair who could not join in the fun because the playground was not accessible to her.  A year later, she remembered that little girl when disability, then tragedy, reached her family, with Jonathan's passing.  With husband Peter and son Daniel, they began the effort to build an inclusive playground, and called it Jonathan's Dream.

To learn more about Jonathan’s Dream Reimagined please visit www.jonathansdreamreimagined.org.

CT Slips from #18 to #21 in State Bikeability Comparison

Connecticut has dropped from 18th to 21st in the rankings of the bicycle-friendliest states, according to the League of American Bicyclists 2014 survey. Every year, the League ranks all 50 states on their bikeability, based on a mutli-faceted Bicycle Friendly State℠ questionnaire. They look at five categories: Legislation & Enforcement, Policies & Programs, Infrastructure & Funding, Education & Encouragement, and Evaluation & Planning.

Overall, the state received 40 out of 100 points, slightly less that the 40.9 earned a year ago, when Connecticut ranked 18th.

On a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the highest grade, Connecticut received a 4 in legislation & enforcement, 3 in policies & programs, 3 in education & encouragement, and a 1 in infrastructure & funding.

The top-ranked states were Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Delaware, Oregon, Colorado, Maryland, Utah and California.  Connecticut, ranked 21st, was between Idaho and Tennessee. The top state in New England for bicyclists was Massachusetts, ranked 10th, according to the survey.

The survey highlights "10 signs of success" in analyzing each of the states.  Connecticut currently has 6 of the 10 in place, according to the survey report:  an active state advocacy group, Complete Streets policy, state bicycle plan, bicycle safety emphasis in the strategic highway safety plan, bicycle education for police, and a safe passing/vulnerable user law.

The Bicycle Friendly State℠ program is designed to establish best practices in states across the program.  In the 2014 survey, the least bicycle-friendly states were Alabama, Montana, and Kentucky.

The League, established in 1880, represents bicyclists in the movement to create
 safer roads, stronger communities, and a bicycle-friendly America. Through information, advocacy and promotion, the organization works to celebrate and preserve the freedom cycling brings to members everywhere.

Connecticut Ranks #14 in Union Membership

Connecticut’s percentage of union members in its workforce – 13.5 percent - places the state at #14 in the nation for the percentage of union members. The top ten states are New York (24.4 percent), Alaska (23.1 percent), Hawaii (22.1 percent), Washington (18.9 percent), Rhode Island (16.9 percent), California (16.4 percent), Michigan (16.3 percent), New Jersey (16 percent), Illinois (15.8 percent), and Nevada (14.6 percent).

At the other end of the scale, the states with the smallest percentage of union members are Utah, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas and North Carolina, all under 4 percent union members, according to data reported by Bloomberg.com.

Connecticut, ranked #14 just behind Massachusetts, has seen its percentage of union membership decline from 16.4 percent in 2000 to 14 percent at the start of 2012 to 13.5 percent at the start of 2013.

Nationwide, union membership has dropped from 20.1% of the workforce in 1983 to 11.2% last year, according to the website 24/7 Wall Street.

The union membership rate is defined as the percent of wage and salary workers that are members of a union. The data on union membership were collected as part of the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 households that obtains employment information among the nation’s civilian non-institutional population aged 16 and over.

The union membership rate is updated annually by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data used was from 2012; the 2013 data is anticipated in September 2014.

Strong Freedom-of-Information Laws Reduce Government Corruption About 20 Percent, Study Finds

Freedom of Information (FOI) laws in states across the country have reduced the rate at which officials committed corrupt acts by about 20 percent, according to an analysis by Adriana S. Cordis of Winthrop University and Patrick L. Warren of Clemson University. In the immediate aftermath of implementation of strong FOI laws, corruption-conviction rates approximately doubled, suggesting that the regulations made it easier to detect malfeasance. Over time, conviction rates declined, suggesting that overall corruption diminished, the authors say. The changes are more pronounced in states with more intense media coverage, the study noted.

The paper states that “if we consider only state and local convictions per government employee, then the most corrupt states for the years 1986-2009 are Montana, Mississippi, North Dakota and New Jersey, and the least corrupt states are Iowa, Utah, Colorado, South Dakota and New Hampshire.”

Connecticut, which came to be referred to as “Corrupticut” in the wake of political scandals involving former Gov. John G. Rowland, former State Treasurer Paul Silvester, former Waterbury Mayor Philip Giordano and former Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganci (among others), is not highlighted in the study. The state was among the first to adopt strong FIO laws in the 1970’s. In the aftermath of the killings at Sandy Hook in 2012, state officials have been revising some of those laws, raising concerns among FOI advocates.

The study indicates that 12 states switched from weak to strong FOIA during their two decade sample period: New Hampshire (1987), South Carolina (1988), Idaho (1991), Utah (1993), Washington (1993), West Virginia (1993), New Mexico (1994), Texas (1996), North Dakota (1998),Nebraska (2001), New Jersey (2002), and Pennsylvania (2003).

“Based on average scores, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Colorado, and Vermont are among the states with relatively stronger access laws, while South Dakota, Alabama, Arizona, Wyoming and Nevada are among the states with relatively weaker access laws,” the researchers stated.

The authors pointed out that “FOI laws provide clear guarantees regarding the rights of individuals and organizations to access information about government activities, and they make it easier for members of the press and members of the public at large to hold those in power accountable for their actions.”

They conclude that utilizing a variety of econometric specifications, that the short-run effect of a state moving from weaker to stronger FIO laws “is an approximate doubling in the probability that a corrupt act is detected and convicted.” They continue, “corruption conviction rates decline from this new elevated level as the time since the switch from weak to strong FOIA increases.” Cordis stressed to CT by the Numbers that the approximately 20 percent decline in the rate at which officials commit corrupt acts in response to a stronger FOI law is an estimate based on the research.

The paper was published this month in the Journal of Public Economics and has been featured this year on the Social Science Research Network and was highlighted by Harvard Business Review.

Adriana S. Cordis is an Assistant Professor of Accounting at Winthrop University in South Carolina. Her areas of teaching expertise include managerial and cost accounting, and her research focuses on capital-market and transfer-pricing issues. She also has a long-standing interest in corruption from a public policy perspective. Patrick L. Warren is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Clemson University. His research has focused on decision making in public sector organizations, auditing and political accountability.

Connecticut Energy Costs are Third Highest in the US, Analysis Finds

The only states in the nation with higher monthly energy bills for consumers are Mississippi and Hawaii. Connecticut is ranked as the 3rd most energy expensive state in the country, according to a new analysis by WalletHub, which used six key metrics to rank the states according to their tendency to produce the highest or lowest monthly energy bills. The analysis points out that “lower prices don’t always equate with lower costs, as consumption is a key determinant in the total amount of an energy bill.” Connecticut’s monthly energy cost for consumers, according to the analysis, is $404, ranking the state 49th out of 51 (the 50 states plus the District of Columbia). Mississippi’s total monthly cost paid by consumers averages $414, while Hawaii’s is $451.

In terms of specific energy sources, the state ranked 50th in monthly electric cost ($143) and 48th in the cost of natural gas ($94). Perhaps due to the size of Connecticut, the state ranked 14th in fuel cost, at $167 per month, despite the state’s gas tax being among the highest in the nation. (see breakdown below)

In the United States, 7.1 percent of the average consumer’s total income is spent on energy costs, including fuel, natural gas and electricity.

The states with the least expensive energy costs for consumers, taking consumption into account, are Colorado ($301), Washington State ($302), Montana ($305), Rhode Island ($307), Nebraska ($312), the District of Columbia ($314), Pennsylvania ($317), Arkansas ($319), Delaware ($319) and Iowa ($319).

The other New England States, in addition to Rhode Island landing towards the top and Connecticut near the bottom, were bunched in the middle: Massachusetts ranked #35, New Hampshire #26, Vermont #28, and Maine #32.

Breaking out prices from consumption, Connecticut’s energy picture for consumers as compared with other states, is:

• 49th – Price of Electricity
• 16th – Electricity Consumption per Consumer
• 44th – Price of Natural Gas
• 48th – Natural Gas Consumption per Consumer
• 46th – Price of Fuel
• 10th – Fuel Consumption per Driver

The analysis was released in July because it tends to be the hottest month of the year in the contiguous U.S., and as a result it has the highest energy consumption.

If you’re wondering how all this was calculated, WalletHub provides the answer: (Average Monthly Consumption of Electricity x Average Retail Price of Electricity) + (Average Monthly Consumption of Natural Gas x Average Natural Gas Residential Prices) + [Average Fuel Price * (Average Monthly Vehicle Miles Traveled / Average Car Consumption / Number of Drivers)] = Average Monthly Energy Bill Consumers Pay in Each State

WalletHub, described as “the social network for your wallet,” provides data to help readers “make smart financial decisions.” The site points out that “during the summer, when many Americans undergo major life transitions such as relocating to start a new job or start a family, the difference in energy costs among states becomes an important financial consideration.”  Connecticut ranks #49.

New Owners, Big Changes at Former “Big D”; Classic Rock Formats Differ by Geography

At the start of this week, Westport-based Connoisseur Media became the new owners of Connecticut’s oldest radio station, WDRC, owned for the past half-century by Buckley Broadcasting. The sale also included Buckley Connecticut stations WMMW AM in Meriden, WWCO AM in Waterbury and WSNG AM in Torrington, which have been added to Connoisseur stations in New Haven and Fairfield counties, WPLR, WYBC, the Fox and Star. At WDRC, virtually within minutes, several on-air personalities, the general manager and program director became former employees. The station’s website and Facebook changed, a new logo was launched, and a station with a heritage as one of the nation’s best know music stations as rock-n-roll took root in the 1960’s adopted a tagline that read “Classic Hits of the ‘70’s, ‘80’s and More.” Veteran broadcasters Mike Stevens, ‘Rockin’ Ron Sedaille, Floyd Wright and Grahame Winters were all dropped by WDRC’s new owners this week, along with Vice President/General Manager Eric Fahnoe.

The company’s largest cluster of stations is in the Northeast, predominantly in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But Connoisseur also owns stations in markets including Billings, MT, Rapid City, SD, Witchita, KS, Omaha, NE, and Bloomington, IL.

The station’s website now lists the quartet of Kim Zachary, Mike Lapitino, Allan Lamberti, and Rob Ray as on-air talent. Lapitino has been 99.1 WPLR’s afternoon air personality; Lamberti has handled the evening hours at the New Haven-based station. Lamberti, who has also been on air at Connoisseur’s Fairfield County classic rock station, 95.9 FOX, was on the afternoon drive shift at WDRC-FM. Chaz & AJ, the veteran morning drive duo, are heard simultaneously on both the New Haven and Fairfield County stations.

CEO Jeffrey D. Warshaw founded Connoisseur Communications Partners, LP, in 1993. Through strategic purchases of multiple single radio stations in medium to small sized radio markets, the company grew to 39 stations (owned or operated) prior to this week’s final sale of the Connecticut stations.

In May, the company also announced plans to purchase WALK-AM/FM on Long Island, where the company already owns four radio stations. Among them are some Classic Rock formatted stations, although a national study released this week suggests that what listens hear in such a format varies across the country.

A new study by the well-respected data-driven website FiveThirtyEight “found that classic rock is more than just music from a certain era, and that it changes depending on where you live. What plays in New York — a disproportionate amount of Billy Joel, for example — won’t necessarily fly in San Antonio, which prefers Mötley Crüe.” The website studied the airplay of classic rock stations in the nation’s top 30 markets for a week, and analyzed what was played.

“Classic rock is heavily influenced by region, and in ways that are unexpected. For example, Los Angeles is playing Pearl Jam, a band most popular in the 1990s, five times more frequently than the rest of the country. Boston is playing the ’70s-era Allman Brothers six times more frequently.” WDRC was not included in their review of classic rock stations in the nation’s top markets.

The website reported that “the trend steadily held” for songs “of the ’70s and through the mid-’80s,” with the 10-year period from 1973 to 1982 accounting for 57 percent of all song plays. When ‘60’s songs were played, they were predominantly from the Beatles, the study summary noted. “Classic rock peaked — by song plays — in 1973.”

The analysis also found that “the top 25 most frequently played artists — the likes of Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and the Rolling Stones — together account for almost half of the spins on classic rock stations in the U.S. Another way of saying that is 5 percent of all the bands played on these stations made up nearly 50 percent of the song plays — which shows that there is at least a classic rock core.”

Staff changes are yet to be finalized, but at present Connoisseur ‘s General Manager for its stations in southern Connecticut, Kristin Okesson, will oversee the Hartford area stations. Okesson currently manages WPLR, WEZN, WFOX, and WYBC.

WDRC is considered the oldest radio station in Connecticut, begun in 1920 in New Haven by Franklin Doolittle Radio Corp., eventually relocating to Hartford (ultimately to 750 Main Street) and then to its current location at 869 Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield. WDRC-AM switched from a music to talk format decades ago, with WDRC-FM retaining the “Big D” style popularized in the ‘60’s and tweaked through the decades.

Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Would Consider Coworking, If Only They Knew What It Was

Good news, bad news. That might be the best way to describe the results of a national survey by CoworkCT into public awareness of, and interest in, coworking. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) said they would consider working in a collaborative work environment once they understood the concept (good news), but 60% said they had never heard of it (bad news). CoworkCT, a network of coworking communities whose members include small businesses, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and contractors who share space, resources, and ideas, conducted the national survey to better understand how familiar Americans are with coworking. Answer:  they're not.

A new website will be launched next week at www.coworkct.org, with more information about coworking in Connecticut.  Additional data, links and information will be added to the current test site, to assist in explaining the coworking concept to what the study suggests will be a receptive public.

According to the survey, the demographic groups most inclined to consider a coworking environment were 18 to 34 year olds (75%) and residents of the Northeast (72%). That is certainly true of Connecticut, which has seen growth in the concept in recent years, with coworking locations established in communities across the state, including Danbury Hackerspace, reSET (Hartford), the Grove (New Haven), B-Hive (Bridgeport), Stamford Innovation Center and Axis 901 (Manchester).  Each will have a presence on the news website, reflecting their growing community presence.

CoworkCT reports that the average cost of a coworking membership is $200 per month and the average cost of a private desk or office in a coworking facility is $350. The data from the survey showed that on average, people think the monthly cost of an individual coworking membership is $1,300.  Not even close.

Other key findings from the research include:

• Nearly 40% of respondents said that collaboration with other professionals (not necessarily within their organization) was the most attractive feature of a coworking space, followed by 19% of respondents who chose affordability
• Forty percent of respondents thought small businesses with fewer than 10 employees were best-suited for coworking, followed by 21% of respondents who said entrepreneurs would be the best fit
• More than half of respondents (55%) said they thought it costs more than $500 per person per month for an individual space in a coworking environment

CoworkCT is a network of Connecticut coworking communities where members share space, resources, and ideas. The goal of the network is to educate the public on the benefits of coworking and increase general awareness for the collaborative work style.

CoworkCT is coordinated by CT Next, Connecticut’s innovation ecosystem supporting the success of companies and entrepreneurs by providing guidance, resources and networks to accelerate their growth. The statewide network “connects promising companies to mentors, collaborative work spaces, universities, vendors, suppliers and other like-minded entrepreneurs to help facilitate the growth and scalability of their business.”  CT Next is a program of CT Innovations, the leading source of financing and ongoing support for Connecticut’s innovative, growing companies.

Among the other coworking sites in Connecticut that are expected to be invited to the new CoworkCT website are SoNo Spaces in South Norwalk, Group 88 in Simsbury , and The Soundview, Colodesk and Comradity, all in Stamford.

The national data in the report was based on an ORC International telephone CARVAN® Omnibus survey conducted among a sample of 1,006 adults 18 and older living in the continental U.S. Interviews were completed from April 24 to 27, 2014.

Connecticut Agriculture Growth Gains National Attention

Connecticut may be the third smallest state in the nation, but it has a large agricultural presence - which led to the state being featured recently by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the federal agency’s website. Bucking the national trend, USDA reports, Connecticut farming has been growing for the past two decades. The state - based on the 2012 Census of Agriculture - has nearly 6,000 farms, which is a remarkable 60 percent increase from the 3,754 farms in Connecticut in 1982. At the same time, the state’s farmland acreage remained relatively stable, which means that the size of an average farm has been trending down, to an average of 73 acres.

More than 900 Connecticut farms harvested vegetables for sale in 2012, with bell peppers being the most popular crop. To meet the needs of East Coast homeowners and landscapers, in 2012, 880 of Connecticut's nurseries, greenhouses, floriculture and sod farms grew and sold almost $253 million worth of those crops.

In addition, Connecticut’s coastal area has hosted shellfish farms since Colonial times. In 2012, the state’s aquaculture industry sold nearly $20 million worth of seafood, primarily shellfish from Long Island Sound. There is livestock as well, USDA notes, with 774 farms in Connecticut raising cattle and calves. Most of the sales on the livestock end come from milk, however. In 2012, the state’s farms sold nearly $70 million worth of milk from cows.

Contrary to history and stereotype, in 2012 more than 25 percent of all Connecticut farms were operated by women as principal operators. That is an incremental increase from 23 percent in 2007. Overall, the 2012 Census counted more than 3,700 women farmers in the state.

Connecticut farmers have also stepped up their efforts to get agricultural products into consumers’ hands, the USDA report indicated. With the growing “buy local” movement, nearly a quarter of Connecticut farms market human food products directly to consumers. About 10 percent of the farms in the state now market their products directly to retail outlets such as restaurants, stores, and institutions; and at the same time, 218 of our farms participate in community-supported agriculture programs allowing local residents to partake in their harvest.

Although the USDA did not specifically mention the longstanding “Connecticut Grows” campaign from the state’s Department of Agriculture, it has served as a lynchpin for intensified efforts using technology.

The CT Grown Program was developed in 1986, during the administration of former Gov. William A. O’Neill, when the now-familiar green and blue logo was created to identify agricultural products grown in the state. During nearly three decades, the CT Grown Program has blossomed into a multifaceted campaign that promotes these products through a diverse array of avenues in local, regional, national and international markets.

It now features CT Grown producer listings and brochures, connections to farmers markets, the CT Seafood Council, CT Farm Wine Development Council, CT Food Policy Council, CT Milk Promotions Board, and other related councils and commissions.

More recently, the website www.buyctgrown.com was established as “a place to connect people who are ready to discover CT Grown foods and experience Connecticut agriculture.” buyCTgrown is a program of the non-profit CitySeed and receives support from our partners including UConn Extension, CT Farm Bureau, CT NOFA, and the CT Department of Agriculture.

The website’s “CT 10% Campaign” asks people to spend 10 percent of their existing food and gardening dollars on locally grown goods.” Individuals and businesses can sign up to “take the pledge” on the website, and will receive ongoing information about locally grown products.