Does anyone know our most frequently asked question? I'll bet some of you may have guessed what I'm about to say. If you answered, "Do you have a storefront?" you are correct!! Up until now, our answer was, "Sadly, no we do not." But... That's right!!!! Bittersweet Farm is opening a store! Not just a tea store either, a bistro! So, what is in store for you all in our new place? Tea, of course! By the bag, by the scoop, and by the cup! You can take a cup to go or sit in our bistro and enjoy it there. We'll also be serving up coffee and coffee drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. Hungry? We've got you! We'll be making hot panini or cold sandwiches and wraps, salads, and seasonal soups using local ingredients from CT farms. Local bread from an artisanal bakery, honey for that cup of tea from a local apiary, cookies and sweets... Need a spot to have your book club meeting, Mahjong game, or a place to snatch up some free wi-fi and get some work done? Want to order online and grab your lunch to go? Tea tastings and small parties? Need a cozy chair to curl up in? Welcome to Bittersweet Bistro! 176 Rt. 81 Building 5, Killingworth For those of you that have been our loyal customers, you have followed along as our business has grown and changed. We started way back in 2015 with just 3 types of tea. Our customers expressed a desire for other medicinal teas, caffeinated teas, iced teas, etc., and that helped us grow and adapt to the needs of our community. We expanded to selling wholesale to other stores, vending at bigger shows, and growing our returning customer base. To be honest, I am equally excited as I am terrified! There are so many details, so many legalities, so many balls to keep up in the air, but I am so grateful to have this opportunity. I can't wait to open the doors and welcome you all in, chat with everyone, serve up some healthy, local food, and give you all a place to shop our full and complete line of tea and seasonal products! Follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram, as we repaint, decorate, shop, organize, and move in, and of course, stay glued for our opening day and ribbon-cutting announcement! (Late summer) Be well, Kristy at Bittersweet (Bistro!)

Hello! I'm not about to do anything crazy like promise that this blog will be a weekly thing... After recently celebrating my 44th spin around the sun, I've learned a few things about myself and one is that if I can't figure out how to write a bunch of posts at once and set them to post on a schedule, I will be inconsistent with this blogging effort. Truthfully, I've always wanted to blog my days at Bittersweet and the farmers market that I run, with a bit of personal and a lot of funny sprinkled in. Not only do I think that blogs are fun to read if they are about topics that interest you, I feel that you can learn a fair bit from them and if written well, it can be like reading a small autobiography. The other truth is that before I was a gardener, herbalist, and small business owner, I was a writer. My first love, you could say, was writing. My degrees are in English and Literature, and my first 'fancy' job was "assistant editor' and writer at a newspaper. So, what CAN you expect from this blog? I'd say a fair dose of gardening, harvesting herbs, tea making, product chatter, farmers market goings on, and the trials and tribulations of running a small business. If this is interesting, then welcome! I hope you stay. Somewhere on this website, there's a place for you to subscribe to these blog posts. You'll get a notification when I post something new, or you can randomly check my website and pop in on your own accord. For now, I will leave this one as is and work on my next post which will focus on the beginnings of harvesting herbs this season, the opening of the farmers market, and the daily ramblings of Bittersweet Farm! Feel free to tell me what you'd like to see in these blogs - send me some topic ideas! Be well, Kristy @ Bittersweet

Future home of the Bittersweet Blog Spot

New! E-book! Quick View Beginner Gardening; an e-book notebook from Bittersweet Farm Price $10.00 Add to Cart Coming in Spring! Quick View One Box at a Time Crop Share Price $30.00 Out of Stock Quick View Herb Share CSA box Price $250.00 Add to Cart We’re cooking up our crop share/CSA program for the 2025 season, and it’s going to be very exciting! Plus, we’ve got one-week produce boxes and an herb share that’ll make your meals pop! Swing by the tea and store section to snag your weekly produce box or herb share. If you can’t find them, don’t worry—we’re just sold out for the week, not hiding from you! Get ready, because our produce boxes and herb shares will be rolling in starting May— let the veggie fun begin! OUR FARMSTAND Opening May 3!! Find our stand at 441 Candlewood Hill Road, Higganum. Look for a tent next to two large red barns. 2024 Veggies

Bittersweet Farm has turned into Bittersweet Bistro! Check out our full line of teas and stop in for lunch in Killingworth, CT. We source most of our ingredients from local businesses, from the coffee to the tomatoes! Bittersweet Farm and tea company SHOP TEAS SHOP OTHER PRODUCTS FARMSTAND INFO Hey! Glad you're here! Welcome to our exceptional herbal & beverage tea collection! We pride ourselves on using only the finest ingredients, many sourced directly from our small farm in Higganum, CT. Unlike grocery store teas, our blends showcase recognizable ingredients that you can see and appreciate. Never crushed, never powdered. With an abundance of health benefits and rich flavors, our all-natural herbal teas deliver unparalleled comfort and satisfaction in every cup! We also offer beverage, (caffeinated teas), made with the same recognizable, healthy ingredients. Handcrafted in small batches Locally grown herbs Unique recipes We use and stock over 100 herbs and spices to make more than 60 tea blends Click here to learn more! Bittersweet Farm is more than just a tea company; it’s also a small farm! We cultivate herbs for our teas and grow fresh vegetables that are available at our farmstand in Higganum. Kristy, the owner of Bittersweet Farm, also serves as the market manager for the Higganum Farmers, where you can find her along with her veggies and tea weekly, starting in June. Sign up for the monthly newsletter and stay up to date on markets, farm stands, shows, teas, the holiday rush, and everything in between! Join the Club Join our email list and get access to special deals, only available to our subscribers! Subscribe Now Thanks for submitting! Curious about where to find our teas? Click here ! Bittersweet Farm Events UPCOMING EVENTS 2025 ****************** May 3rd - Farm stand opens! 441 Candlewood Hill Road, Higganum ****************** May 4th - Killam & Bassette Farm Tasting Event - 1-4pm, Glastonbury ***************** May 10th - Glastonbury event TBA ****************** May 31st - Agricultural Day at Brainerd Library, Haddam. ****************** Bittersweet Farm merch, farmers market merch, and local farm merch is here! www.bittersweetfarm.printify.me Proceeds for Bittersweet Farm merch goes directly to the farm and any farmers market proceeds go directly to support the Higganum Farmers Market. Iced Teas Quick View Iced Fruit Cocktail Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Iced Gunpowder Green Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Iced Lemony Black tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Go Green Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Once in a Blue Moon Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart New! E-book! Quick View Beginner Gardening; an e-book notebook from Bittersweet Farm Price $10.00 Add to Cart New! Quick View Pre-Filled Tea Bags Price $9.00 Add to Cart New For Spring! Quick View Black Cherry Berry Price $9.00 Add to Cart New For Spring! Quick View Black Currant Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Berry Bramble Honeybush Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Very Berry Orange Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Good Vibes Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Cran-Orange Honeybush Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Summertime Iced Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Just Peachy Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Quick View Hibiscus Tea Price $9.00 Add to Cart Best sellers Quick View Anti-Inflammatory Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Flu Fighter Price $9.00 Quick View Ginger Lemon Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Lift the Fog - Earl Grey Price $9.00 Quick View Sleepy Time Herbal Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Hibiscus Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Berry Bramble Honeybush Price $9.00 Quick View Rise 'n Shine Price $9.00 Quick View Blood Pressure Support Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Stomach Settler Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Good Vibes Tea Price $9.00 Quick View DIY Elderberry Syrup Kit Price $20.00 Quick View Stainless Steel Tea Ball Price $5.00 Quick View Just Peachy Tea Price $9.00 Quick View Fibro-Be-Gone Tea Price $9.00

Meet The Team! Kristy Benson-Amarante Owner, Tea Artist, Workaholic Hi! I'm Kristy, owner of Bittersweet Farm. My journey began in Old Saybrook in 2015, and we relocated our farm to Higganum in 2020. I accidentally fell into making tea, and almost immediately began seriously studying herbs and honing my tea-making skills. As much as I love to grow things, I also love to create and make teas. I love nothing more than to hear that my tea helped someone feel better, help them fall asleep at night, or brought them or a loved one some comfort in a stressful time. I take what I do rather seriously and am passionate about creating teas that people need. I am sure that I have found my niche in the world, and I wake up every day grateful for this roller coaster of an adventure! Elaina Benson Keeper of the books, Bagger and Tagger, Sister I'm lucky to have this smart, strong sister behind me every step of the way- in business and in life. She not only does the books, but you'll catch her behind the table at events with me, and she's usually behind the scenes before big events helping us get ready. Thanks to Elaina practically pushing me out the door to do my first market in 2015, our little business took off. If it weren't for her encouragement and help, who knows how long it would have taken me to get out that door! Frank Amarante Hubby, Bagger and Tagger, QC. Frank dedicates so much time and energy to the farm and the tea business, as well as the gardens and many years at the farmers market - and that's when he's not at his full-time job! In essence, he does what needs to be done, and is my literal right-hand man, my first reader, sounding board, full-time support system, and best friend. Frank is an avid sports fan and can be found selling tea on the weekends at various events, and he'd love nothing more than to talk sports instead of tea! (Although he knows a great deal about tea too!) Alexa Aesthetic Coordinator, Sales Alexa is one smart cookie, and is now a freshman at Roger Williams Univ. Over the last many years, she devoted many of her summer days to helping her dear old mom run the farmers market in our town. She fills in at events when needed and can be coerced into bagging tea when needed. She critiques color and style choices regarding Bittersweet products and has named quite a few teas over the years. In her spare time, she writes poetry, sings, and is a fire spinner/performer. OUR MISSION "...concentric circles of healing [start] with ourselves, our friends, our family, circling outwards to our communities and from there into the bigger circles of the world." ~ Rosemary Gladstar ~ EDUCATION We spend a fair amount of time teaching classes all around the state, and now online. We believe that knowledge is power, and not only are we constantly learning, but we in turn share that knowledge as much as we can. Kristy has taught hundreds of free classes over the years, and enjoys every bit of it! OUR TEAS Bittersweet offers around 60 kinds of teas - all handcrafted in small batches, all designed and tested by our crew, and all made with love. We grow many herbs on our farm, and dry and store as much as we can. Our teas evolve with the seasons and the needs of our community. We have a line of medicinal teas for what might be ailing you, and a line of beverage teas that change with the seasons. We put a lot of love into growing, drying, and blending the herbs that we use, and we hope you enjoy drinking our teas as much as we enjoy making them! COMMUNITY OUTREACH Bittersweet spends much of their time traveling to markets, shows, events, and private functions and is always on the move! We enjoy talking to customers and helping them choose a tea blend that is right for them or their loved ones. Bittersweet is always happy to donate to local fundraisers, show up with tea samples at town events, and stay involved in our community. How Our Story Began ...and the mini-story of how we got our name In 2015, my family and mother moved onto a small farm because I had a dream of running my own farm one day. On moving day, my mother and then 9-year-old daughter took a break from unpacking and I found them outside making a wreath from bittersweet vines that surrounded what was to be our new garden fence. My mother, a master gardener before there was such a thing, could make a wreath out of anything you gave her. So, they proudly hung this wreath on our new front door and we went about settling in. Months later, as I was planning my veggie and small animal farm, I asked the living room at large what we should name our farm. Needless to say, it was immediately unanimous. During our first few years in business, we sold crop shares, raised small animals, and sold at farmers markets. A tea or two found their way onto our market tables and into our weekly crop share boxes and they were a hit! As those years passed, I studied herbs and practiced blending teas and received so much positive feedback. People felt that this was something they needed and wanted, and I enjoyed the entire process so much that our farm and business slowly transitioned away from crop shares and into tea. By 2019, we were all tea, all the time, yet our name was still Bittersweet Farm. It wasn't until 2021 when I was meeting with business moguls and advisors that they suggested that the name of our business didn't fit what we did, for a few reasons. We mulled this over, tossed out many ideas, and decided that we would transition to Bittersweet Tea Company, although we are still technically a farm and grow many herbs here for our teas. Eventually, we thought that we would lose the name 'Bittersweet' altogether, as it doesn't quite seem like a word that goes with a cup of tea. Generally, I make any changes in the winter and roll out anything new before spring hits, so I sat with this idea over the 2022 holidays and into the first of the year. Then, in mid-January '23, my mother passed away unexpectedly. To say that I was and still am heartbroken and a little bit lost would be an understatement. But now, as I design a new website and roll out the idea of 'Bittersweet Tea Company' I know in my heart that that will remain our name. My mother was an entrepreneur herself and her knowledge, guidance, support, and downright cheerleading gave me the courage to start this business many years ago. I will never forget my mother and daughter making that wreath and then proudly shouting out the name 'Bittersweet Farm.' That is how we began this adventure, and that is how we shall remain. Bittersweet in the News Soundbytes, tidbits, and our 15 mintues of fame Edible CT East Magazine That one time that we were extras in a Lifetime movie and got the chance to be written into the script as 'Fraser's Christmas Tea!' Summer '22 interview with Ann Nyberg from WTNH. Check out this great, local magazine that features area farms and food! And find us in the winter edition! On the set of "Rediscovering Christmas" - a Lifetime movie filmed at Comstock Ferre. Random newspaper clippings on the Higganum Farmers Market, which Bittersweet Farm is the host of.