I drive to Little Dipper Farm on winding back roads through the woods of northeastern CT to emerge from under a canopy of new spring leaves. Suddenly the vista swells to vast blue skies over wide green fields framed by rustic stone walls. Little Dipper’s classic, whitetrimmed red outbuildings and tan 1740s clapboard Colonial are a focal point ahead. In late May, knee-high grass waves in an ever-present breeze on this pastoral New England hilltop. I take a deep breath as I pass between verdant fields, exhale, feel suddenly lighter. Pulling into a small gravel lot in front of the historic barn, I notice a sign beside the sliding barn door: “Come. Be present. Enjoy.”

Venus and her wife Lori Corriveau lived in Boston when they purchased the nearly 600-acre farm in 2021, when the pandemic elbowed many to make big life changes. Having grown up in Putnam, Venus heard that Hillanddale Farm in Brooklyn, CT, was for sale.

This gorgeous property was home to the Golden Lamb Buttery restaurant for 50 years—regionally famous for its idyllic landscape, rustic elegance and quirky entertainment. Lori and Venus brought strong business and hospitality experience to their passionate country dream but no familiarity working the land. Regardless, they “bought the farm.” Five years later, they are finally living the dream–literally, having sold their Boston home last year and moved their family to rural Connecticut.

“We sold our house, we sold our life, and we’re here working our butts off,” says Venus, as she enthusiastically shows me newly planted fields where she is learning to farm from the ground up. “I’ve never been so happy to be so exhausted. That’s what I say to my friends in Boston.” Even while living off-site the last five years, Venus and Lori refined their business model, grew through challenges and successes. Now they are fully immersed in their passion project, making Little Dipper Farm “a place of retreat, education, and sustainable agriculture that promotes inclusivity and community.”

What does that mean? Little Dipper is both a working farm and a gathering place. Its historic barn (renovated by the Corriveaus to include a restaurant-quality kitchen, ADA compliant bathrooms, professional sound system, heating/cooling, etc.) and beautiful fields host weddings and private events, three annual market-style festivals with vendors, a monthly farm-to-table dinner series, a monthly music series, a weekend market/café, yoga, cooking/ foraging/growing workshops, the list goes on. The through line is simple: at the intersection of nature and community, place and people, Little Dipper Farm is about connection.

Venus shows me the 100-foot high tunnel she erected (and learned to use power tools on); a mobile chicken coop with 30 happy foraging hens; neat rows of garlic, green onions, and newly planted brassicas tucked under a white mesh covering. She calls them her little babies, knowing now how tender they are, how vulnerable. “Obviously, we’re a farm. That’s important, being a sustainable farm and educating people about that. In the meantime, we want to grow enough food to serve people coming to dinner here, have some in our market, and sell locally to the Willimantic Co-op.”

The Little Dipper Farm vision has solidified for Venus, complete with dirty fingernails and tired body but grateful heart. While scheduling and running the many events at Little Dipper, she also is learning to farm. With zero experience even gardening, Venus is taking on every task, every chore, every mistake. “I need to understand what all the pieces look like,” she says. “My wife thinks I’m crazy, but I told her, how am I supposed to hire somebody to work on our farm if I don’t know what direction we’re going and if I don’t know what they need to be doing?”

The local farm community is supportive, lending Venus tools and knowledge, letting her pick their brains. “I ask everybody questions,” she laughs. “I’m never going to work this much again. I’m going to make a lot of mistakes, but I’ll learn right.”

Lori is still working full-time in finance semiremotely from the farm–“To pay the mortgage,” Venus clarifies, laughing. She also provides food/chef connections for Little Dipper, schedules the musical groups, and participates in most farm events. Lori grew up with a family dairy farm in Virginia, where she spent many weekends and most summers. She recalls big meals, lots of new people to meet, and many projects to help with. “You would be welcomed with a big hug, iced tea and then likely be shelling beans on the porch for hours with whoever was staying at the time,” she says.

“I want the community we are hoping to build at Little Dipper Farm to match that immediate feeling of belonging. A comfort level created by warm hospitality that often activates all the senses,” Lori explains. “The people that show up for the myriad events we host all have a special place at the Little Dipper Farm table. We understand how isolating and unnatural our world has become for so many. Being able to provide a restorative space so rooted in history, nature and community is very meaningful to us. We also need it ourselves.”

May’s “Green & Growing” farm-to-table dinner is held in Little Dipper’s historic barn. Exposed hand-hewn beams frame soaring ceilings. Rustic plank floors are polished by time and thousands of footsteps. This night, the sliding doors to a deck are closed to cool rain but the view is still stunning: rolling green fields, a glimmering pond, shaggy auburn cows grazing beyond stone walls. A group of young men expertly play intricate jazz. Their melodies blend with conversation as guests wander the wide hall of the barn. We sip on welcome cocktails and munch on appetizers; lightly fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with rich goat cheese.

A long, narrow table set for 30 is punctuated with cheerful wildflowers in vases. Place settings are homey, mismatched dinnerware.

“It’s not just about coming and eating or coming to an event, it’s about having an experience and being able to relive that experience and wanting to come back for more.” —Venus Corriveau

Joining every dinner themselves, Lori and Venus gently herd us to our seats. We sit shoulder to shoulder–some couples, trios, a few singles–and greet our neighbors. Dinner arrives in courses. First, a fresh, vibrant spring pea salad followed by olive oil caramelized brioche–small crispy squares dolloped with infused butters. Mains and sides follow, served family-style on communal dishes. No longer strangers with our neighboring diners, we reach easily across the table to serve ourselves. Melt in your mouth tenderloin cooked perfectly rare, buttery halibut with a delicate sauce, the most tender octopus, all seasoned perfectly to highlight not overwhelm. Sides are bowls of brilliant green fiddleheads and crispy roasted artichokes and sunchokes. Ice cream from a local dairy farm finishes the meal. We linger at the table, tell stories, laugh, learn about each other’s lives. Finally, we push back chairs, shake hands across the table, say goodbye or until next time.

“We want to have people here who need to unplug and just enjoy each other,” Venus explains. “I feel like we’ve become such a separated society, like connection is this lost thing–which is so sad. Like life is long and lonely without those moments. When we have our farm dinners, we’re all sitting together at one long table and you’re sitting next to somebody you don’t know. We see people connecting over our dinners and they’re beautiful. That brings us joy.”

Little Dipper’s 2026 dinner series menus and meals are provided by ACT catering (actcateredevents.com), led by local talent Andrew Trudeau. Beverage service is from Carla Gallagher’s Sip Society Mobile Bar (mobilesipevents.com). Food and beverages are simple, curated, immaculately delicious. Little Dipper Farm also works with Rose Room Café out of Webster, MA, for some events. “In a perfect world, I would love to be a farm that has different chefs purposely rolling through,” says Venus. “Once I have my feet settled … because I’m doing a lot of everything right now!”

Little Dipper Farm is a creative intersection of place and people in a world that sorely needs more connection and community. It’s a sustainable farm that sells produce, a gathering place to share meals and special occasions and to buy local products, and a place to enjoy music, education, and nature.

There are times when we need hope, inspiration. It’s right here at the table. Come. Be present. Enjoy.

Little Dipper Farm is located at 499 Wolf Den Road in Brooklyn. littledipperfarm.org