Bishop's Orchards Farm Market & Winery — Attraction in Guilford

Food brings us to life and creates us both physically and socially. But shopping for it usually doesn't animate me. Though I've thought about food and how it's grown, who grows it and how, for much of my adult life (as an agricultural and environmental historian), I consider going to the market a chore. I put on my headphones and get it done. Then I moved to Guilford and found Bishop's. I realized right away that this is not just a store, or merely a family-owned farm, but a beloved institution that has come to represent the possibility that food can be grown in a community, for a community. Its owners clearly make decisions with both their family legacy and the future of their land in mind, and that's not a commonplace business model. They're not just ethical and high minded, they're smart and innovative--as farmers and entrepreneurs. I can't count the number of times I've told people that Bishops grows more than twenty varieties of apples. Why does this impress me so much? Because it says something about their mission. It links Bishop's and its customers to a broader New England tradition of agriculture in which farmers demonstrated that land does more than feed us, it produces a bounty that makes life richer without riches. It enlivens us if we give it labor and skill. Bishop's doesn't need to grow that many varieties. Its owners prove something by it. With their slightly eccentric fruit wines and giant solar array, they're telling us that all we need is right here in Guilford and Connecticut, that frugality and stewardship are not political markers but Yankee virtues, and that a farm and a store can bring us together over the taste of...

Did the CSA this year, and it was very good. Unfortunately it was not the best year for crops so we didn't get a lot of some things, but we got a ton of tomatoes, green beans, various types of fruit... All were excellent. I didn't realize that when you sign up for a CSA you are taking a risk with the farmers on whether the year is good or not. Even though it was a bad year, it was fun to try it, and at a place like bishops everything you get is delicious and fresh.

I would have given the CSA 4 stars because of the limited variety, but like I said I am taking the risk too. The five stars is definitely geared more toward the store itself, since everything they offer in the store is TOP quality. They have multiple kinds of everything here... Farm Fresh Produce, Cheeses, Take home meals, local honey, maple syrup, etc... Best grocery in the area.

oh yeah, @betsy, Just like any store, there are going to be times when you might find an organic apple the is not good, but you have to be knowledgeable about organic foods before you write a review with one star because you don't know how to pick out apples. That's just what happens if you don't want chemicals all over your food. Organic food doesn't last as...

Growing up in Guilford, it has been amazing to see how much Bishop's has progressed over the decades. Their business model has evolved with the times, and they offer many different options at their farm market.

I stopped by here with my mother, so she could see what the market is like since she moved out of Guilford a few years back. We were impressed with their selections and ability to also purchase food to go. Of course, all of their selections come at a Guilford price. If you are a shoreline person, you know that means pricy. For working class people in Guilford (yes, they are some still remaining!), Bishop's is not an affordable option to shop at. I wish that they could price their products more reasonably. A quart of strawberries cost a whopping $9.99 when I visited this week. For someone who has a grocery budget, that just is not realistic to buy when you can get a quart at a supermarket for 2.99 this time of year.

While we did not purchase any groceries, we did stop by the creamery. The ice cream options were vast. The taste was average. We purchased 3 kiddie sized cups for 11.24. Their ice cream is by no means bad. I just would suggest trying out Ashley's in town before you rush...