It’s been a challenging summer here in Connecticut, weather-wise. Temperatures soared into the 90s and and above 100, with high humidity and lots of rain and thunderstorms in the mix. Not exactly the best beach and barbecue weather. At our house, add the continuing home improvement projects — finishing a new kitchen, landscaping (with an excavator in the front yard most of the summer) — and, well, it feels like we had no summer break at all.

But we’re Connecticut Yankees, and we’re nothing if not creative. We make the best of whatever weather comes our way. As I glance through the photo gallery on my phone, I realize we managed to pack in a lot of activity, rain or shine. Grandkids’ Little League and All-Star games and sleepovers. Happy hours and dinners out (too hot to cook!). Movies in air-conditioned theaters. Get-togethers for pizza with neighbors. Lots of cool (air-conditioned) library trips. Visits — and lots of purchases for our new gardens — to plant nurseries and garden centers.

One of my favorite local events this summer was the Coventry Farmers’ Market, held every Sunday on the grounds of the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, Connecticut. Although it’s just 15 minutes from our house, it is a road less traveled through unspoiled countryside, as the 17-acre homestead adjoins the 1,500-acre Nathan Hale State Forest.

As a history reminder, Capt. Nathan Hale was captured and hanged as a spy at age 21 by the British in September 1776 and is famous for his alleged last words: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Touted as the largest farmers’ market in Connecticut — in its 15th year — the Coventry Farmers’ Market is a testament to Yankee ingenuity. It offers a stable of regular vendors — everything Connecticut-grown and -made, from plants and flowers to local cheeses, abundant produce, grass-fed beef and chicken, local honey, baked goods, pickled products and hot sauces, plus jewelry, pottery, needlework and other crafts. Each week also features special vendors, sometimes with a theme, like Upcycling and Creative Reuse, with artisans who craft reclaimed furniture and other items into useful products; or Green Energy, with vendors promoting everything from solar energy to organic gardening. One of the biggest draws was the Colonial Encampment & Muster complete with a fife and drum performance. (Warning: Go early for these special events; we were stuck in an hour-long traffic line just to get onto the grounds.)

This past weekend, the theme was Feeling Corny — the Connecticut corn is in! — featuring local farmers selling their corn in all varieties plus samples of corn cooked in every way imaginable, combined with tastings from local wineries and breweries.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the market events: the farm-to-chef kickoff, heirloom vegetables, festival of fiber arts, National Farmer’s Day observation and more … all the way into pumpkin season, rain or shine!

— Jan Hecht, senior editor