When Howard Rosenfeld first came to our region, his mind was set on relaxing. But soon, despite no retail experience, he saw a lot of business potential in the walkable village of New Preston. Using vintage materials and methods, he rebuilt the village blacksmith's shop and opened The Smithy, where he sells produce, dairy goods and crafts with a firm locavore spin. Over the course of the last several years, he's really enjoyed getting to know the vendors and customers that make our neck of the woods so special. My partner, Sheryl, and I came to Warren in 2000, attracted by the beauty and balance of its land and waters. Sheryl was raising her son in Greenwich, CT, and I was raising my daughters on Long Island. Warren was a weekend (or more when possible) getaway. We came initially as weekenders, knowing well that our status would change as our children transitioned into independent lives. In learning about our community and its surrounds, we noticed that there were few places in which weekenders would intersect with full-time residents, despite the abundance of talents and resources that existed therein. We love New Preston and its proximity, and saw it as well-situated between New Milford and Litchfield. When we opened The Smithy as a regional farm stand/country store in 2007, we decided to showcase some of these resources. The FDA defines local as within a 100-mile radius. Everything offered at The Smithy is made, grown or raised within a 70-mile radius of the store in New Preston — what we smilingly refer to as "uber local." New Preston is unique amongst the five villages of Washington in that it is truly walkable. Filled with a varied and exciting group of stores, visitors can spend an afternoon wandering about. I always take first-time visitors to see the waterfall that thunders right behind the village. They're amazed that such a force of nature could be so close at hand. It's this close proximity of nature and community that makes our area special. You can drive five minutes in almost any direction and disappear into the beautifully planned walking, hiking or climbing trails of the nature preserves surrounding us. Our appreciation for the area has only grown over time, and we look forward to celebrating each of the seasons as they wind through the passing years.
