What to do and see in Mystic Country, Mystic Country: The Best Nature & Parks

We are Certified Humane! Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) is an international non-profit certification organization dedicated to improving the lives of farm animals in food production from birth to slaughter. The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled(R) label you can be assured that the food products have come from facilities that meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment. In order to be Certified Humane, the farm must fit these qualifications: That the producer meets Certified Humane's standards and applies them to animals from birth through slaughter. No cages, no crates, no tie stalls. Animals must be free to do what comes naturally. For example, pigs must have the space to move around and root. A diet of quality feed, without animal by-products, antibiotics or growth hormones. Producers must comply with food safety and environmental regulations. Processors must comply with the American Meat Institute Standards (AMI), a slaughter standard written by Dr. Temple Grandin, a member of the HFAC Scientific Committee. To become Certified Humane, Firefly Farms had to submit a detailed application. The application was reviewed and as we met the standards, we received a farm inspection. The inspector looked into every aspect of farm life and met with our animals to make sure that they have the best life possible. Once again, all the information is reviewed before we received our certification. We became Certified Humane on 16 April 2014! Our Animals are INCREDIBLY Rare! Our animals are all breeds that number fewer than 500 animals in the world. Through selective breeding and excellent stewardship, we are increasing the overall numbers and quality of the animals. If they are so rare, why sell them as meat? The big picture answer is the need to preserve genetic diversity, but the easy answer is they taste exceptional. When someone has an incredible meal with our meat, they want more. Thus our breeding programs and others can increase production to meet the demand and bring the animals back into popularity with name recognition. Our Meat Tastes Fantastic! In blind tastes tests, our breeds won! The the Randall Lineback, (cattle), Dorking (chicken), and Mulefoot (swine) were selected by seventy food professionals as most tasty over other comparable breeds. Come taste the difference for yourself!

Hop aboard the Thames River Heritage Park Water Taxi! Our historic naval vessels transport riders to 3 landings on a hop on-hop off loop. Dogs and bikes are welcome! You may bring alcohol on board, but no glass, please. Adult round-trip tickets are $10 and children's tickets are just $5. Learn more and purchase your tickets here: bit.ly/TRHP_WaterTaxi We also offer a number of themed boat tours, including "Submarines, Battlefields & Betrayers: Military Stories on the Thames," "Suffragettes, Puppeteers, & Patriots: Women of the Thames," and "Revolutionary War Ghosts on the Thames." Tickets may be purchased here: bit.ly/BoatTours_TRHP The Thames River Heritage Park is a collection of cultural and historic landmarks in Groton and New London, Connecticut.

Herb gardens and shop.

This 1906 Roman Renaissance Classical Revival-style mansion belonged to philanthropist Edward Harkness.