Harvest Festival Week is coming! This is one of my favorite times of year; as it allows one to explore the abundant local produce and farms in our area. Essex County has a wonderful selection of small farms that distribute their goods via CSA, farmers markets, roadside stands, grocers, and local restaurants. Adirondack Harvest works to connect these local farmers to their communities and regional markets, expanding consumer choices for locally produced healthy food. Every year they coordinate a fantastic week of farm and food activities called Harvest Festival Week (September 14-22).
As a kick-off to Adirondack Harvest's Festival Week, the Museum is hosting the second annual "A Taste of Local" food festival on Saturday, September 14, from 11-2:30. Restaurants and farms will showcase their favorite appetizers, entrees, desserts or other items featuring local foods. This year food booths will include (but are not limited to): DaCy Meadow Farm, Turtle Island Cafe, The Deer's Head Inn Restaurant, Rivermede Farm, Baxter Mountain Tavern, Green Point Foods, Everett Orchards, Amazing Grace Vinyards, Conroy Organics, and The Cookie-Cup-Cakery. There is no admission fee to the festival, however $1 tickets will be sold for purchase of samples at food booths. Prices for food samples will vary by restaurant. The museum will also be open with no admission fee. Other fun activities include an apple desert contest, kitten adoption, music, demonstrations and information booths. For more information contact the Museum at 873-6466 or visit www.adkhistorycenter.org. Last year we had a great time tasting a plethora of local delicacies, listening to local musicians, and enjoying the beautiful fall day.
The next event in Harvest Festival Week is a Reber Rock Farm tour on Thursday, September 19. Join farm managers Racey Bingham, Nathan Henderson, and Chad Vogel for a farm tour starting at the farm store at 3 pm. Visitors will walk the farm and learn about blooming sunflowers, rotationally grazed laying hens, beef cows, broiler chickens, pigs, turkeys, black beans, vegetable gardens, maple sugar bush, seven draft horses, ans examples of draftwood logging in their woods. Visit teir website www.reberrockfarm.com to see more.
Visit Green Point Foods on the Harvest Festival weekends (September 14, 15, 21, 22) for Adirondack Harvest Sandwich Creation. Enjoy their specialty created hot grilled sandwich made with Asgaard Farm cheese and fresh veggies from Juniper Hill Farm and Fledging Crow Farm on homemade bread. Finally, stop by the one-time bulk farmer's market in Willsboro (Rt. 22 across fron Johny's Smokehouse), September 21 from 9-11, and stock up on ingredients for preserving the harvest. Farmers will be selling their overstock in bulk so you can fill your jars, freezers, and root cellars.