Sign up for our Newsletter

Bay View Farm Market reopened for the 2015 season this weekend. Homegrown spinach is available at the market. (Credit: Vera Chinese)

The temperature might still dip below freezing at the night, but the recent openings of these North Fork farm stands and markets remind us that the days of beach permits and boating excursions are drawing near.

Schmitt’s Family Farm, located on Sound Avenue in Riverhead, reopened for the season on Friday, March 27. And the farm is fully stocked with its own homegrown horseradish and sauces made in-house under the Holy Schmitt’s Homemade Horseradish label.

“Right now, the only thing that’s ready is horseradish,” said Ashley Schmitt from behind the counter at the farm stand on Tuesday. “So we have plenty of that.”

About five acres of the 175-acre family farm is currently producing horseradish, she said. She noted the plain horseradish sauce, as well as beet and mustard, are popular options.

“People put it on their ham, kielbasa and eggs,” she said.

We recommend the carrot jam we sampled during our visit, which was surprisingly good.

The store will be open every day until Easter Sunday. Following that, it will be open Friday through Monday until the warmer weather hits.

Several miles down the road, Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market recently placed “open” flags outside the farm stand. We visited farmer and co-owner Chris Kaplan-Walbrecht earlier this month to scope out the kale, bok choy and arugula he has growing in the farm’s two high tunnels.

“I wish I had ten of these,” Kaplan-Walbrecht told us. “It is great to have nice green stuff when the farm stand opens.”

The greens are available at the farm stand and market located 4558 Sound Ave. in Riverhead.

And one of the largest local farm stands, Bay View Market & Farm on Main Road in Aquebogue, opened its doors for 2015 this weekend. (Editor’s note: An earlier version of this incorrectly reported that carrots and spinach for sale at the market were grown in house.)

Know of any other North Fork farm stands and markets opening soon? Tell us in the comment section below.

X
X