Before you read this, orange orbs will already have made their way to local farm stands. That’s because the end of August means the beginning of pumpkin season, as well as the start of harvest on the North Fork.
I go back and forth on whether or not summer is the East End’s best season. Some years I’ll say nothing beats a warm Peconic Bay in August or sweet corn in July. Some years I welcome sweater weather and the sight of changing leaves while driving along Main Road.
But this was written for our harvest issue, which hits newsstands this week, so let’s make the argument for fall, shall we?
Autumn is much more chill, literally and figuratively, in that there is way less FOMO (fear of missing out).
Some people I know have backyard cookouts, weddings, fundraisers, festivals and more events scheduled for EVERY weekend through June, July and August. That’s kind of crazy to me — I like not having plans.
When you don’t feel the pressure to load up your social calendar, there’s more time to explore and stumble upon great places like Sound View Dunes park in Southold or make new friends while shucking shellfish at Little Creek Oysters in Greenport.
Re-entering an “R” month means oysters at their best, although many farmers today will tell you that doesn’t matter as much these days. Harvest parties at North Fork vineyards are a favorite and now is also the time to go apple picking with the fam and enjoy some fresh-pressed cider, either hard or soft.
If enjoying the bounty of the harvest doesn’t de-stress you after a busy North Fork summer, you can always join a sangha, or meditation group. Many of these topics are explored in our September issue.
Thanks for reading. As always, if you have any thoughts or comments you can give me a shout at [email protected], and I promise to get back to you.
Happy pickings!
