A nature and animal lover at heart, it’s not much of a surprise that Erica Steindl’s innate kindness led her to the helm of the Center for Advocacy, Support and Transformation, which helps to address food, housing, employment and health care insecurity within Southold and the hamlets and villages it serves. The North Fork native became CAST’s executive director this past April, and when she’s not finding ways to help the diverse community CAST serves, she’s spending quality time with her husband and 13-year-old daughter in East Marion, where she’s lived her whole life. A business owner and teacher with specialties in elementary education and social science, Steindl served as CAST’s bilingual education and outreach coordinator and was named the Suffolk Times’ Person of the Year in 2022.
Here are a few of Steindl’s favorite things:
Favorite local attraction Harbes Family Farm (715 Sound Ave., Mattituck, 631-482-7641). We as a family are animal lovers; if we have the opportunity we stop there. They hosted a kids’ photography class we were offering at CAST where we focused on photographs of animals: bunnies, goats and chickens. The kids really loved that.
Favorite place to take visitors Lavender by the Bay (7540 Main Road, East Marion, 631-477-1019). It’s just unique to our area. It’s a very popular destination. When it’s in bloom it’s just amazing. It’s a peaceful place.
Favorite thing to do on a day off I love spending time with my family. We all have really full schedules, so we take full advantage of our time off to relax as a family with our pets. We have a hobby farm, so we have a little horse, some goats, chickens, and a cat.
Favorite old-school North Fork business Drossos (69125 Main Road, Greenport, 631-477-1339). I remember riding that yellow mechanical horse when I was little, and I took my daughter there. It’s just a terrific experience that we were both able to share and it’s still going. I hope they can keep it going forever.
Favorite time of year Spring and summer. I love the energy as the North Fork kicks up into the high season and I love seeing the farms. We live in such a beautiful place, and as it turns green it just energizes me.
Favorite coffee spot Southold General (54180 Main Road, Southold, 631-458-1275) is my go-to. It’s conveniently located, they’re so friendly and the coffee is terrific.
Favorite beach I grew up on the bay, so I love sandy bayside beaches. We go to the beach at the end of East Gilette Drive in East Marion. There are some cool rocks — erratics — out there where seals like to sit in the winter. We got a great shot of a seal sitting on one rock and a bald eagle on the other.
Favorite local food ingredient I’m going to go with asparagus; this is such a great place for any type of vegetable. Same with corn — Long Island corn is so incredible, it’s so much sweeter than corn from other places. I grew up on Sep’s corn (Sep’s Farms, 7395 Main Road, East Marion, 631-477-1583), and I love Trieber Farms (38320 Sound Ave., Peconic, 631-425-1458) as well.
Favorite place to see a show Here at CAST (53930 Main Road, Southold, 631-477-1717)! We have fabulous shows that we offer throughout the year. Recently we had the Yale Whiffenpoofs here, an a cappella group; they’re talented and really entertaining. We have plays here, we’ve done breakdancing, we’ve had a Broadway one-woman show. We had a great bluegrass concert last year which we’re hoping to repeat. Our Treiber Gathering Hall has 150 seats; it’s a newly renovated space with state-of-the-art sound and lights and a brand-new stage.
Favorite place to grab a gift Chick’s Agway (1705 Youngs Ave., Southold, 631-765-3432). We like to share our love of the outdoors and nature and animals; it’s a one-stop shop for that.
