When members of the North Fork Reform Synagogue gathered after Rosh Hashanah services in 2006 to brainstorm new fundraising ideas, they wanted to create something that would also benefit the community. Combining curiosity about the region with a craving to seek out delicious food and drink seemed like a no brainer — and the North Fork Foodie Tour was born.
“It would support agriculture and the food culture of the North Fork that was developing, and so we did it,” says Ellen Zimmerman, chair of the Foodie Tour committee and one of the original organizers.
The idea to go behind the scenes for an insider’s look at the farms, wineries and food producers in the area turned out to be something many locals and visitors were hungry for.
“We wanted to have a fundraiser that gave back to the community in some way,” Zimmerman says. “We wanted to help people understand what it takes to brew a good beer or make a good vintage or to grow grapes or vegetables.”
The first Foodie Tour, headquartered at Bedell Cellars, featured 14 participating businesses, most of which are still going strong: Aldo’s Coffee Co., Catapano Dairy Farm, Garden of Eve Organic Farm, Golden Acres Organic Farm, Lavender by the Bay, North Quarter Bison Farm, Pipes Cove Oysters, Sang Lee Farms, Satur Farms, Ty Llwyd Farm, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s SPAT Program and Croteaux Vineyards.
Today, the Agricultural Center at Charnews Farm in Southold serves as tour headquarters. Set on 23 acres acquired by Peconic Land Trust from the Charnews family in 2008, the Center has grown to 80 acres of productive farmland along Youngs Avenue.
On the day of the tour, participants pick up maps at Charnews Farm before heading out to explore at their own pace. The Center also hosts presentations throughout the day on topics ranging from entering the farming industry to coffee roasting. Meanwhile, businesses offer guided tours, cooking demonstrations, tastings and family-friendly activities.
“The owner speaks for between 20 minutes and half an hour,” Zimmerman says. “It depends on who the proprietor is and how much they like to talk.”
Each stop (the tour is capped at 20 venues) has two volunteer docents who sell tickets, check wristbands, direct parking and keep tours running on schedule. “We have two tours in the morning and two in the afternoon [at each venue],” says Zimmerman. “It takes a lot of volunteers — 80 people just to staff the locations.”
Folks are free to visit any location in any order, although attendance often depends on the weather. “The year before last, when it was beautiful weather, we sold 600 tickets,” Zimmerman says, but rain and wind reduced attendance in 2025. “We’re hoping that this year the sun will shine.”
New participants this year include Peeko Oysters in New Suffolk, Lenz Winery in Peconic and Zafferano Farm/Soul Creations Apothecary & Herb Farm in Mattituck.
After 20 years, the Foodie Tour shows no signs of slowing down, although there are challenges. Farming is not an easy business, with the price of land, equipment and labor at a premium and the risk of bad weather wiping out a year’s worth of profit. “It’s tough to get into the business,” Zimmerman notes. “We like to feature new farmers who are just getting started and need a little publicity.”
Helping Foodie Tour participants understand where their food comes from and how it’s produced is the souvenir they take home. “This gives them a little education so they’re appreciating one of the things that makes the North Fork so special: people dedicating their lives to making food,” says Zimmerman.
The North Fork Foodie Tour takes place Sunday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine. Tickets are $35 per person, free for children 12 and under and are non-refundable. Visit northforkfoodietour.com for more information.
