My Local Foodshed

I live in upper Westchester Country and eat primarily from Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess & Fairfield, CT counties. My definition of “local” food is pretty flexible; I don’t really consider myself a locavore, even though most of what I eat is grown or raised locally. It’s the “most” I guess that is the issue; I do have coffee and chocolate most days. I eat olive oil, citrus fruits, nuts & spices on a fairly regular basis, although I do consider them luxuries, and French wines still find their way into the house. I do eat seasonally, and if it can be grown here, I wait for it to grow here. No California tomatoes or Iowa corn for this mostly-locavore. As for my foodshed, again, I’m pretty flexible. Most of my produce comes from within 20 miles of my home (red circle). Meats & cheeses tend to be further out, maybe within 100 miles (blue circle). For a few things (cranberries, Vermont cheese, linguica) I still consider 250 miles “local” (green circle). Like I said, pretty flexible. Or maybe I’m just not that into rules.

What Here Tastes Like

“Food that grows together, goes together.” For each of these recipes, I’m using primarily local, organic or sustainably-farmed ingredients: meats, cheeses, vegetables, butter, honey, maple syrup, etc. If you try a recipe with ingredients from your average supermarket – well, I can’t guarantee that the result won’t be blah. The individual ingredients sing in these dishes – and you want Pavarotti, not the latest American Idol drop-out. Check out the Shop Local page for resources for local food in your area and learn what your neighborhood tastes like.

My Local Markets

These are the farms & markets that I go to most often. For more shopping resources, see the Shop Local  page.

Weekly Farmer’s Markets

• Gossett Brother’s Nursery, South Salem, NY. Produce, aples, cider, meat, bakery & breads, honey & candles, jams, jewelry, cheese, coffee, sauces, plants. Every Saturday, 9-1pm. Get there early!

Vegetables & Fruit

• Ryder Farm, Brewster, NY. Organic produce, herbs, flowers. My CSA. Serve-yourself farm stand in season.
• Holbrook Farm, Bethel, CT. Farm market open year-round (organic farm produce only in season). Honey, jams, meats, cheese, eggs, raw milk, bakery, frozen pies & cookies, olive oil. CSA.
• Jones Family Farms, Shelton, CT. U-pick strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins, corn, Christmas trees. Winery on site. Open seasonally, June – Christmas.
• Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction, NY. Sustainably farmed. You-pick apples, peaches, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, blueberries, black currants, blackberries. Large farm market with local milk, cheese, meats. Farm-grown organic vegetables. CSA.
• Westwind Orchards, Accord, NY. Certified naturally grown apples. You-pick and farm stand in season.
• Greig Farm, Red Hook, NY. You-pick strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples. Fruit CSA. Nearby Gigi Market carries local meats, cheeses, grains, beans, Wild Hive products. Hudson Valley Farmers Market on Saturdays, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm year round.

   Meat, Eggs, Cheese & Dairy

• Flying Pigs Farm, Shushan, NY.  Humanely raised, heritage pigs and the best pork you have ever tasted. On-line ordering or farmer’s markets.
• Holbrook Farm, Bethel, CT. Eggs, cheese, milk and meat year-round.
• Sprout Creek Farm, Poughkeepsie, NY.  Yummy local cow cheese – try the Ouray!
• Nettle Meadow Farm, Warrensburg, NY.  Yummy local goat cheese – my favorite is the mixed-herb chevre.
• Ronnybrook Farm, Ancramdale, NY.  Milk, cream, butter, yogurt, ice cream.

Stores

• Nature’s Temptations, Ridgefield, CT. Independently-owned whole foods shop with a focus on local products. Deli.
• Coffee Labs, Tarrytown, NY. Coffee beans bought globally, roasted locally. Organic, shade-grown, bird-friendly. Fun cafe with live music, snacks and coffee as an art form.