October At Stone Barns Center For Food & Agriculture

Scenes from Stone Barns Center For Food & Agriculture- on a sunny, gorgeous Saturday afternoon in October.

The Grounds:

Situated in Pocantico Hills, a mere 25 miles north of Manhattan, Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture is a working, non-profit farm and educational center. Located on the farm's 80 acres is the critically acclaimed restaurant, Blue Hill At Stone Barns- an experience that is worth the 25 miles and then some. Visitors are free to roam the grounds, including the vegetable fields, greenhouse, terrace garden, and pastures, taking caution not to disturb the animals or plant life.

Cows were penned with a watchful donkey

One lazy pig and two frisky friends
Geese land to graze on the plush grounds

A loose chicken, crossing the road

Turkey, enamored with two dogs sitting safely outside the fence

Farmer Sarah, looking like a pro on a decorative tractor

Farm Market:

Unbeknownst to my farm companion and me, Farm Market at Stone Barns occurs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1:00-4:00 pm. In addition to just-picked produce like tuscan kale, squash, and broccoli, there are fresh eggs and pastured meats (turkey, chicken, pork, lamb, and beef). This past Saturday also included a baked goods table from nearby Irvington's Red Barn Bakery; an organic bakery with cookies, pies, and savory tarts.

Farm Market at Stone Barns includes items from the vegetable field, greenhouse, terrace garden and pastures
Purple and red beets
Orange carrots
A basket of peppers
Fresh ginger and an accompanying recipe
Trimmed leeks
Buckets of onions and assorted greens
Available meats include pork breakfast sausage, beef franks, and chicken wings
Apple crostata from Red Barn Bakery
A chocolate chunk whole wheat scone- it was overpriced, but delicious
A cranberry and nut whole wheat scone

Blue Hill Café:

In addition to pre-packaged, farm-made goods like granola, jams, nuts, and cookies, Blue Hill Café offers visitors light lunchtime fare. On any given day there are a variety of fresh baked goods, frittatas, seasonal salads, sandwiches, and soups in addition to hot chocolate, coffee, tea and cold drinks. On weekends the line is long and the courtyard seats are scarce, but there are no alternatives on site- other than a bagged lunch brought from home.

Blue Hill's granola- $6 a bag
Seasonal jams are sold in the café- I went home with one jar each of apricot (sweet with vanilla pods floating inside) and blackberry (slightly too tart for me)
Bagged nuts are $4
Miniature chocolate chip cookies
Farro salad with vegetables was offered for $12.25 per pound
Wheat bread with leeks and peppers
Beef sandwiches were made on focaccia bread
Just-picked apples
I chose a butternut squash soup and what I thought was a salted roll- it was actually a sweet brioche roll with dried fruits inside and sugar on top
A rectangular slice of zucchini focaccia