Seasons by the Sea: Locavores’ Delight
Amber Waves Farm Market
367 Main Street, Amagansett
Open seven days, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Thanks to the generosity, wisdom, and hard work of Margaret de Cuevas, the Peconic Land Trust, and those coolest-of-cool “lady farmers” Amanda Merrow and Katie Baldwin, the former Amagansett Farmers Market has reopened as Amber Waves Farm Market, and the gals now own the nine acres behind it.
Ms. Baldwin and Ms. Merrow have been farming the land for almost 10 years, growing mostly wheat, but now the farm is dedicated to over 300 varieties of approximately 60 crops. A good amount goes to 150 C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture) members, and the rest is sold at the new, improved market and to local restaurants.
On a recent visit to the market, I got a tour from Juliana Nash (composer and musician by trade, now manager of Amber Waves Farm Market), and her charming son, Zane, who is 14.
Let me just say that this is the finest curation of local and New York state goodies that I have ever seen in one place on the East End. It is essentially one-stop shopping for everything you could possibly need for a great meal, and more. There are Browder’s Birds chickens, eggs, homemade mayonnaise, Carissa’s breads, pies, pastries, divine tiny quiches, Good Water Farms micro-greens, Joe and Liza’s ice creams, North Fork Roasting Company coffees, Art of Eating and North Fork potato chips, Arlotta olive oils and vinegars, Open-Minded Organics mushrooms, Catapano, Mecox Bay Dairy, and Villa Italian Specialties cheeses. And, of course, there is a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, herbs, flowers, and seedlings.
Suppose you don’t feel like cooking? You will be delighted to find guacamole, smoked chicken, and barbecued spare ribs from Smokin’ Wolf; salads, wood-roasted cauliflower, grilled wild mushrooms, and more from Harbor Market in Sag Harbor, pestos from Almond restaurant, sauces from Vine Street Cafe on Shelter Island, homemade tortillas, pickled eggs, and Holy Schmitt’s horseradish.
Besides offering these various prepared and fresh foods, Amber Waves Farm is continuing to focus on educating school children about farming, with over 20 schools, after-school programs, and summer camps. There are also workshops throughout the summer, starting with learning how to gut a fish with Sean Barrett, that tall, cool drink of water from Dock to Dish (June 24); building a worm farm with local artist Scott Bluedorn (July 1), and other workshops like pizza-baking with Carissa Waechter, fermenting, preserving, foraging, and flower-arranging.
Some other products you will find here are beach blankets and towels, Hilary Leff’s beautiful tie-dyed scarves, Southampton Soaps, pottery from farmhouse pottery of Vermont, and those iconic Amber Waves farm caps.
Starting in July, Amber Waves Farm Market will be open from 7 to 7, seven days a week, and they hope to remain open until January. So stop by to give thanks for good deeds done in our community, purchase some of the best and freshest foods available out here, and help support our farmers. Here is a simple recipe from Browder’s Birds to get you inspired.
Click for recipe