Hugh hard at work putting tomatoes through a food mill.

Thanks to blankets of water falling from the sky — the fallout of some hurricane brushing past the east coast — we almost never found the house. I was ready to give up — wired and anxious. Two days prior, I’d found myself without a 9 to 5 job for the first time in my adult life and was feeling like I’d washed up from a shipwreck, confused and grieving. Paul and I had driven an hour up the Taconic to find a farm — the dark was falling as fast as the rain. Cell phones weren’t working, directions seemed suddenly too vague. And then we saw the Volkswagen, s buttercream-colored house and our friend Anne smiling in the driveway.

Hugh Williams and Hanna Bail of Threshold Farm live in the village of Philmont, less than a mile from the acreage where they have a barn, cows on pasture and a 600-tree pear and apple orchard.  Our mutual friend, Anne Dailey, invited us up to the orchard so Paul could take pictures of heirloom apple varieties for her Edible Hudson Valley article, but also just to come experience a slice of Columbia County farm life.

Anne, left, and a new arrival at the barn, right.

Hugh and Hanna had just come in from the evening milking.  The last glow of sun was leaving the cloudy sky and the kitchen beckoned. After picking out onions and peppers from crates of produce in the garage, Anne and I began chopping. The simple rhythm, the comforting smells, soothed my nerves, as did a glass of biodynamic red.

It was a Saturday night, the work was lighter than other days, but the work still had to be done. After dinner of Threshold beef sausage, onions and peppers, gradually, the kitchen became a hum of conversation, laughter and labor: the four of us were joined by their two young children, a couple young men who help work the Threshold land as well as Hanna’s cousins visiting from Germany. 

Everyone had something to do: hard winter wheat to be ground for a batch sourdough bread, crates of tomatoes stacked high in the foyer waiting to be turned into sauce.  It became a kind of ballet of chopping, grinding, sifting, weighing, cranking the food mill. With every hour I became more grounded, less stunned by the seemingly cataclysmic change in my life. What was in my hands right now was all that mattered: chop, grind, sift.

The countertop grain mill.

There isn’t a lot that is Martha Stewart pretty about a small farmer’s life, though there is a lot of richness that is quite beautiful. The 1800’s farmhouse kitchen looked nothing like the romanticized magazine-version you so often see. It smelled faintly of fermenting sauerkraut and the scrap bucket kept for the pigs under the sink. Most of the mud and muck are missing from our popular imagery of farmers and what they do. It was the perfect antidote to my desk job in Manhattan, up to my elbows in imperfect tomatoes and compost scraps.

After falling asleep happily exhausted, we breakfasted on homemade sourdough toast, raw milk cheese and homemade strawberry preserves.  Sunday was a blur of pizza making (sourdough crust) using the wood-fired oven Hugh and Hanna recently built, and making several apple pies — Hanna’s German cousins wanted to try real American apple pie. Using heirloom cox orange pippins, hand ground wheat flour and sweetened with cider syrup, those pies were the most American I’ve ever made.

We left Threshold Sunday evening with milk straight from the morning milk run, a belly full of wood-oven pizza and a freshly baked sourdough boule and mini apple pie to go. These were tangible fruits of our labor. I felt like I had rejoined the human race. 

September 12 & 13

Friends' Annual Crabfest, Piermont: Hudson River blue claw crabs, corn on the cob and a jug band.

Harvest Festival at the Farmers' Museum, Cooperstown: The old-time agricultural fair is revived, including horse-drawn wagon rides through the museum's 19th century village.

The Garden of Eating Tour (through Sept. 21.): A self-guided driving tour of the best farms and restaurants in Albany, Columbia, Dutchess and Rensselaer counties. Dozens of restaurants in the four counties will celebrate the fabulous local bounty by creating specialty dishes.

September 26 & 27

21st Annual Hudson Valley Garlic Festival, Saugerties: Absolute must, everything from garlic ice cream (of course) to more than you ever thought you could know about different varieties. You can smell it a mile away. 

Cauliflower Festival, Margaretville 

October 3 & 4

Heart of the Hudson Valley Bounty Festival, Milton: A day long family event showcasing the bounty of the valley and supporting agriculture. CIA judged Agri-Culinary Restaurant Competition, arts and crafts vendors, recreational demonstrations, music, kids activities.

Grape Harvest Festival, Washingtonville: Brotherhood Winery hosts over 100 vendors, live bands, food of all kinds and much more.

Apple Fest, Cantine Field, Saugerties: Apple cider pressing, demonstrations, apple bobbing, food vendors, apple trees and apples for sale, book store, Jane's Ice Cream, and much more. (518) 965-3929

October 18 & 19

Johnny Appleseed Cider Festival, Prospect Hill Orchard, Milton: Old-fashioned hand crank cider pressing with free tasting, antique farm equipment display and parade, make your own scarecrows, apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides. Free admission.

Sour cherries under the trees at Fishkill Farms. Click here for more photos by Paul David O'Hanlon.

There's good news and there's bad news. The bad news is that the cherries have finished. The rubies you see above have been picked and probably baked into pies (the sour ones) or clafoutis (for the sweet). But don't despair, there's an abundance of fruit still on the way — the end of strawberry season, the arrival of raspberries, apricots, plums, peaches and nectarines — get your boots on, it's time to pick your own straight off the branches.

Organic Orchards

Thompson Finch: Strawberries, raspberries.

750 Wiltsie Bridge Road, Ancram NY, 12502 (518) 329-7578

Stone Ridge Orchards: Strawberries, raspberries, red currants.

3012 Route 213 POB 867, Stone Ridge, NY 12484 (845) 687-2587

Fishkill Farms: Apples, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums and cherries, several acres of berries.

9 Fishkill Farms Road, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 (845) 897-4377

Low-spray Orchards

Prospect Hill: Apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines.

40 Clark's Lane, Milton, NY 12547. (845) 795-2383. The location of the apricots and plums (and peaches too) orchard is 125 Milton Crossroad, Highland, NY 12528.

Mr. Apples: apples & pears

Box 98 High Falls, N.Y. 12440. (845) 687-0005

The Farm At Kristy's Barn: strawberries, red and black raspberries, currants, apples and pumpkins

2385 Brookview Rd. Schodack, NY. 12033 (518) 477-6250

I first encountered garlic scapes at an upstate farmstand, and I was curious but a little scared. Not only were they unfamiliar, they seemed to writhe wildly about, like a tangle of green snakes. The farmer who sent me off with a bagful urged me to think of them like a “garlicky asparagus” and that comparison has been my guide in all the steam, sauté and raw forms which I consume the scapes. I now look forward to their verdant, garlic-scented crunch each year.

Garlic scapes are the flower stalk of hardneck varieties of garlic. Hardnecks are also known as cold-hardy, softnecks are the variety you find in warmer climes. When they’re young, they grow in the graceful arcing coil you see at the farmer’s market. At this point farmers snip off the tasty stems not only because they’re delicious but there is some evidence that this helps increase the size of the bulbs that will be harvested later in the summer.

The sturdy, fragrant scapes make fantastic pickles. I was lucky to meet Luke, the purveyor of Luke's Pickled Garlic Scapes at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties one year (visit their site to see the beautiful rendering of garlic scapes on their 2009 poster). Luke pickles his scapes plain, with dill or with habanero peppers. Buy some or make your own and you can savor scapes year round.

Alternatively, garlic scapes make their own flavorful pesto. The recipe below came to me from Blooming Hill Farm.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Ingredients
6-7 garlic scapes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese

1. Combine garlic scapes and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. You can either add the cheese to the food processor and blend, or mix it in by hand in a bowl, depending on the consistency you like.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on slices of fresh baguette or over fresh pasta.

Sometimes vegetables should just be left alone.

This past weekend, I spent three glorious days in the North Carolina sunshine with my best friend, A., and her husband and two-year-old. It was little C’s birthday, and I just couldn’t resist a circus-themed party.

Friday night before the big event, A. and I were fixing dinner: something light and fast before the hotdogs, cupcakes, and apple juice to come. A is the manager of the local farmer’s market in her area. One of the perks is first dibs on fresh produce while the farmers set up their stalls.

From her fridge, she pulled out a bundle of perfect, young asparagus stalks: the first of the season and the sweetest I’d ever tasted. We ate the thinnest stalks raw as we washed and snapped off the ends of the rest.

C toddled up and A. gave him a stalk. He took the asparagus and munched gleefully. I’ve never seen a kid eat vegetables like that. (I’ve also never typed the word “gleefully” before, but hey.)

“Sauté or steam?” A. asked.

“Steam,” I replied. It seemed like gilding the lily to put those perfect stems of green spring goodness in oil or butter. Turns out asparagus is a member of the lily family. Who knew? (Well, the people at that link and Mark Bittman.)

As you know, I’m a big fan of sautéing vegetables in garlic. How many recipes have I shared with that step? But even I know when to leave well enough alone.

A. seemed to know just how long to cook the asparagus, but I would have had to get help. I don’t trust myself for two reasons; I get impatient, and I get distracted.

I have no patience for standing over a pot of boiling water, even for a few minutes. After a minute has past, you can guarantee I will have wondered off like a two-year-old to see what else is going on, and then the veggies will have overcooked.

According to Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, asparagus should be boiled in a skillet or steamed in a pan with just a bit of water at the bottom “just until the thick part of the stalk can be pierced with a knife.” Well, just how long is that? It depends on how much you’re cooking, of course. In our case, a bunch of about 20 stalks took 3 minutes to steam. A set a timer which let us wander guilt-free.

They were perfect: tender, slightly crunchy, vibrantly green. I know that, classically, asparagus is served with hollandaise or mayonnaise, but I’ve never understood why. Who thought to drench something so light and delicious with such heavy sauces?

We didn’t even think to salt our Carolina-grown spring bounty. If A. salted the water, I didn’t notice.

Our supper of fresh-from-the-farm veggies was one of the easiest and best meals I’ve eaten in a while. It reminded me that, sometimes, it’s best to let food be itself.

Steamed Asparagus

Serves 3 – 4

20 asparagus stalks
1/2 cup of water

1) Wash asparagus and break of woody ends.

2) Put water in sauce pan. Put asparagus in steamer basket or bamboo steamer and place over sauce pan. (You can also use the Mark Bittman methods above.)

3) Bring water to boil.

4) Steam for approximately 3 minutes or until thick ends of stalks are tender.

5) Dress as desired or eat plain. Plain is good. Really good.

Check out these featured events:

11:00 Building a small bog or wetland garden

with Hortus Conclusus Landscaping Consultants

Ever wish you could grow bog plants or wondered what to do with an existing wetland? Allyson and Scott will talk about installing wetland plants in existing high water areas and building a small bog in a yard or garden setting where one does not exist. The focus will be on three types of bog gardens; a cranberry bog, a native carnivorous/pitcher plant bog, and a decorative wetland perennial plant bog.

12:30 Creating a woodland sanctuary for rare and endangered plant

with Dr. Francis Groeters of Catskill Native Nursery

Many of our native woodland wildflowers are declining in population due to development, deer-browsing and the spread of invasive plants. Many of these beautiful plants can be grown and multiplied in the home garden. Learn how you can start your own garden sanctuary and help increase biodiversity in our local area.

2:00 The Handmade Garden

with Ken Greene of The Hudson Valley Seed Library

Whether you’re hoping to turn your thumbs green or looking for handy ways to maintain your vegetable garden, there is much that can be learned from the gardens of the past. This talk will cover everything from choosing heirloom varieties that are suited to our region to using simple low-tech techniques for seed starting, plant support, weed control, and soil health. Before you go out and buy expensive tools, plastics, and fertilizers that pollute, waste, and break, come learn how to make your vegetable garden truly affordable and sustainable.

Catskill Native Nursery Wildflower Festival

10:00 to 3:30, Rain or Shine
607 Samsonville Rd, Kerhonkson NY (4.5 miles off Route 209).
www.catskillnativenursery.com or (845) 626-2758

This is a special guest post from our dessert correspondent, Cravin Moore III. Bon appetit! - K & P

The first time I ever tried good bread pudding...the clouds parted and angels began to sing! I was completely dumbfounded. My taste buds celebrated. Prior to this moment, the only "bread pudding" I had ever tried was the kind that was served on cafeteria salad bars, usually avoided - barely edible let alone delicious. What I discovered is that good bread pudding is served HOT with beautiful chunks of peach or apple settled into fluffy folds of dough, perfectly browned edges seasoned with a kiss of cinnamon and sugars. A very humble invention - pure comfort food.

Homespun Foods (232 Main St., Beacon, 845-831-5096) serves up some really fine bread pudding rivaling the best I've tasted and so conveniently close to home - ahhhh isn't life good? Last year, I even ordered some for Thanksgiving dessert. I meant to pick up only one order but couldn't decide between the savory chocolate cherry or tempting apple caramel. So, of course I ordered both. If only I could always make decisions so easily and be soooo right on target. I guess you could say it really "hit the spot." - C.M. III

For more photos of Homespun Foods, click here.

About 110 producers throughout the state will hold open houses so that visitors can observe tree tapping and the boiling of sap into syrup. Some sugar houses will demonstrate the making of maple cream, maple sugar, and other maple candies.

Of course, we are using a natural resource that is as ancient as the land. Algonquins in Eastern North America were the first to discover "sinzibuckwud," the Algonquin word for maple syrup, meaning "drawn from wood." According to this article, "the sap was slightly concentrated, either by throwing hot stones in the bucket, or by leaving it overnight and disposing of the layer of ice which had formed on top. It was drunk as a sweet drink or used in cooking."

Though productions methods use modern materials, the process remains basically the same: to take the raw nectar from the tree and concentrate it into the nutritient-rich, earthy stuff we all love.

Here are some ways to enjoy the season:

• Maple Weekend Pancake Breakfasts - listed by county
• Buy New York Maple products - syrup, sugar, cream and maple-flavored coffee and tea
• Enjoy some Sugar-On-Snow: Sugar-on-snow is a specialty of New England and Quebec, where it's called tire d'érable or maple taffee. Drizzling molten maple sap (past syrup stage, but before maple sugar stage) onto packed, clean snow results in soft, lacy confections that can be lifted with a fork. In some maple producing areas, they call the pieces of caramelized sugar "leather aprons" due to their chewiness. At a sugar-on-snow party, the candy is served with yeast-risen donuts; sour dill pickles and coffee balance the sweetness.

Find out all the many reasons you should drink your milk raw.