Trip to Stone Barns!

When you study Food Studies in New York, you’re likely to know someone working for the renowned Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. I was lucky enough to have a friend doing temporary administrative work who invited me to carpool with her to work on a bright fall morning. The drive was an easy 45 minutes from the northern tip of Manhattan, and by the end, I felt like I was in a new world. Plush green surroundings on either side of us, with a quaint paddock filled with fluffy sheep. I sprung out of the car with my camera and began snapping pictures of the barns and the garden out front, where I found this healthy caterpillar lazily contributing to the gorgeous biodiversity of this place.

My friend gave me a quick tour of the main barn, and showed me some employee’s only areas and the venue that hosts galas and weddings (….I’m seriously considering it, don’t judge me). Then as she settled into her desk, she handed me a map and I was on my way! Only I didn’t get very far because I ran into a group gathering for a tour outside the gift shop and decided to tag along. The tour guide was phenomenal and taught us about the farm’s hazelnut trees, planted in an attempt to cultivate truffles. She also taught us about the type of selective breeding done on the farm, the same method used by our ancestors to promote desired traits, just sped up with modern techniques. These have brought us new, more flavorful varieties of squash and beets used by Dan Barber at his restaurant on-premise.

After the tour, I meandered down to the greenhouse where I was surprised to find I was welcome to come in and watch the farmers go about their work. I asked a few questions and learned they were able to grow ginger and turmeric, species native to much warmer climates, thanks to the controlled conditions of the greenhouse. I kept walking and taking photos (many of which are scattered around this website!), and was happy to find that Stone Barns emulated the same wonderful communal energy I’ve felt on every farm I’ve ever been to; groups of young farm apprentices would gather together to share food and laugh.

Stopping back at the gift shop before I left, I picked up a cookbook on Indian cooking, and was thrilled to find you could purchase produce from the farm! So, of course, I loaded up with two honey nut squashes, green beans, onions, habanada peppers, and fresh ginger (my first time ever eating it before it had been dried!). The next night I cooked everything up into a plate of rice and veggies bursting with flavor. And, having been grown in healthy soil, I knew these vegetables had access to plenty of nutrients, which they passed on to me.

I vowed to return to Stone Barns at every opportunity available and support such an ecologically ideal way of growing food.