Skip to content
Hawthorne Valley Jalapeño Sauerkraut (Photo: @lilyfeedsyou)

Eating Farm-to-Table All Winter Long

Ferments, beverages, farm deliveries, dairy and meat staples, high-tunnel-grown produce and less-common root veggies — there are lots of ways to consume local through the cold.

by Alexandra Zissu
Share:

One of the true joys of living in the Hudson Valley is ample access to local farms, especially during growing season. But even in cold months, it’s becoming increasingly easier to eat locally, particularly if you don’t approach sourcing local food as an all-or-nothing experience.

If you didn’t already manage to score a coveted winter CSA share from a farm offering them, like Long Season Farm in Kerhonkson, Fiddlehead Farm in Rosendale, or Hudson Valley Vertical Farms in Tillson, make a note for next year. In the meantime, here’s how to ensure your meals are as local as possible until the happy moment ramps and then asparagus emerge in the thawed spring soil.

What to Look For

When it comes to produce, the predominant local items growing in the winter are greens, lettuces and sprouts, usually in high-tunnel greenhouses. And then there are storage items like onions, garlic and root vegetables, as well as pears and apples. These are all pretty easy to procure. If you find yourself feeling tired of potatoes, seek out some celeriac, sunchokes, parsnips, rutabagas or all manner of radishes.

Harvested garlic (Photo: Seth Martel)

Beyond produce, a simple way to increase the amount of local foods on your table during winter months is to remember that many staples can be had locally. These include, but are not limited to, mushrooms, honey, eggs and maple syrup, as well as cheese, butter, poultry, herbs and meat.

The Hudson Valley is also home to grains, flour, dried beans and all things corn (popcorn, grits, corn flour). And don’t neglect frozen, preserved and pickled items. You may crave an occasional non-local lemon — no shame in that — but the above is more than enough to make any winter meal a mostly local one.

Grocery Stores, On-Farm Pick-Up

Set yourself up for success when shopping for groceries. Smaller grocery stores and food co-ops, including the High Falls Food Co-op, tend to stock more Hudson Valley items than big-box stores. Shop them.

Hawthorne Valley Jalapeño Sauerkraut
(Photo: @lilyfeedsyou, Holistic Health Practitioner based on Brooklyn, NY)

Some farms, like Old Ford Farm in New Paltz, operate small farm stands year-round. Theirs is self serve 24-7—just stick your money in the cash box after jotting down on a clipboard what you took from their fridges (choose from raw milk, Wild Hive grains, kale, meat, and Hawthorne Valley yogurt).

Speaking of Hawthorne Valley, its farm store in Ghent is an excellent spot for local goods, as is Sawkill Farms’ store in Red Hook (they’ve expanded its hours due to COVID-19, says the website) and Rolling Grocer 19 in Hudson.

Ferments from Hawthorne Valley
(Photo: Hawthorne Valley)

This year, due to increased customer demand, some farm stands that usually close for the winter are staying open. Ken Migliorelli usually closes two of his three farm stands, but this year will only close the one at the Rhinebeck Bridge approach. “It’s tough to heat,” he explains. “The other ones are enclosed and have heating.”

If you prefer to have your food delivered, look into Damn Good Honey Farm’s offerings and weekly deliveries. Other farms are offering online farmstands, too. There’s no shortage of shopping options.

Direct From Farmers

High tunnel at Fishkill Farms (Photo: Katie Ross, Fishkill Farms)

If you prefer to purchase directly from farmers, winter farmers’ markets are continuing to operate with COVID-19-safe protocols. Several have moved to new locations with more space for social distancing, so before you head out, check to make sure your preferred market has not changed spaces.

Hudson’s indoor winter market will operate out of The Elks Lodge on Saturdays beginning Feb. 4th. And Kingston’s market has relocated to the Old Dutch Church every other Saturday through April 22.

Dominick Anfiteatro harvesting kale in the caterpillar
tunnel (Photo: Wes Hannah, Solid Ground Farm)

In 2021, only 40 people were allowed in at a time so everyone had ample space based on guidelines from New York State Ag & Markets. “We had a line outside about 20 deep for the busy hours of 11 to 1, about a 10-minute wait. By March we plan to be back outside; hope the weather cooperates,” Crimmins added. This year, the market has updated its shopping guidelines.

Some of the farms that sell at the Kingston market are also doing on-farm pickups in addition to winter CSA, including Solid Ground, Northwind Farm, Hearty Roots, and Farmstock.

Drink Local

Another way to up your local intake is to drink local. The Hudson Valley produces many beverages from milk to cider (non-alcoholic and hard alike), plus beer, wine, and liquors. Robibero Family Vineyards in New Paltz has a heated and covered deck where it’s offering pandemic-safe tastings. If you’re not up for a tasting, some small wine stores have New York State sections to browse, including Kingston Wine Company, which you can stop by after picking up beer at nearby Keegan Ales. Also check out Plan Bee Farm Brewery in Poughkeepsie, which makes beer out of 100 percent New York State ingredients. Over in Accord, Arrowood Farms produces beer as well as vodka, gin, and bourbon. For more spirits, hit up Tuthilltown Distillery in Gardiner, as well as Coppersea in New Paltz. “I’m on the cider train,” said Crimmins, citing local favorites Abandoned Cider, Metal House, and Bad Seed. Cheers!

Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Coppersea Distilling
(Photo: Coppersea Distilling)

More in this series

Hiring helicopters to fly overhead all night to circulate air and prevent frost on vines. That’s just one of the...
When you think about preserving farmland, sun-splashed fields filled with thriving crops might pop to mind. But a thick woodland?...
The Hudson Valley takes on a different beauty in every season. This little pocket of New York enchants both locals...
When the husband-and-wife team of Jenny Elliott and Luke Franco started their farm in 2011, the organic food movement was...
Some Northeastern farmers have begun carefully shifting back to an age-old land management technique. It’s one that relies on a...
To support farmers, we’ve created a list of farms where you can purchase fresh vegetables and other produce. Most of...
When Congress moved to legalize industrial hemp farming late in 2018, there were cheers all around. Sen. Mitch McConnell, then...
COVID put the kibosh on the Dutchess County Fair (and so much else) last year, so it's great to have...
On a spring evening in 1944, 150 farmers from across Dutchess County gathered in Millbrook to learn about a newfangled...
Amos Kim’s family jokes that he has a “heavy hand” when it comes to working the family farm. They purchased...

Related Content

Editors' Picks

Climate Solutions
How to Get in on the Refillability Game
Land + Air + Water
Restoring Resilience to Mawignack Preserve
Land + Air + Water
Can Hops Make a Comeback in New York?
A close view of a hop growing on a vine. Behind it is a red barn.
Land + Air + Water
Protecting Forests by Managing the Exploding Deer Population
Climate Solutions
Floatovoltaics Makes Waves Approaching the Valley

Search Viewfinder:

Hudson Valley Viewfinder is a collaborative, community digital magazine sharing what inspires us about the beautiful Hudson Valley. We publish original stories and multimedia content about all things sustainable in the region along the Hudson River — including agriculture, science, wildlife, outdoor recreation, green transportation, environmental justice, and more.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

Subscribe!

Get the latest articles delivered right to your inbox  — for FREE!