Now that we are turning our thoughts to fall, it’s time to embrace all the Adirondacks have to offer in this glorious season! Harvest events about this time of year, but we’d like to call your attention to the Adirondack Harvest Festival, right here in the Champlain Valley at the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport.

On Friday, September 20, at 6:00pm, DaCy Meadow Farm will be hosting a sumptuous long table dinner in Floral Hall. The meal will be prepared by student chefs from Paul Smiths College under the tutelage of Chef Kevin McCarthy, a founding member of Adirondack Harvest. Ingredients are being sourced from many of our local farms to create such dishes as watermelon gazpacho with pickled vegetables, goat feta and mint, chilled ADK noodle bundle, a salad of soft herbs and romesco sauce, roasted chicken breast, braised chicken leg and fall squash ragout with cider-rosemary emulsion, grilled loin of beef with charred ratatouille and chimichurri sauce and caramel poached pear with apple purée and maple cream for dessert. Ledge Hill Brewing Company will serve their craft beer along with local wines, hard cider and Southern Tier Distilling Co. craft cocktails. Keene’s own Gristmill Distillers will offer tastings of their locally distilled beverages. Tickets are $80/person with 15% of the proceeds generously being donated to Adirondack Harvest. Seating is limited so make your reservation soon! Call 518-962-8339 or email dacymeadowfarm@yahoo.com to claim your seat.

On Saturday, September 21 the day-long festival explodes with activities and admission and parking are free!

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) starts our day with a pre-festival hike which begins and ends at the Essex County Fairgrounds. Hikers should meet at the Fairground’s main entrance to hike Viall’s Crossing Trail (5 miles). $10/per person, kids under 18 free. Old Mountain Coffee will be on hand with fresh coffee, muffins, and other goodies.

From noon to 6pm we have non-stop action including:

• The season’s best farmers’ market with over 30 regional agricultural vendors displaying the Valley’s harvest (12 to 4 pm)
• Food trucks selling tasty snacks made with local ingredients: Papa Duke’s BBQ; Lomelis Mexican Food; Full Cord Pizza; Honey Pie & Farmers Cone Creamery
• Live music: Ploughman’s Lunch; William Lee Ellis & Steve Feinbloom duo; DJ Sam
• Craft brew tent featuring Ausable Brewing Co. and Livingood’s Brewery
• Educational talks including: Conservation & Farming with Holly Rippon-Butler of the Young Farmers’ Coalition; Beekeeping with Tim McGarry of Boquet Valley Farm; Pollinators with Brittany Christenson of ADK Action; and Local Brewing Forum with Matt Brankman of Ledge Hill Brewing Co. and Matt Ray of Livingood’s Restaurant and Brewery
• Live demonstrations: Flax Processing & Spinning with Mary Heald of Sylvanbrook Spinnery; Cider Pressing with Andy Wekin of Hub on the Hill; and Draft Horse Logging with Chad Vogel of Reber Rock Farm
• Activities such as Draft Horse Brushing and Draft Horse Wagon Rides
• Workshops (small fee, includes take-home items): Herbal Tea Blending with Christine O’Loughlin of Heron’s Hollow; and Shiitake Log Cultivation with Carly Summers of CCE Essex
• Try your hand at contests (Prizes included!) Container Gardening Contest with Essex County Master Gardener Volunteers; Straw Bale Toss Contest; Hula Hoop Contest (bring your own hula hoop!)
• And SO many kids’ activities! (small fee for some): Pony Rides, Face Painting; Goat Petting; Beet Print Making & Art Show; Mr. ‘Bagahead creation; Seed Collages; Sack Races and other contests.
• View the antique tractor display
• Check out the equipment and product of a local farmer growing commercial hemp!

The music and brew tent, as well as a handful of other activities, continues until 6:00pm. Then the celebration continues just down the road at Ledge Hill Brewing (6700 Main St., Westport – west end of the Fairgrounds near the RR tracks) – more music and food! Lomeli’s Mexican food truck will continue serving up deliciousness into the evening.

For more information, a map and schedule, and to see a list of all our participants and sponsors, please visit www.adkharvestfest.com.

See you at the festival!