It was a gorgeous day on Long Island. A little chilly, very windy out east, but perfect for a Ladies day in farm and wine country. I went with my sister, daughter and niece to Harbes Family Farm!
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Our first stop was at the front of the farm stand where they have fresh produce for sale as well as homemade jarred jellies and jams. They also sell various foods. My daughter was hungry and ordered a panini. I bought fresh apples to make a gluten free dessert (see Gluten Free Farm Fresh Apple Crisp) and my sister bought eggplant and asked me to make my eggplant parmigiana again (see Gluten Free Easy Cheesy Eggplant Parmesan)
We walked back to where some farm animals reside. We didn't have any children with us and chose not to pay to go inside, but enjoyed what we could see from the entrance. We did find the goat sitting on top of the high balcony rather comical.
Visit Top Nine Gluten Free Baked Goods.
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For more fun farm adventures check out my post Mother Daughter Day Out East on the Farms. Last Spring we enjoyed a visit to a winery for my daughter's birthday - Long Island, New York Northshore Winery. Last year my sister and I had a great time at the farms and even stopped at a Garlic Fest - Long Island North Fork Farms, Food and Fun
The farm also has a play area for the little ones. On weekends it's packed. We went during the week when the kids were in school, so it was very quiet. There were just a few people with preschool children wandering through.
There are many farms right near one another. Right across the street there was a farm stand called Patty's Berries and Bunches. They sold beautiful handmade items and home grown plants. We bought some Mums and other decorative crafts. Everything was so beautiful.
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Many of the farms don't offer pick your own during the week, so we specifically went to this farm as it did offer it. The fields are so much fun and it's nice during the week without the crowds. While weekends offer more entertainment, often live music, hayrides, mazes, and more, and we've very much enjoyed it before, being we had no children with us, a weekday suited us. My daughter picked the perfect pumpkin for me!
Traffic is moving smoothly on Sound Avenue in this picture. On weekends it is literally bumper to bumper for miles and can sometimes take hours to get out east. It took us 1 hour with no traffic. On weekends, with traffic, the same trip has taken 2 to 3 hours.
I know someone who had a wedding in the fall out near Orient Point and it took some of her guests 4 hours to get there, causing them to miss the ceremony.
Long Island and traffic go hand in hand for decades. The Long Island Expressway is like a parking lot during rush hour and on holidays. It's especially bad from May through September every Friday starting about 2 p.m. when everyone is heading out east to the South Shore to the Hamptons for the weekend. Holiday weekends are the absolute worst.
My sister and I played pumpkin tic tac toe and my daughter and niece played pumpkin checkers. We had a lot of laughs playing these silly games in the crazy wind. Hard as I tried, I lost. My sister was very proud that she beat me!
Before leaving we walked back over to Patty's Berries and Bunches and bought some mums. They were gorgeous.
Our last stop was a local winery, RGNY. I brought my own food (see Bringing My Own Food Outside My Home) and they ordered wine and snacks. My sister, the driver, chose a soft drink. Due to my allergies, I just drank the water I brought with me.. (see Sent to ER by Dr. - You're Not Alone Facing Allergies)
Each winery offers its own unique experience from the décor, the wines, the menu and the entertainment. RGNY was more rustic and offered all organic options.
The farms and wineries are all close together on the North Shore. Very often people rent buses or limos to take group trips and they visit several farms and/or wineries in one day. It's a hot spot for bachelorette parties, weddings and other special occasions.
We had a lot of fun. Now I'm off to make a gluten free apple dessert with the farm fresh apples I purchased!