Summer is here, well almost! Having shared a favorite memory in my last blog post, I thought I would once again get lost in my childhood and share a memory of growing up on the Adirondack Coast. When I was younger I was extremely lucky to have wonderful grandparents, I spent many wonderful summer days with them. Whether it was going to the beach, feeding the ducks at a local pond or watching my Grandfather tinker in his workshop, there was always some exciting adventure for us to explore on warm summer days. After a busy day we would typically drive around Point Au Roche, NY or Beekmantown, NY, home to several family farms, and stop at one of the local road side vegetable stands to pick up whatever was in season for dinner. My favorite “fresh from the farm” dinner was always new potatoes, green beans and fresh corn on the cob; this girl needed nothing else on her plate to be happy, except a little fresh butter! Even as an adult this meal is still one of my summer-time favorites.
We’d settle the tab with the farmer or at that time, leave in the donation box and head home; always with a honey stick in hand that Grandpa would never forget to give me. Once home, we would head to the kitchen to cook up our new found loot! – I would always get stuck shucking the corn, a job I disliked and have now handed down to my nephew – a rite of passage...right? After the corn was shucked, beans snapped and potatoes washed, grandma would cook up our meal. We would sit around the table talking and laughing about the day’s adventure, always being extremely thankful for the local farmland, wonderful farmers and the fresh produce in front of us. Some may think it sounds a bit too “Mayberry”, but to me it was the ideal summer night on the coast; being with family, forgetting the hustle and bustle of the world around us and sharing a meal with my family. Next time you are driving around the coast on a summer day, check out the Plattsburgh Farmers’ and Crafters Market or stop at the abundant roadside stands that create the landscape on our quiet country roads. It will start conversations and for a small period of time, allow you to connect and unplug with those you love! It will be a family memory that no family with ever forget. - I promise you will not be disappointed.Now as an adult whenever I visit a roadside stand I can’t help but remember those summer days with my grandparents and I never leave without a honey stick!
