Celebrate the Harvest with Beekman 1802

Throughout the 2009 growing season, Beekman 1802 and Landreth Seed hosted "America's Oldest Largest Garden Party." As this season comes to a close, there will be a weekend of celebration with the first ever Harvest Festival in our favorite place in upstate New York, Sharon Springs.

On September 18, from 5:30-7:30, join our friends Josh and Brent as well as Farmer John and all the goats for an evening of celebration on the grounds of the Beekman Farm. The celebration includes:

-- Tour the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Garden and learn the history behind every vegetable that was planted.

-- Be a Top Chef judge and help choose the team of culinary students from SUNY Delhi who create the most interesting canape's from the Landreth heirloom vegetables.

-- Learn how to evaluate wines with a guided tasting of NYS Rieslings.

-- Meet Brent, Josh, Farmer John and all the goats.

Proceeds from the event will go to support the culinary program at SUNY. Tickets for the event can be purchased by visiting the Beekman 1802 Mercantile.

On September 18, celebrate the local farmers and their hard work with the first annual all day Harvest Festival. The festival will be held in the village of Sharon Springs for the entire day and will feature special tastings of heirloom vegetables, NYS wines and beers, maple syrup and other regional delights. All of the local farms have been invited to bring in their harvests for a wonderful market.

Inspiring local artists and craftspeople will also be on hand, sharing their work.

The day long event will conclude with a very special Harvest Feast at the historic American Hotel.

Inspired by the Beekman 1802 heirloom garden, the feast will celebrate the best of what upstate New York has to offer. Every primary ingredient on the menu for the evening will be locally sourced. Over 30 farms and providers will be represented.

Chef Lee Woolver has created a menu for the evening with recipes that the Beekman's would have served in their own home back in 1802. The menu for the feast makes your mouth water just reading it:

The Amuse Bouche

Goose Breast Cutlet w/ Goose leg sausage medallion and grape catsup

The First Course

Roasted Hard Squash and Turnip Soup

Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Salad

The Entrees

Dutch Braised Beef with root vegetables, German egg noodles and pan gravy

Roasted Free Bird Farm Chicken with preserved ripe tomatoes, cranberry beans and sage

Stewed Pork Shoulder with Seckel pears and crisp fried kraut

The Cheese Course

A trio of milks (cow, goat and sheep) including the official unveiling of Beekman 1802 Blaak, the first Beekman artisanal cheese

Dessert

Steamed sweet apple dumpling with spiced cider syrup

Throughout the meal guests will have the opportunity to hear from the owners of Landreth Seed, Beekman 1802 and The American Hotel and a selection of the fine farms and vineyards represented on the menu.

Space for the Harvest Feast is limited! Tickets are $100. per person and can be purchased by calling The American Hotel at 518.284.2105.

David and I will be attending the events, photographing and blogging live from the Beekman Farm and The American Hotel. We will also have our first designs of Beekman 1802 shirts, baseball caps, and eco-friendly totes available for sale. We're very excited about this first line of "Beekman Gear."

We hope you will join us as we join Brent and Josh and the entire village of Sharon Springs in celebrating the harvest.