Wintering
January 2026 - edition 13
We are mid-breath and mid-break after another whopper of a year. We welcome this time to hunker down. With the farm store closed for January and February, we are able to focus our energies on planning for what lies ahead and catching up on the things we don’t have time for during the busier seasons—like enjoying a hot bath, playing backgammon, meeting friends for dinner and taking day trips to other towns. Still, we are amazed at how quickly time passes, even in January!
We don’t really do Top 10 lists or New Years Resolutions, but here are a few things we’ve been reflecting on about the past year and hoping for in the year ahead:
BOOK CLUB PLUG!
One of the best things about 2025 was starting a book club with a group of local friends. We come from a range of backgrounds and professions and that is part of the magic of our group. We rotate who chooses the book and who hosts the discussion and we gather over brunch or dinner to share our thoughts and impressions. We love how it has challenged us: to read things we might not have otherwise selected; to set aside time to focus on the essential act of reading; and to really listen and to consider things from a different perspective. Here are the books we have tackled so far. Let us know if you have some recommendations!
“The Swerve: How the World Became Modern” by Stephen Greenblatt
“The Feast of the Goat” by Mario Vargas Llosa
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot
“Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
“The Magic Mountain” by Thomas Mann
“On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong
“If Beale Street Could Talk” by James Baldwin
Robin has also greatly benefitted from a knitting group (the knit-wits) that has taken her under their wings. This group and a broader network of fiber friends have provided her with much-needed emotional and technical support as she navigates the fascinating world of wool and beyond. Getting sheep was no accident and knitting is the natural extension of a growing passion.
In these uncertain and tense times, we highly recommend any activity that encourages in-person gatherings with thoughtful conversation, and food and libations to feed body as well as soul.
2026 Mantra—BE THE LIGHT
We hope that 2026 sees a revaluing of civil discourse, concern for one another—whether stranger or friend—and belonging to something bigger than ourselves as individuals. These are challenging times and long shadows are being cast. It is more important than ever to be the light for others. Be the person who steps up, raises their hand, reaches out, checks in, shows up, is an example to others. We are all connected and interdependent and if this sounds like John Lennon’s “Imagine” it may be because we have consumed so many Beatles Documentaries recently that we’ve become fluent in their breed of idealism.
You say you want a Revolution?
What We’ve Been Up to Lately
We have been moving back into our house after a 14-month renovation. Living in the office/garage and sleeping on a mattress on the floor was novel for a bit, but Kevin was ready for a real kitchen and Robin was looking forward to her first dishwasher since moving out of her childhood home at the age of 18.
We have been painting, hanging art, and fluffing up our forever nest. It’s been nice to have friends over for meals and to enjoy our morning coffee in comfy chairs. We realize how incredibly fortunate we are to have these comforts, especially against the backdrop of current events. It’s been sobering and humbling, and while we are thrilled to have the amazing home we now have, moving back in hasn’t been as celebratory as we thought it would be when we embarked on this renovation.
How to say “Welcome to the home of crazy chicken people” without saying a word
A very happy Kevin making pastry for turkey pot pie in our new kitchen
Big Pot of Delicious Beans
One pot meals=wintering at its best. We are obsessed with Rancho Gordo heirloom beans (shouldn’t everyone be?). They have so much flavor on their own, and it requires very little culinary effort or skill to produce a delicious meal. Use a good stock as your base, and you will be rewarded. We’ve been working our way through this batch of Rancho Gordo Ayocote Blanco Beans. We sauteed up some onion, fennel, celery and carrot with 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves, added the beans and covered in turkey stock from the amazing YundWell turkey we roasted over the holidays. Simmered for about 3 hours, then added kale. You can shave some good Parm over it and give it a few cracks of freshly ground pepper if so inclined.
While we’re on the topic, we recently picked up a copy of Mona Talbott’s Zuppe: Soups from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome which you can also do by clicking on the link. We can’t wait to work our way through all of the incredible recipes within. Robin and Mona are on the board of Slow Food Hudson Valley, which recently hosted a Stone Soup event bringing people together to prepare nourishing soups for one another and for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. As Mona writes, “Wholesome, egalitarian, and economical, soup is the perfect food for our modern lives.” We couldn’t agree more!
Food scraps and seasonal decorations that our wonderful neighbors have dropped off for our farm animals.
This really helps add some variety to their diets during winter when they don’t have access to fresh pastures.
Please reach out if you would like to donate any veggies that have overstayed their welcome or extras from an overly abundant garden during the growing season.
What We’ve Been Mixing Up Lately
Our January has been decidedly NOT very dry, although we commend those of you who can pull it off! We’ve been doing some R&D for our upcoming Fridays at the Farm series (we suppose it helps to have a professional motive) and referencing a few of our favorite cocktail books for inspiration. This is based on the Rose #2 cocktail, a popular Parisian drink in the 1920s and 1930s attributed to Chatham Bar.
The Fancy Phyllis
2oz Branchwater Dry Vermouth*
1oz Branchwater Cherry Brandy
1/3oz Simple Syrup
1tsp syrup of Branchwater brandied cherries
Stir with ice, strain into chilled coupe, and garnish with a brandied cherry.
*because we do not add any sweetener to our dry Vermouth, this calls for the addition of a little simple syrup. If using another dry Vermouth you might not need it.
Girl is faaaaaaaaaancy!
Looking ahead - we have some fun events planned for 2026. We all need some fun. We’ll be sharing more of those dates and deets with you in upcoming newsletters.
Saturday, March 7th - We will reopen our farm store/tasting room for the 2026 season with a very exciting new spirit launch—with a party, of course! Don’t miss our February newsletter for the lowdown.
Fridays at the Farm - Fridays at the Farm returns for the 2026 season! Join us on the Final Friday of the month for cocktails (and wine, cider, beer and nonalcoholic options), specialty food boards, farm store snacks and community! Hang out in the lower field and be entertained by our flock of ducks or pull up a seat around our fire pit or one of the many tables set up around the farm, and usher in the weekend against the calming backdrop of our farm’s natural beauty.
2026 FATF dates: Apr 24 ~ May 29 ~ Jun 26 ~ Jul 31 ~ Aug 28 ~ Sept 25 ~ Oct 30 ~
