From the Fyr 6.28.2026

Farm Forecast

Last week, after we announced our pivot away from the original Wood Fired Friday format, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect.

What followed was one of the most humbling experiences I've had in a long time. Customers reached out. Friends reached out. Fellow business owners reached out. People shared stories of their own mistakes, pivots, growing pains, and learning curves. Instead of criticism, we were met with support. Instead of frustration, we were met with encouragement.

And honestly, we're still sitting in gratitude over it.

If you've never worked in hospitality, it can be difficult to understand just how much happens behind the scenes. Most people understandably only see what lands on their plate. They don't see the prep lists, ordering, staffing, scheduling, dishwashing, hauling, cleaning, troubleshooting, equipment failures, weather concerns, timing, and about a thousand other moving pieces all happening simultaneously.

The reality is that hospitality is one of the most rewarding industries in the world. It's also one of the hardest. The work is physical, emotional, creative, logistical, and often all-consuming. You spend your days trying to create moments of joy for other people, which is a beautiful thing, but it can also be exhausting.

So thank you. Thank you for cheering us on. Thank you for giving us the grace to learn and adjust. Thank you for reminding us why we do this in the first place.

And speaking of reasons we do this...

This past weekend I had the opportunity to work alongside my favorite Fyr & Salt crew again for a small private birthday celebration on the farm. The weather was perfect. The farm looked incredible. Guests lingered around the tables long after dinner was over, wandering the property, chatting under the trees, and soaking in one of those magical North Fork evenings that reminds you exactly why people fall in love with this place.

The food was some of the best I've seen come out of this kitchen. Wood-fired oysters with kimchi and shiitake vinaigrette. Fresh fluke crudo topped with Wickham's strawberries and rhubarb. Beautiful 8 Hands pork chops with rhubarb marmalade. One thoughtful course after another.

If you've ever considered hosting a private event on the farm, this is your sign.

But here's the good news.

One of my favorite bites of the entire evening escaped the private party menu and made its way into the cafe this week. Housemade sourdough crostini topped with sautéed kale folded into fresh ricotta and finished with mushrooms.

Simple. And OMG SO PERFECT. Honestly my favorite thing I ate all night.

It's one of those dishes that reminds you that when ingredients are exceptional, you don't need to do much to them. Good food has a way of speaking for itself.

So if you happen to see it on the menu this week, do not overthink it.

Just order it.

Market Highlights

Every Wednesday I take my own little shopping trip through the market.

And every Wednesday I leave with something I wasn't planning on buying.

Not because I'm impulsive. Well...not entirely because I'm impulsive.

But because every week there seems to be some new product, ingredient, condiment, pantry staple, or small-batch creation that somehow sneaks its way into my basket.

What I appreciate most is that Max doesn't choose products based solely on whether they'll sell. He spends time learning about the people behind them. The farms. The families. The makers. The tiny businesses quietly pouring themselves into their craft. He lights up when he tells me about one of the newest products we are carrying.

Because when someone genuinely cares about what they're producing, you can tell.

You can taste it.

You can taste the difference between a strawberry picked because it was ripe and a strawberry picked because it had to survive a thousand-mile truck ride. You can taste the difference between stone-milled flour and flour that's been sitting in a warehouse for months. You can taste the difference between thoughtfully fermented kimchi and something made to hit a price point.

And maybe this sounds ridiculous, but I honestly think you can taste care.

Not just in food. In people.

The economy is tough right now. Food prices are up. Gas prices are up. Everything feels expensive. Everything is expensive. And trust me, I am not writing this from a yacht somewhere. I understand budgets. I understand making choices. I understand standing in a grocery store debating whether something is worth putting in your cart.

But one thing I've become increasingly intentional about is where I choose to spend my food dollars.

Not because I think everyone needs to buy everything local all the time. Not because I think everyone should spend more money. But because I think we need to think differently.

A small purchase can ripple much further than we realize.

Maybe this week you don't buy the pasture-raised chicken. Maybe instead you bring home a little jar of rhubarb strawberry jam. Now suddenly that one purchase supports Fyr & Salt, supports the folks at Wickham's who grew the fruit, supports local jobs, supports local agriculture, and creates something genuinely delicious that turns your Tuesday night grilled chicken into something special.

That's a pretty incredible return on investment if you ask me.

The same goes for things like the white bean salad. Sure, you could eat it straight from the container for lunch. But you could also stretch that container into dinner for an entire family. Add extra greens. Add grilled fish. Add chicken. Add roasted vegetables. Add sourdough.

One container becomes four plates.

That's the kind of math I love.

Because good food doesn't have to be extravagant. It just has to be thoughtful.

And honestly, that's what I see happening throughout the market right now.

Not just food.

Ideas. Building blocks. Ingredients with stories. Products made by people who care deeply about their craft and believe in what they're putting into the world.

The funny thing about the food industry is that despite what some people think, very few people get into it because they want to get rich. Most farmers, food makers, bakers, cooks, fermenters, cheesemakers, and growers are working incredibly hard for margins that would make most people question their life choices.

They do it because they love it. They do it because they believe it matters.

They do it because they believe good food creates healthier people, healthier communities, and a healthier future.

And that's something worth supporting. Not because it's trendy. Because it's how communities stay communities. And especially in these last few weeks, we LOVE our community.

Kitchen Spark

“We all find ourselves in food ruts, so here’s a little spark to light the fyr in your kitchen.”

This week we're leaning fully into early summer.

The strawberries are finally tasting like strawberries. But not like store bought. If you've had fresh picked strawberries than you know you've enjoyed the North Fork in June. The asparagus is still having its moment. The herbs are waking up. And after spending all winter dreaming about fresh produce, I feel personally obligated to put it in everything.

Which brings me to this salad.

I know "salad" doesn't exactly sound exciting. But this is the kind of salad that accidentally became lunch...and dinner.

It's also the kind of salad that reminds me why grains deserve a comeback. Poor grains have really taken a beating over the last decade. Somewhere along the line we decided that carbs were evil and everyone became afraid of foods humans have been eating for thousands of years.

The problem was never grains.

The problem is often how they're grown, processed, stripped down, and turned into shelf-stable food products. Good grains are a completely different story.

Farro is one of my favorites because it's hearty, chewy, nutty, satisfying, and packed with fiber, minerals, and plant compounds that help support everything from digestion to heart health.

And most importantly?

It tastes good.

Which I still believe should be the first requirement of healthy food.

Strawberry, Asparagus & Farro Salad

You'll Need

• 1 cup farro

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

• 1 pint local strawberries, sliced

• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

• 1/4 cup pickled red onion

• Large handful fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil, mint, or whatever is taking over your garden)

• 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts

Dressing

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp honey or maple syrup

• Salt and pepper to taste

How I Did It

1. Cook the farro in generously salted water until tender but still pleasantly chewy. Drain and let cool slightly.

2. While the farro cooks, blanch the asparagus in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then immediately transfer to ice water. This keeps it bright green and crisp.

3. Slice the strawberries, crumble the feta, chop the herbs, and try not to eat all the strawberries before they make it into the bowl.

4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.

5. Combine the farro, asparagus, strawberries, feta, pickled onions, herbs, and nuts.

6. Pour over the dressing and toss gently.

7. Eat immediately or let it hang out for 30 minutes while everything gets friendly.

Stretch It

This is where things get interesting.

Add grilled chicken and you've got dinner.

Add white beans and you've got a vegetarian meal with extra fiber and protein.

Top with a jammy egg and suddenly it's brunch.

Serve it alongside fish and you've got the kind of meal people pay a lot of money for at waterfront restaurants.

Stuff leftovers into a wrap with hummus.

Pile it over greens.

Eat it directly from the mixing bowl standing at the counter.

No judgment.

Honestly, that's one of my favorite things about grain salads. They don't demand much. They just secretly make everything around them better.

And unlike a lot of sad desk salads, this one actually gets better the next day.

Which means future-you gets lunch too.