New North Fork Farm Stand Forced To Close After 1 Weekend

SOUTHOLD, NY — A brand-new farm stand opened last weekend by well-known chef Jess Dunne and her mother-in-law Candice Schott was shuttered by Southold town officials less than a week later.

Southold town code enforcement officials told Dunne that under town code, 60 percent of what is sold at farm stands must be grown on-site, with 40 percent retail.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, addressing the issue in an online discussion forum, said in order to meet the 60 percent requirement, an operator needed to lease or own at least seven acres of land and grow ag products.

The sale of those should comprise 60 percent of the overall income, he said. He added that the definition under the code requires the person to be the sole operator and that they produce ag products for at least two years. "There is no provision for a third party operator," he said, adding that there is also a definition for a "roadside stand" that does not require seven acres but limits what is sold only to the products grown on-site with no accessory items such as food and limits the retail area to 80 square feet.

Dunne said she and Schott stated from the start they were a seasonal accessory of Darts Tree Farm; when speaking with Southold Town Attorney Bill Duffy Dunne said they explained that. They had planted vegetables on-site and were selling other products such as honey, tomatoes, eggs, and flowers cultivated on-site, she said.

"Unfortunately, there is uneven enforcement happening in Southold Town," Dunne said. "I will never throw someone else under the bus, and am willing to be an advocate so that others don’t face this issue. But, unfortunately, we’ve lost money starting up and creating this space with good intentions, only for our local government to find reasons to keep us closed even after complying. I don’t want to continue to go back and forth with the town employees. We’ve gotten out of our lease, unfortunately — and another Southold small business is lost. Thank you for everyone who continues to have my back. Onward and upward," Dunne said.

Dunne — a co-founder of the North Fork Roasting Co. who was a contestant on Chopped — and Schott marked the opening of North Fork Provisions, their new farm stand, located on Main Bayview Road at Dart's Tree Farm, last Friday.

The plan for the farm stand, Dunne said, was to fill it to the proverbial brim with North Fork offerings, including vegetables from the Jamesport Farmstand, flower bouquets made by Betsy Liegey of the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. — down the line, Dunne hoped to host a bouquet-making workshop — and basically, everything a person would need to make a meal for dinner that night. Choices included an array of cheeses, Peconic Gold Oysters, and snails by Taylor Knapp, as well as pastries, iced tea, and cold-brewed coffee.

Dunne rented a kitchen on Cox Lane where she planned to prepare to-go options including hummus, pesto, and sandwiches; she also planned picnic baskets to go, for people to bring to the beach or to wineries.

Russell and Duffy did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.