Authored by: Laurie Mindnich
August 4th, 2008
I read with interest the following article, published by The New York Times on June 18, 1989.
The author was Barbara Klaus. Link to the article below.
The Talk of the North Fork; Past Riverhead, Suburbia Looms Ever Closer
"At the Hargrave Vineyard here, Abigail Bakker is packaging newly bottled wine. As on other weekdays on Long Island's North Fork, it's quiet. The grapes are swelling on the vines and the roads are all but empty. Now in her 20's, she remembers how it was when she moved here as a child."
While there has certainly been growth in the years between 1989 and 2008, the North Fork of Long Island retains much of the charm that was present when the "locals" expressed a bit of dismay over the changing landscape.
"On Saturdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day long lines of luxury cars pull in and out at the Briermere Farms stand in Riverhead. Customers are drawn by the 18 varieties of fruit pies and fresh produce."
Thanks to the 2% Peconic Tax, (Community Preservation Fund) many of the open farms that so many consider intrinsic to the area remain "open". There was a recent Southold purchase that involved woods near Cedar Beach in Southold- the land will remain Evergreen woods. The Peconic Land Trust has this quote published on it's web site -
"The 2% real estate transfer fee paid by buyers goes directly to the Town in which the property purchased is located."
It takes living here to comprehend the importance of retaining the value in an area such as the North Fork- while the Hamptons offer their own recipe for summer living, North Fork residents have their own interpretation of "quality of life".
"Yard sales are something that draws both local residents and the people with second homes. They rush from sale to sale, pouring over the contents of attics and basements from Riverhead to Greenport. People scoop up such treasures as wigs, circa 1962, rusted potato mashers, mosaic ashtrays and plastic Mr. Peanuts."
For many, and I've come to agree, there's nothing wrong with disliking change in the landscape of this little piece of island, and much to be said for preventing it.
If you are interested in buying or selling a home on the North Fork of Long Island, pricing has come down, and inventory is as plentiful as the sweet corn found fresh at the farmstands!
Photos: Copyright 2008 Options Realty
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