On the Farm: Potluck, Pumpkins and Cows

No, there are no cows in Malverne, but Nassau County's Crossroads Farm is now selling cow cheese, a new arrival this week.

CHEESE, PUMPKINS AND MORE

In addition to the Catapano goat cheese and feta they've been selling inside their farmer's market, you'll also find cheddar, brie and "sunrise" cheese from Mecox Bay Dairy in Bridgehampton. (The latter is a soft cheese similar to gouda.)

Despite news of a pumpkin shortage on the East Coast due to Irene, pumpkins (albeit small ones) have appeared at Crossroads at Grossmann's this week. They come from a farm in Calverton, along with a selection of gourds.

Soon the Malverne farm will harvest its own gourds, but for now, the selection of homegrown produce includes organic edamame, onions, garlic (Buy one get one free!), rose potatoes, cow peas, carrots, mixed beets, arugala, lettuce, lipstick and bell peppers, rainbow chard, fennel, eggplant and several types of tomatoes.

They also have a nice selection of apples - five different varieties - and juicy pears from Wickhams Fruit Farm. There's spinach and lettuce from Deer Run Farms in Brookhaven, honey from Kirkwood, yukon and red potatoes from Wesnofski Farm in Peconic, organic eggs from Lattingtown and the Waldorf School in Garden City is selling kale at the farm stand too.

TOUR, POTLUCK AND TALK

Farm-goers are also in for a special treat this weekend. The Nassau Land Trust, which operates the farm, is working with NOFA-NY, Food & Water Watch, Slow Food Huntington and iEatGreen to celebrate the NY Locavore Challenge and Potluck Across NY. There will be a tour of the farm at 4 p.m. on Sept. 25, followed by a potluck dinner at 5 p.m. and a special guest speaker at 6 p.m. Food and Water Watch's Eric Weltman will talk about the fair farm bill.

The event costs $10 per person, $5 for NOFA-NY and Slow Food members and free for committed Crossroads Farm volunteers. Check out the farm's Facebook page or Web site for more information.

Oh, and if you are attending, you're encouraged to walk or ride your bike if possible, or take public transportation to "move beyond fossil fuels."