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🐝 2,200 Garlic Bulbs

🐝 2,200 Garlic Bulbs

The Garlic Guy, The Sea Sets The Tempo, Coastal Scenes

Thomas Loncar
July 24, 2026

Together With Tim O’Keefe

Good Morning, North Fork! Consider this your official permission slip to leave one thing undone until Monday.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

The Garlic Guy
The Sea Sets The Tempo
Coastal Scenes

Ready, Set, Go!

P.S. Happy Birthday on Saturday to Robin Walden! 🎂

Happy Birthday on Sunday to Rita Graves! 🎂

The Lowdown

The Garlic Guy 🧄

Inside a Mattituck barn, more than 2,200 garlic bulbs are hanging from the ceiling, drying after their first big harvest. They all belong to 23 year old Chris Romano, whose North Fork Garlic Company is turning a former potato field into a home for specialty hardneck garlic.

After spending two years rebuilding the soil before planting a single clove, Romano harvested five unique varieties with roots tracing back to Russia and the Republic of Georgia.

Rather than the softneck garlic most people grab at the grocery store, Romano focuses on hardneck garlic, known for bigger cloves, bolder flavor and edible scapes that he recommends tossing on the grill with olive oil.

He even built his own garlic planting machine by converting an old bicycle into a hole digger, helping plant thousands of cloves by hand across his two acre Southold field.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

The Sea Sets The Tempo 🌊

The Rites of Spring Music Festival is transforming Orient's Poquatuck Hall into a celebration of music, film and storytelling inspired by life on the water.

Running Friday through Sunday, "Poquatuck Hall for All" features everything from Americana and classical concerts to poetry readings, a silent film with a live improvised score, guided sound meditation and a community square dance.

The weekend was curated by Stony Brook doctoral student, pianist and composer Owen Dodds around this year's festival theme, "Sea, Soil and Soul."

Highlights include Friday's opening concert with Early Gray the Band and The Mudflats, Saturday's classical performance by the Mozze Trio, Sunday's screening of the 1920s fishing documentary Drifters with live music, and a square dance led by Fiddlers Green to close out the weekend.

Get the full story 👉 East End Beacon

Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Jodi Posner

Tag @NorthForkBuzz or email us at [email protected] to get your photos in The Buzz!

Local Spotlight

Coastal Scenes 🏖️

A glass of wine in hand and walls filled with paintings of the bays, boats, and beaches that make the North Fork feel like home.

That's the scene at Borghese Vineyard, where the "Bays, Boats, and Beaches" Summer Art Show is on display through September 8. Seventeen local artists have each created their own mini gallery, filling the Main Gallery and Terre Cotta Room with everything from intimate coastal studies to large scale paintings inspired by familiar waterfront views.

If you're looking for an excuse to sip some wine and take in a little local creativity, stop by during the Artist Reception on Sunday, July 26, from 1 to 3 PM. Even if you can't make the reception, the show is open weekdays from 11 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from noon to 4 PM. A relaxed way to spend an afternoon surrounded by some of the North Fork's favorite scenery.

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Foodie Friday 🍽

Sometimes You Just Need a Bacon, Egg & Cheese 🥓 🍳 🧀

We're keeping things super basic this week because sometimes, that's exactly what the moment calls for.

Some mornings don't need an over the top brunch spread or the latest breakfast special. We were in the mood for a true Long Island staple: a bacon, egg and cheese. So we made our way to Black Sheep Bagels in Cutchogue to see if they could deliver.

Judging by the steady stream of customers on a Thursday morning, we weren't the only ones with the same idea. The shop was buzzing with locals picking up breakfast sandwiches, fresh bagels, and coffee before starting their day. As we waited for our order, we could see fresh bagels being made behind the counter, adding to that classic neighborhood bagel shop feel. Even with the morning rush, the staff was warm, friendly, and kept everything moving efficiently.

We ordered the classic bacon, egg and cheese on a Kaiser roll, and it was exactly what we were hoping for. The roll was soft and fresh, the cheese was perfectly melted, the egg had just enough runny yolk to hold everything together, and the bacon was crispy with every bite. No unnecessary twists or gimmicks. Just a really well executed breakfast sandwich that reminded us why the BEC has earned its legendary status on Long Island.

Of course, Black Sheep Bagels has plenty more to offer beyond breakfast sandwiches. Their kettle boiled bagels are made fresh daily and come with a wide variety of classic and specialty cream cheeses. The menu also features signature breakfast sandwiches, deli classics, lunch sandwiches, wraps, fresh salads, coffee, and baked goods, making it an easy stop whether you're craving a quick breakfast or lunch on the go.

Sometimes the simplest meals are the most satisfying. This week's Foodie Friday is proof that when the basics are done right, they don't need anything extra.

Now we want to know: Where's your go to spot for a classic egg sammy on the North Fork? Reply to this email and let us know. We may have to put your recommendation to the test in a future Foodie Friday.

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored

🍽 Foodie Friday Wants Your Recommendations

Had an incredible meal on the North Fork recently? Don't gatekeep it.

Maybe it was a standout lobster roll, an unforgettable dessert, a hidden gem, or a dish you're still thinking about days later. Whatever it was, we want to hear about it. Send us a quick blurb about your experience, what you ordered, and why it's worth trying. Your recommendation could be featured in an upcoming Foodie Friday edition of North Fork Buzz.

Share the good stuff and help fellow food lovers in the Buzz fam discover their next great meal!

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

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THANKS!

Thanks for reading the North Fork Buzz today. Like what you read? Send it to someone that loves bagels.

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships