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🐝 Fire Erupts at Wells Farm

🐝 Fire Erupts at Wells Farm

Wells Farm Fire, Snail of Approval, Thanksgiving Without the Work

Thomas Loncar
November 14, 2025

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Good Morning, North Fork! It’s Friday. Time to put the ‘pro’ in procrastinate.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Wells Farm Fire
Snail of Approval
Thanksgiving Without the Work

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Wells Farm Fire 🔥

A massive blaze ripped through Wells Farm Wednesday evening, sending three people to the hospital with smoke inhalation and claiming dozens of animals.

The Wells family has been working this land since 1661, yes, before the United States existed, and by 5 PM, flames were rolling out of one of their barns so fast that firefighters barely had time to blink.

Firefighters from eight departments swarmed Sound Avenue, herding terrified pigs through smoke, the Wells family ran inside to pull out as many animals as they could. All the chickens were lost, and two of twenty pigs didn’t make it, but dozens of others survived thanks to quick work on the ground.

It took more than 50 firefighters and over two hours to get the flames under control. The cause of the fire doesn’t appear suspicious, but investigators are calling it undetermined for now.($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

Cooking Up Magic 🧑‍🍳

Greenport has a new culinary star, and her name is Sarah Mastracco. A chef who’s cooked everywhere from medieval Tuscany to Manhattan’s Michelin-star temples, traded jokes with Snoop Dogg, mouthed recipe notes to Martha Stewart mid-blowout, and somehow ended up running a tiny gourmet powerhouse on First Street.

Her shop, Flavor Fork, is basically a greatest-hits album of her entire career. Shelves lined with her own sauces, soups, salads, plus local gems she hand picks from East End artisans. And in the back? A full-blown cooking school where strangers become pasta making besties over homemade Bolognese.

In 2020, during the pandemic, Sarah and her husband moved to Cutchogue full-time. Sarah started posting weekly menus and selling plant-forward meals from a little fridge in her barn. That humble setup eventually blossomed into Flavor Fork.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Snail of Approval: Peconic Gold Oysters 🦪

Peconic Gold Oysters just snagged Slow Food East End’s coveted Snail of Approval, becoming the first ever oyster farm on the East End to earn the honor.

If you’re not familiar, Slow Food USA grew out of a 1989 protest against a fast-food chain opening at Rome’s Spanish Steps. The movement champions food that’s good, clean, and fair.

Owner Matt Ketcham, who produces 3–4 million oysters a year with meticulous standards, was floored by the recognition. An East End kid who grew up obsessed with the water, he studied aquaculture at URI and built Peconic Gold from the ground up.

Get the full story 👉 Northforker

Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Merry Retus

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Foodie Friday 🍽

Let’s be honest, some folks aren’t just skipping the 6-hour turkey marathon this Thanksgiving, they’re skipping all of it. The basting. The baking. The frantic “why isn’t the gravy thickening?” prayers. If your idea of holiday prep is putting on a nice sweater and arriving precisely on time for your reservation, you’re in excellent company.

This year, the North Fork’s restaurants are rolling out the red carpet for anyone who wants a Thanksgiving feast without the oven mitts. Cozy dining rooms, chef-driven menus, perfectly poured wine, and not a single dish to scrub afterward. Now that’s something to be thankful for.

These spots are doing the cooking so you can focus on the fun part, eating, sipping, relaxing, and maybe even letting someone else handle dessert.

Just one tip: book sooner rather than later. Thanksgiving reservations vanish faster than the last scoop of mashed potatoes.

Thanksgiving Without the Work 🦃

Wherever you end up, may your turkey be tender, your wine be local, and your only cleanup be closing the tab.

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

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THANKS!

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships