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🐝 The Secret to Longevity: Collard Greens

🐝 The Secret to Longevity: Collard Greens

101 Years Young, NFAC’s Big Vision, Hulling Night Memories

Thomas Loncar
June 19, 2026

Together With Tim O’Keefe

Good Morning, North Fork! This weekend we celebrate the men who taught us that every road trip starts with leaving before sunrise. Happy Father’s Day!

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

101 Years Young
NFAC’s Big Vision
Hulling Night Memories

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

101 Years Young 🎉

At 101 years old, Greenport’s Hattie McKnight is still driving herself to church every Sunday, living independently, and helping light the candles at Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church.

This weekend, “Miss Hattie” will be one of the featured honorees during Greenport’s Juneteenth celebration.

Born in Mississippi in 1924, McKnight grew up on a sharecropper farm and remembers firsthand the racism and hardships of the Jim Crow South.

McKnight credits Greenport with giving her family opportunities they never had in the South. She remembers a town where neighbors looked after one another regardless of race, and where hard work could still lead to homeownership.

As for the secret to reaching 101? According to Miss Hattie, it’s simple: collard greens for dinner, and then again for breakfast. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

NFAC’s Big Vision 🎭

Alison Omens, who officially became NFAC's executive director in May, is bringing a background that includes the Obama administration, Harvard Kennedy School, and leading a national nonprofit. Now she's focused on the future of Greenport's beloved theater.

One of her first tasks was helping celebrate the completion of a $500,000 renovation project that added a new HVAC system and elevator. But Omens is already looking ahead to bigger possibilities, from expanded arts programming and school partnerships to reimagining the building's second floor.

Omens says her goal is to make NFAC more than a movie theater. Her visions includes visiting artists, community collaborations, film clubs, cabaret nights, stand-up comedy, piano karaoke, and events that tap into the North Fork's creative, agricultural, and maritime roots.

A newly acquired Steinway piano is also opening new doors. NFAC leaders hope it will help attract more musical performances, while discussions continue about transforming unused space upstairs into classrooms, backstage areas, and flexible event space.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Hulling Night Memories 🍓

For many North Fork families, the Mattituck Strawberry Festival isn't just a weekend event, it's a collection of memories passed down through generations.

One of those stories belongs to Marie Winiarz, whose family has deep roots in the festival's history. Recently, she shared a cherished memory of her mother, Dorothy Winiarz, who became known for introducing an unexpectedly effective strawberry hulling technique: a simple McDonald's straw.

Push the straw through the bottom of the berry, pop out the stem, and move on to the next one. What started as a family experiment became a beloved Hulling Night memory.

Hulling Night itself has been a Mattituck tradition since the 1950s, bringing together volunteers of all ages to prepare thousands of strawberries for shortcake, pies, daiquiris, chocolate covered berries, and more.

Get the full story 👉 Patch

Photo of the Week

📸 submitted by Chris Collins

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

Foodie Friday 🍽

Family Style Feast 🍽️

There are plenty of good reasons to gather a group of friends for dinner. A beautiful summer evening, a long overdue catch up, or in our case, a birthday celebration.

When it came time to pick a spot for our party of 8, Duryea's in Orient Point was the choice.

Some restaurants serve dinner. Others make you feel like you're on vacation. Duryea's falls into the second category.

It's the kind of place that feels a little special before you've even taken your seat. Whether you're celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, entertaining out of town guests, or simply looking for an excuse to enjoy a waterfront dinner, Duryea's has a way of making an ordinary evening feel chic.

Of course, we weren't there just for the scenery. We came hungry. And fortunately, Duryea's delivers on both fronts.

The menu is built for sharing, with many dishes arriving family-style and landing in the center of the table for everyone to dig into.

🦞 Duryea's Lobster Cobb Salad

If you're ordering for the table, start here. The Lobster Cobb Salad is an absolute must get and arrives looking more like a centerpiece than a salad. The portion is enormous, easily enough for the entire table to share. Every bite delivers but, the lobster is the star of the show. And unlike some lobster dishes where you find yourself hunting for the seafood, Duryea's doesn't skimp.

🥕 Seasonal Vegetable Crudités

The Seasonal Vegetable Crudités is a great way to get things started. Served alongside three Mediterranean style spreads, an assortment of fresh vegetables, and warm pita, it's an appetizer that disappears from the table faster than you expect. Each spread brings something a little different to the party, making every bite worth experimenting with.

🍋 Lemon Pepper Chicken

It's easy to get distracted by all the seafood on the menu, but the Lemon Pepper Chicken was a pleasant surprise.

Served with crushed potatoes, the chicken arrives with crispy skin that delivers a crunch while the meat remains tender and juicy. The lemon pepper seasoning adds brightness and keeps the dish flavorful without overpowering it.

The crushed potatoes are the perfect companion, soaking up all the flavors from the plate and making sure not a bite goes to waste.

🥩 Grilled Skirt Steak

Sliced for sharing and served with marinated vegetables and chimichurri, this was one of the dishes that kept making its way around the table. The steak had with a nice char on the outside, and the chimichurri added a fresh, herby finish. The marinated vegetables were a great complement and helped balance out some of the richer dishes we ordered.

If you're looking for a spot to celebrate something, or simply pretend you're on vacation for a few hours, Duryea's is well worth the drive to Orient Point.

Where is your favorite place to celebrate a special occasion?
Email us at [email protected] and tell us all about it.

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!

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THANKS!

Thanks for reading the North Fork Buzz today. Like what you read? Send it to someone you’d share a lobster cobb with.

Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships