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Ina Garten is a Hamptons legend.
I visited a few of her favourite farm stands: Amber Waves, Spherical Swamp Farm, and Inexperienced Thumb Natural Farm.
They’re recognized for his or her excessive costs — assume $26 hummus — however they’re cozy and the meals is scrumptious.
Nobody does the Hamptons just like the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, however one definitely can attempt.Whereas perusing her weblog for suggestions, I got here throughout a 2021 checklist of her favourite spots “out East,” together with farm stands and specialty meals shops.By “out East,” Garten means the Hamptons, an enclave for New York Metropolis’s wealthiest alongside the South Fork of Lengthy Island. On a current journey there, I visited three of Garten’s advisable spots. Whereas I anticipated they may be pretentious or snobby, as a substitute, I discovered charming family-owned companies promoting do-it-yourself pies and staffed by pleasant workers.I additionally discovered excessive costs on a number of the produce. A lot has been stated concerning the costs within the Hamptons, one thing I confirmed all through my two-day go to, once I noticed $24 oatmeal, $71 steak, $24 gazpacho, and $18 guacamole.Spherical Swamp Farm, one of many farm stands I visited, beforehand advised Enterprise Insider they “consider that the costs of our merchandise pretty characterize the prime quality and number of the contemporary meals and produce we provide” and are “vital” to help employees and their households who stay in one of the vital costly areas within the nation.Inexperienced Thumb Natural Farm additionally famous that they pay their employees greater than the nationwide common, which may have an effect on their costs, too.This is what it was like to go to a few of Garten’s favourite Hamptons farm stands, together with the value tags, do-it-yourself baked items, clams by the bunch, and plenty of contemporary produce.
Ina Garten is synonymous with the Hamptons and has suggestions for every thing there.
Ina Garten Approach.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
So, on my most up-to-date journey, I visited three of her favourite farm stands: Amber Waves Farm in Amagansett, Spherical Swamp Farm in Bridgehampton, and Inexperienced Thumb Natural Farm in Water Mill.
My first cease was Amber Waves Farm.
The outside of Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Throughout a 2022 phase on her Meals Community present, Garten took her good friend and fellow chef Marcus Samuelsson to Amber Waves, calling it “a beautiful place.””I really like to return right here,” she stated. “It is stunning.”Amber Waves additionally has a small retailer within the city of East Hampton, however that location is basically a espresso store.
Along with being a working farm, the Amagansett location can also be a café and market.
The garden at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Once I pulled up on a Tuesday afternoon, it was fairly crowded. Most of the out of doors seats have been taken.It is also CSA-based (community-supported agriculture), which signifies that locals can subscribe to select up a field of contemporary produce from Amber Waves weekly. Garten herself has stated she was a member.
Inside was painted a shiny white with uncovered beams and string lights.
The inside of Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
I felt like I used to be coming into a Pinterest board from 2012.
There was a big choice of produce, with costs starting from $5 for a bunch of radishes to $23 for a pound of kale.
Among the produce at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
To check, I may get a pound of non-GMO kale from a Fairway in New York Metropolis for $4.43 and one bunch of natural radishes for $3.32.
The fruit was additionally on the costly aspect — these blueberries have been $9 per pint.
Cherries, berries, and tomatoes at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
A pint of blueberries at Fairway would set me again $6.65.
These costs aren’t something out of the extraordinary for the Hamptons, although.
Storefronts within the Hamptons.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Every thing tends to be costly out right here for a couple of causes.First, with a focus of prosperous residents and guests, companies can merely cost that a lot, and other people can pay. Second, produce is principally grown out right here, and natural vegatables and fruits usually price extra to provide, attributable to greater labor calls for and the prices of natural supplies, amongst different components. Third, items must be priced excessive so companies earn sufficient of a revenue to pay workers a livable wage within the space.The Company Hamptons, a neighborhood actual property company, reported that the price of residing within the Hamptons is 47.1% greater than the nationwide common, and the common revenue is $125,861.
Amber Waves additionally offered its personal branded variations of dips and sauces, resembling guacamole ($15) and hummus ($26).
Among the dips and salads provided at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
In actual fact, virtually every thing was Amber Waves-branded.
We won’t neglect the ready meals, both. These roasted veggies ($15) and spicy sesame tuna ($16) seemed scrumptious.
Roasted veggies and different meals at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
The packages additionally had useful directions on learn how to cook dinner the dishes.
There have been additionally wraps to go, resembling this $18 hen Caesar wrap.
Wraps at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Along with pre-made meals, Amber Waves can also be a café with a full menu with breakfast meals, tacos, espresso, smoothies, and extra.I snagged a chocolate chip cookie for $4. It was scrumptious.
In fact, there was a big choice of native Lengthy Island wines, resembling Summer time in a Bottle from Wölffer Property.
The wines at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Lengthy Island is understood for its wines, most of that are on the North Fork. The Hamptons are situated on the South Fork.
I used to be stunned to seek out a big merchandise part of the shop. The hats have been $36, and the totes ranged from $32 to $148.
The merch at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Amber Waves has change into one thing of a vacationer spot over the previous few years, with consideration from Garten and The New York Occasions. What higher technique to show you have been buying on the identical place as Ina Garten than with a branded tote?There have been additionally Amber Waves candles for $35.
No farm stand can be full with out a flower part. It was $6 a bunch.
Flowers at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
The flowers, of all issues, would price me the identical (if no more) in Manhattan.
What units Amber Waves aside is the massive farm within the again, which is open for anybody to take a look at.
The farm at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
It is a large piece of property for its location on Amagansett’s Essential Avenue, and it made visiting the shop really feel extra like an expertise.
There is a part for teenagers to play, a petting zoo, the choice to select your personal flowers, and extra.
Signage at Amber Waves.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
I noticed youngsters having fun with a set of swings, and there was even a spot for anybody who needed to chill out and browse a ebook, full with a rug and a little bit library. I may’ve sat there and lounged for an hour or two.There was somebody sitting at a desk to ensure individuals have been following the principles of the farm — for instance, you may solely decide your personal bouquets should you had paid the $8 entry price.
Amber Waves set a excessive bar for the opposite two stops I would be making. It was clear, devoted to serving to the neighborhood, and had loads of area.
Amber Waves farm.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
A big a part of Amber Waves’ mission is to fight 4 points going through Individuals and their meals provide: farm apprenticeship, kids’s schooling, meals insecurity, and public entry.Indicators on the farm famous the common age of an American farmer is 57 years previous, and as such, Amber Waves provides farm apprenticeship packages.It additionally hosts over 6,000 youngsters yearly at its Outside Classroom to assist them change into accustomed to meals, gardening, and wholesome habits.When it comes to meals insecurity, Amber Waves says it grows an “additional 20,000 kilos of contemporary produce” to donate to native meals banks, as 10% of properties in East Hampton are meals insecure.Their last problem, public entry, is to fight American loneliness. Amber Waves, in its personal phrases, desires the farm to behave as a “public useful resource” like a park or library — in different phrases, a “third place” that “pals and neighbors [can] meet, share meals, chill out, and construct neighborhood.”
Subsequent I visited Spherical Swamp Farm in Bridgehampton. I have been to the East Hampton location earlier than, however this spot was new to me.
Spherical Swamp Farm.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
I went to Spherical Swamp’s bigger East Hampton location in 2023. There’s additionally a stand in Montauk, which opened in 2019.On Instagram, Garten as soon as wrote that Spherical Swamp “has the perfect produce, ready meals, and baked items. I do not understand how they make so many issues so scrumptious, however they do!”
In contrast to at Amber Waves, the costs weren’t simple to seek out — I questioned if this had one thing to do with Spherical Swamp’s brushes with virality.
Berries at Spherical Swamp.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Shops like The Every day Mail have reported on Spherical Swamp, writing about influencers who’ve flocked there to spotlight its costs.In actual fact, as I used to be taking images, an worker approached me to ask if I used to be there to put in writing about how costly issues have been. In addition they advised me how influencers have crowded the shop, annoying some locals.In a remark to Enterprise Insider, Spherical Swamp stated they’re “grateful for all the prospects who select to help our family-run enterprise, together with influencers,” and “are lucky they select to show what we work onerous to create in entrance of their followers.”In addition they added that they “respect the onerous work that goes into creating content material, buying followers, and attaining success on the web.”
The influencers could also be annoying to locals, however they don’t seem to be flawed: This lobster salad price $85 a pound. This tub was a ½ pound and value $44.19.
Among the ready salads.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Lobster is dear — the day earlier than this journey, I went to Montauk establishment Duryea’s and paid $97 for a lobster cobb salad.
I used to be in a position to see some costs, although. These inexperienced beans have been $8 a pound, plums have been $4.59 a pound, and shishito peppers have been $8 a pint.
Produce at Spherical Swamp.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
To check to Fairway as soon as once more, a pound of inexperienced beans might be as low-cost as $5.54 per pound. Plums, nevertheless, have been virtually the identical value at $4.43 per pound.My Fairway did not have any shishito peppers.
Inside, there have been many premade salads to select from.
Spherical Swamp.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Spherical Swamp can also be recognized for its hen salad and its hen fingers.
The centerpiece of Spherical Swamp, although, was its pastries.
The baked items desk.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Spherical Swamp makes the baked items each morning from scratch and does not use any synthetic substances, per its web site.The Snyder household has owned Spherical Swamp for over 50 years, which means they’ve baking all the way down to a science.There have been do-it-yourself muffins, brownies, cookies, pies, and truffles. 4 muffins price $20. There have been additionally cinnamon rolls that have been nonetheless scorching and smelled wonderful.
There was additionally a big choice of do-it-yourself jam, which price $44.99 for a three-pack.
The jams at Spherical Swamp.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
Like at Amber Waves, there have been many issues that have been Spherical Swamp-branded.
I additionally noticed loads of brand-name objects I may discover in New York Metropolis.
Among the choice at Spherical Swamp.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
In actual fact, I noticed the olive oil I used: Graza.
Earlier than leaving, I needed to get what I as soon as known as “the perfect sandwich of my life.” It is tomato, mozzarella, arugula, and balsamic vinegar.
The sandwich from Spherical Swamp.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
Sure, I actually did say that. The tomatoes have been juicy, the bread was mild and fluffy, and I want I may eat it each single day.Again in 2023, it price $24, and I assumed it was “value each penny.” Now, in 2025, it is gone all the way down to $20.
General, this Spherical Swamp location was cute, however I would return to the East Hampton one first.
Among the ready meals at Spherical Swamp.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
If I assumed the East Hampton location was small, the Bridgehampton one was about half its measurement. It did not have as a lot of a variety as Amber Waves or the East Hampton one; it was primarily a spot to purchase baked items, a smaller choice of produce, or one among Spherical Swamp’s many ready salads or sandwiches.The East Hampton location felt extra like a grocery retailer, with sections for meat and fish and a bigger stock total.
My last cease was Inexperienced Thumb Natural Farm in Water Mill.
Inexperienced Thumb Natural Farm.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
That is the one location of Inexperienced Thumb, because the farm itself is correct out again.Garten hasn’t stated something not too long ago about Inexperienced Thumb, however it was a frequent cease on “Barefoot Contessa,” as one non-public chef famous on Hamptons.com.
I arrived on the finish of the day, so it was fairly empty.
Among the inventory was depleted.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
After visiting two crowded locations, it was good to have some respiration room.
However the fruit and veggies have been plentiful.
Among the produce was exterior.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
Inexperienced Thumb was clearly meant to promote produce at first. Nearly every thing I noticed got here immediately from the crops exterior.
Like Amber Waves, Inexperienced Thumb is a working farm, with a lot of its produce grown on the identical property as the shop.
An indication stated that every one the crops have been non-GMO seeds.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
Spherical Swamp is a working farm, too, however not on the location I visited in Bridgehampton.
There was much more produce inside. Of the three places, this was essentially the most rustic, with darkish wooden and classic posters on the wall.
The inside of Inexperienced Thumb.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
I felt like I used to be inside a barn.
I appreciated that costs have been displayed on the board. The blueberries right here have been $8 a pint, barely lower than at Amber Waves.
The costs at Inexperienced Thumb.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
General, this was barely cheaper than the opposite two stands, however nonetheless dearer than what I may get at my native grocery retailer in Manhattan.
There was additionally merch, together with hats ($25) and a cookbook written by the farm’s house owners ($15).
The merch at Inexperienced Thumb.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
The cookbook was written by the Halsey household, which has owned Inexperienced Thumb for 300 years, per the web site.The web site additionally notes that Inexperienced Thumb pays its employees “a residing wage above the nationwide and regional farm employees’ common.”
Out again there have been coolers full of seafood. These clams have been $10 per bunch.
The clams have been able to be grabbed.
Jonah Rosenberg for Enterprise Insider
This was the one one of many three farm stands that provided contemporary seafood, so far as I may see.
The lobster right here was barely cheaper than Spherical Swamp’s, at $40 for a ½ pound.
The lobster.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
This was simply lobster meat, although, not lobster salad.
Every farm stand provides one thing totally different to its patrons. I’d return to all three.
Amber Waves.
Gabbi Shaw/Enterprise Insider
Amber Waves, along with being a great spot for groceries, can also be a café that is constructed to be a gathering place and provides again to the neighborhood.Spherical Swamp has a number of the greatest ready meals I’ve seen — and, in fact, I really like the sandwiches — and likewise has scrumptious baked items.Inexperienced Thumb is essentially the most low-key of the three, with pleasant workers. I admire that costs are transparently marked and that there’s a seafood part.I’d advocate all three of those farm stands to anybody visiting the Hamptons sooner or later, and it does not need to be summer season: Amber Waves is open year-round, whereas Spherical Swamp and Inexperienced Thumb are open via November.As common, the Barefoot Contessa didn’t steer me flawed.
