Drawing: A bag of items from the Honest Weight Local Harvest Festival

local harvest festival 2014

Drawing's closed! Winner's been emailed!

This Sunday is the annual Honest Weight Local Harvest Festival in Washington Park. Dozens of local producers and food vendors will be set up in the park from noon to 4 pm, sampling and selling all kinds of good stuff. And AOA is giving away a bag of some of that good stuff.

To enter the drawing, please answer this question in the comments:

What's something local that you like to share with people who don't live here?

Maybe it's your favorite cider donut or cheese, maybe it's your favorite place, maybe it's something else entirely.

We'll draw one winner at random. The winner should bring a big bag to the Harvest Festival on Sunday, where they can collect their prizes in person, directly from the producers.

Here's what's in the "basket" of prizes:
+ A $50 Honest Weight gift card
+ A bag of each of Gatherer's Granola flavors.
+ An Autumn Sweet Pack from DreamPuff Marshmallows - a collection of seasonal sweets: marshmallows, caramels, and macarons.
+ A $25 gift card that is useable at Tierra Coffee Roasters, on Tierra Farms products or at The Madison Theater
+ A granola/muesli sample pack from Our Daily Eats, and an Our Daily Eats shopping bag.
+ A mason jar of juice from Collar City Hard Pressed.
+ A half gallon of cream line milk or quart of kefir or yogurt from Grafton Village Cheese.
+ A bowl of pumpkin bisque, two pickles-on-sticks, and Two Bears Kitchen Mulling Spices from Two Bears Provisions.
+ A box of truffles from Le Marais Chocolat
+ Three $5 vouchers from Bread and Honey

Important: All comments must be submitted by 10 am Wednesday, October 1, 2014 to be entered in the drawing. You must answer the question to be part of the drawing. (Normal commenting guidelines apply.) One entry per person, please. You must enter a valid email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. The winner will be notified via email by noon on Wednesday and must respond by 10 am on Thursday.

AOA is a media sponsor of the Local Harvest Festival.

Comments

Goold's orchards and the Apple Jack as well as their delicious apple cider doughnuts.

My favorite thing to share with natives and non-natives alike is the Troy Farmer's Market - gotta grab breakfast from Spill'n the Beans or some nachos from Magdalena's, and a chocolate milk from Battenkill. No weekend is complete without it!

tie: The Fountain, Indian Ladder Trail and Cheesecake Machismo.

Crumbs Along the Mohawk ice cream from Stewart's.

I like the newish Lion Yarn Brand retail store at the Kohls Plaza on Central Ave. The prices are good (although if you are looking for just one skein of yarn, a coupon and a Big Box store like Joanne's will work out better) and the ability to print out any of the thousands of patterns from the Lion Brand website is great.

gatherers granola is a favorite recommendation to out of towners. i also love bringing people to troy cloth and paper.

When my LI family comes up to visit I make sure to (force)feed them local produce, whether it be from my CSA share, a pick-your-own farm or dragging them to one of the amazing local farmers markets!

A walk around the ESP during the warmer months. On a weekend or evening when it's quiet except for the sound of the fountains.

The view of mountains in every direction.

Nine Pin Cider! Everyone always says they don't like ciders because they're too sweet, but they come around when they try the green label!

Chatham Sheepherding Camembert - I almost always bring this to family functions, and it's a great hit!

Snowman Icecream; Schuyler Bakery; Fresh Apples from the orchards

Thacher Park...it's a local treasure

Coffee from Professor Javas! My Dad requested "good" coffee for Christmas one year and he loved it. It's my go-to gift for him now, which is great because my Dad (and many others) are hard to shop for!

Mini hot dogs

Hickory smoked kielbasa from Fred The Butcher.

The Saratoga Farmer's Market

The insane amount of lakes we have. When I left this area for a bit I was so confused that I couldn't just drive for 10-15 minutes and find a lake.

I like to bring guests to Saratoga in the summer and show them the track and attend a concert at SPAC.

The Iowa Hawkeye steak sandwich from the Barnsider.

Brown's and Cheesecake Machismo.

I'd share the view from Thacher Park as well as good live local music especially at the Best Damn Open Mic at McGeary's!

New, different, or heritage apples fresh from the orchard, and Nine Pin Cider fresh from the tap.

My default carrry-home items from here are pretty seasonal: Brown's beer in warmer weather (oatmeal stout or cherry raspberry); Stewart's apple cider donuts in fall (while not the best example of a cider donut, Stewart's is an endless source of fascination); photos of all the snow in winter.

Thacher State Park - beautiful all year but especially when the leaves change colors.

Maybe I just have fall on the brain but I would Say Indian Ladder Farms' cider donuts

a good No'easter

The apple cider doughnuts from Bowman's Orchards. The best doughnuts in NYS!

A walk around the empire state plaza at night- so nice. If its winter then definitely ice skate too.

Stewards Ice Cream and Bilinski Sausage.

Eating in at DeFazios with a stop at Troy Wine and Spirits for the BYO

apple picking at Samascott Orchards, thacher park, new world bistro, movies at proctor's and the palace theater, the crossings in colonie.

City Beer Hall and Capital City Gastropub!

This time of year, all the Harvest festivals and apple cider donuts.

RPI Hockey!

The Fountain and The Speakeasy

The Troy Farmer's Market

It would have to be the Number 19 sandwich or Londoner, created by Joe's Delicatessen many years ago in Albany. It consisted of roast beef, lettuce, tomato, and horseradish on spectacular rye bread with equally great Russian dressing. It was a sandwich comparable to the best you'd receive in NYC . Currently the Ben and Bill's deli at certain Price Choppers are the only one's to offer it, buy its definitely worth trying.

Chatham Brewery's Maple Amber is pretty special too.

Right now - all things fall! Foliage, apple picking, CIDER DOUGHNUTS!, farms...

A beer at the Beir Abbey, the Troy Farmers Market, Kaaterskill Falls, and soft ice cream from Jumpin Jacks!

The marvel of Albany as a safe, cheap, beautifully historic place to live peopled by witty, interesting folks and surrounded by amazing places to go close by - Saratoga Springs, Woodstock, Berkshires, Adirondacks, Vermont.

I like to share the music that comes out of this area with everyone who doesn't live here. The music scene is great around here and only getting better!

City Beer Hall!

I love taking my friends and family to the lionheart pub.they are always impressed by the selection of brews

There is so much I love to share about this area with my family and friends who live downstate. The thing that I love to do most is give them a personal tour of the USS Slater. It's a real gem that we have in Albany being the last ship of its kind afloat in America, so you can't get that anywhere else in the country.

The Hollow for some live music, great food, and even better people. Saratoga, Rockin on the River or Alive at Five in the summer. New World Bistro or Jose Malones for dinner. Tulip Fest, Riverfest or Lark Fest. They say Albany is boring, but I beg to differ.

Cider doughnuts from Riverview Orchard.

Honest Weight! The new store is gorgeous and great for browsing. I love to take visitors to find something to cook together and enjoy.

Apple picking, cider donuts and fresh apple cider on a beautiful fall day at Indian Ladder Farms!

Grade B maple syrup.

Cornelius Applejack, and the super delicious meats from West Wind Farms that we get. And Nipper the Dog, because, I mean, come on, where else can you get that?

Bourbon from The Albany Distilling Co! Fantastic!

I definitely always show people the plaza and the NYS Museum. If they are looking for a great meal, I always suggest New World Bistro, I can't get enough!

Core Vodka from Harvest Spirits

Anything from the cookie factory.

Goold's orchards donuts - So delicious

Nine pin cider. Lake George.

All the delicious flavors of Nine Pin Cider, and of course, tours of our amazing local food source: the HWFC!

I love taking out-of-towners to Andy's Deli--cannot get a better sandwich or homemade jar full of Fra Diavola sauce than that!

Love to visit Washington Park when the tulips and/or summer flowers are in bloom. Maybe a play at the park playhouse too. :)

Doughboys!

A short list:

HWFC
Andy's
New World Bistro
Troy Farmers' Market

It's been said before, but it bears repeating - Nine Pin Cider!

Indian Ladder Farms and Indian Ladder Trail at Thatcher Park

Gatherer's Granola!!!

Apple cider donuts (preferably from Golden Harvest) along with Samascott Farm. Awesome!

The Speakeasy! Pretty impressive and not what non-locals think of (at all) when they hear "I live in Albany."

Freihofer's Chocolate Chip Cookies! you don't have go too far to not be able to get these locally made lovelies.

I love taking people to the Troy Waterfront Market, Cohoes Falls, Famous Lunch, and Ugly Rooster.

I love to share my favorite places: the Schenectady Greenmarket (we go every week), the Spectrum 8 movie theater (been going there since I was in high school in the late '80s), New World Bistro Bar, Mingle (I love the Kimchi fries!), and Honest Weight Food Co-op.

Any ice cream from Stewarts!

Cider belly doughnuts! Pure Deliciousness!!

The Pump Station and the Troy Farmer's Market

Here are a few:
Ted's Fish Fry
Sliders from Jack's Drive-In
Famous Lunch Hot Dogs
Snowman's Ice Cream

The mobile on Lark Street!

Spectrum (and their mint brownies!), Fort Orange General Store, Olde English Pub, and Beff's tampa chips!

Harvest and Hearth has become a favorite of ours for when we have visitors. Cheesecake Machismo is always high on the list too, although I see it's gotten a few mentions already.

I take everybody to Cohoes Falls. It's the 2nd largest waterfall in N. America, and it's majestic to view. Now that the park is open during the spring thaw and summer and into early fall, you can get incredibly close to the falls. Even in the winter the falls are visible from the small viewing park near the condos to the south. I like to explain that this is the end of the Mohwak River as it falls into the Hudson River. Fun all around!

Beer and wings at the Ruck. Naturally.

a visit to one of the locks on the canal! and pizza from Bacchus!

Maple syrup and fresh-picked apples. Thank goodness for the P.O.'s flat-rate boxes.

The Egg always elicits comments (cool! weird), so that's my favorite place to take people. On the way there you can point out historic neighborhoods and buildings!

Maynard's farm's apple cider is my favorite local item to share along with DreamPuff marshmallows

Most of our house guests don't have their own body armor, so we lend them ours if they want to go out for a nice walk in North Troy.

I like having out-of-towners try pizza from The Orchard. It's so different from any other pizza I've ever had. Plus, it's an Albany landmark!

I'd like to share the amazing fresh sushi at Sushi Tei, some Nine Pin Cider, and Cheesecake Machismo for dessert.

I love to take people to Honest Weight!! What a great community resource.

Mini hot dogs. Out of towner's love them.

I love taking people to the Thacher Park overlook to see the whole area. Honest Weight is place I like to take foodies. And for a good beer, the Pourhouse.

The Troy Farmers Market then a walk around Thatcher State Park.

indian ladder cider donuts, always in all ways

X-country skiing on the Yellow trail at Thacher Park. Best after a fresh snowfall.

X's to O's Vegan Bakery in Troy if there is a brunch going on and the Troy Waterfront Market if it's a warmer day or the NYS Museum and a walk around the Empire State Plaza.

Pastries from Crisan in Albany!

The Troy Farmers Market and all of the great local growers and producers in the region.

Saratoga race track

I would share a chimichanga from El Mariachi in Albany and then a cider donut from Altamont Orchards for dessert. Yum!

What I most like to share with out-of-towners:
in the warmer months -- fried chicken and sweet tea at Hattie's in Saratoga after window shopping and daring visitors to drink from the various springs.

in the colder months -- a bundled-up walk through Holiday Lights in Washington Park with a travel mug filled with hot holiday beverages (and after warming up inside, a few scoops of Stewart's seasonal and delicious pumpkin pie ice cream).

My visitors will, at a minimum, leave Albany knowing where to find good eats!

Cider doughnuts and Cheesecake Machismo

Any of the fine products from Harvest Spirits.

My hoarded supply of Lloyd Spear's honey.

It's all local - freshly grown produce that hasn't traveled hundreds of miles in a refrigerated semi; indie films at the Spectrum 8; and browsing & buying books at the Book House/Market Block Books. Also, chowing down at the Flying Chicken in Troy!

new world bistro!

definitely Apple cider donuts.

Mini hot dogs with the works! No other place seems to get the perfect combo of meat sauce, mustard, and onions

Rolf's pork store.

apples and cider donuts

City Beer Hall and of course the Coop

Apple picking and freshly made cider doughnuts.

Depending on when they arrive, my visitors are treated to either the track or a concert in Saratoga or a hike up a nearby mountain.

Dutch Apple sightseeing cruise!

I share with all who will listen the many wonders of the Schenectady Green Market ~ it is most fabulous!!

Hanging out in Washington Park picnicking on delicious goodies from the Co-op if it's a sunny day. Tea and cake from Crisan when it's rainy... and El Loco for dinner regardless of the weather :)

Real estate info if they want to move or invest here!

I like to bring visiting friends to Dove & Hudson and Iron Gate. :)

I love bringing friends new to Albany to the Troy farmer's market, honest weight, and to apple orchards around here. No one leaves without an apple cider donut in fall. Most recently, I bought visitors a dozen from Cider Belly.

The Troy Farmer's Market and Nine Pin Cider

Any of the areas many hiking trails!

MIo Vino. Best bistro in Altamont! (And the only one.)

I was going to say Cheesecake Machismo, but Mike stole my words.

A DeFazio's pizza experience and the local music scene.

maple syrup! YUM!!!

And Cronuts/Crodos from The Crisp Cannoli!

http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2013/08/16/where-to-find-something-cronut-like#comments

The Ruck, Nine Pen Cider and Gus' Little Hot Dogs (or HD Charlies)

Dancing Ewe Cheese and Capocollo

Gus's hot dogs!

apple cider donuts from golden harvest of course! out of state family members still love them even if they are not warm!

Indian Ladder Farms (with cider doughnuts) and Thacher Park.

Brown's!

The Lucas Confectionery for some delicious nibbles, coffee, wine, and treats

I often share Golden Harvest farms Cider Donuts and Camembert Cheese from the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company.

A walk through Washington Park and Empire State Plaza

Lately it's been cider from Nine Pin. It was even smuggled into a wedding in Virginia. They thought their cider was better!

I also love to showcase Stewarts ice cream (mint cookie crumble!) and love to encourage anyone to come run some of the awesome fall races. Running at Thatcher in the fall is the best!

Indian Ladder's cider donuts

Smoked trout at Oliver's- great views along the way up

Troy's Farmers Market!

the pies (strawberry rhubarb, usually) from green acres farm in Columbia county. I looooove them and it's a great treat to share :)

Apples!!!

The tulip festival at Washington Park.

I like to take visitors to the Troy Farmer's Market

Troy Farmer's market, breakfast at the Illium Cafe, and dinner at New World Bistro

A pizza made with crust from Defazio's, pesto from Buddha Pesto, cheese from R&G cheese, and tomatoes from one of our lovely local farms!

Buddahpesto

The Coop of course! and Washington Park :)

Golden Harvest Cider/Donuts!

Apple pie from Golden Harvest.

I always bring an assortment of Krause's candy to my out of town family and friends. It's always a big hit!

Perreca's bread.

Cider Donuts from Golden Harvest

If I have out of town guests during the winter I always bring them to Holiday Lights in the Park...very unique to this area and the kids always have a blast.

Saratoga Peanutbutter!

One of my go-to gifts for friends and families any time of the year is to go to the Troy Farmer's Market and make a gift basket of locally made products. It is universally loved and appreciated!

A friend came to town recently, so this is timely. What I show people is the picturesque beauty of this city. I put together a walking tour of the most beautiful views of Albany and impressed the photographer I was showing around. Washington Park Lake from the Lake house, coming upon Moves so he's facing you, the view of the Museum/Plaza from Swan and Madison...

Cider donuts from Golden Harvest!

Troy Farmer's Marker, cider donuts from Indian Ladder farms, hiking around Grafton Lake, Lake George and the Saratoga Racetrack :)

Adirondack Farms grade B maple syrup, Honest Weight, Saratoga Springs

Deep fried chocolate chip calzone from Mario's! YUM!

Cheesecake Machismo!

The lack of traffic and the affordable home prices

Tierra Farms coffee and nuts!

Literally every single time a new person arrives I go to Indian Ladder Farms and show them that magic and get apple cider donuts and then I force them to go to the Overlook at Thacher to eat the donuts. Amazing. And then Krause's is always a good bet too :-)

Bake for You. Amazing!

The Saratoga Race Track and LarkFest get my family and friends to visit from PA every year.

Troy Farmer's Market!

Thacher Park, with crunchy leaves underfoot and the sun glowing behind the trees.

Pearl Palooza

Oh, fooey i have very unreliable internet!
I never win anything.
Who do i have to kiss to win anything here?
My choices would be AOA & Albany Free Net!

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