July 13, 2026 - PICTURES FROM MY LIFE IN THE FINGER LAKES
The closest store to our house is Benton Valley Orchard. It’s just up at the top of the street where Main Street meets route 14a. They are always the first to have asparagus in the season and when their signs are up, it’s time to grab fresh stuff.
Yeah a tractor with no tires…it’s a Mennonite thing.
Briggs Road store off of Route 364 is a small farm that specializes in fruits and vegetables and honey. They’re a little bit off the beaten track but trustworthy for always having fresh stuff….and their homemade cookies are fantastic. (I stayed away from the cookies, but I bought some nice cucumbers for pickling).
Just north of the Branchport side of the lake is Guyanoga Valley Farm store. They have a large growing family and it is just a delight to see all the young kids participating in the farm duties. Their produce and bake goods are always number one. They’re always the first ones to have strawberries in the season.
When the tractor is the babysitter
For carnivores there’s no better place than the Big Mamou Farm Store. It is only open on Saturdays or by appointment and it would be good to get on their mailing list to check out the latest offerings. All the products come within a 50 mile radius of their farm and I’m told that all the animals have a beautiful life except for one day. I bought a great organic chicken, which we will try this week.
The Y-Knot Is a great little restaurant in Pultney, New York high up on the east side of the lake. They are known for their garlic knots, great pizza, and some really gourmet dinners which are only available on a "first come first serve basis". Check the menu and make your choice and head there. You will be very happy.
I visited my friend Dave and Bubba’s Bait Shop. He is the owner and has been battling a few health problems, but is still as cantankerous as ever. He’s got all kinds of opinions about the lake, the land, and the people and he is trustworthy for having the best bait on the lake.
I’ve been going to West View Produce since the kids who run the place were just a little tykes. They have built an incredible store with fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and cheese and other local products….mostly from their farm overlooking the lake on the west side
Some of the fruits of my labor
PICTURES FROM MY LIFE IN THE FINGER LAKES
July 13th, 2026
Good morning friends,
This past week I traveled into Rochester four times. The round-trip is 100 miles and I was just too exhausted to go into work on Saturday. I’m sorry I may have disappointed some of my friends and I missed seeing them in the tremendous bluegrass jam that took place. The staff seem to have things well under control and I had a different mission in mind for Saturday.
Since I’m seldom in Penn Yan on Saturdays, I decided to do a bit of exploring and circumnavigate the entire lake. But first I went out on my scooter and patrolled the Outlet Trail but not before stopping at the Blue Heron bakery. I grabbed one of their unbelievably delicious buckwheat blueberry muffins. You cannot get much more local than buckwheat and blueberries. I gobbled it down before I could even take a picture. It was then that I set my goal for the day. I decided to do visit every one of the great farm stores and other establishments that I have been patronizing for at least the past 15 years. People often ask me why I live in Penn Yan….especially my family. My response is always the same. I don’t think you can find a place where you are able to purchase fresh food from the source, from the people whose hands grew it. So today’s John Corner is a photo essay about is about all of those stores and my day trip around Keuka Lake.
With peace,
JB
Penn Yan has a concert series every Wednesday night during the summer and Julie and I attended a wonderful concert of classical music by the Finger Lakes Chamber Music group.
As they say, knee high by the Fourth of July
I drove by and stopped, and these ladies saluted me
A watchful heron…
Wheat….wheat…cream of wheat…
This is the home of the Saunders Museum of the Finger Lakes. It is been under construction for many years and hopefully soon we have a grand opening. There’s a beautiful park behind it and places to launch canoes and paddle boards.
And of course, our home garden is coming along well now that we’ve found something extracted from coyotes that will keep the deer from munching the top of our tomato plants…. The temp part is getting the coyotes to cooperate!
We went berry picking and here is the result
On Sunday, we met up with friends and my daughter, Kara and her husband Mike at Steuben Brewery to listen to the music of Brody Schenk, a fabulous young guitar player who we had the privilege of selling a guitar to many years ago.