Entertaining at my farm is always so much fun, especially when I host momentous occasions.
Last weekend, I partnered with the Friends of John Jay Homestead to host a remarkable Semiquincentennial celebration, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The event also honored John Jay and the restoration of his historic home here in Bedford. I hope you saw some of the photos on my Instagram page @marthastewart48. More than 200 guests were in attendance. The evening began with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at my stable courtyard. A short walk to my Equipment Barn led to a wonderful feast centered around a patriotic theme with foods prepared by Chef Pierre Schaedelin and his team at PS Tailored Events. We enjoyed Chilled Garden Pea Soup, Fried Chicken, Grilled Salmon, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Red Bliss Potato Salad, and my daughter's flavorful Chopped Salad. The program included a musical performance by my nephew, Christopher Herbert, and his accompanist, Chris Reynolds. I delivered the opening remarks and offered the toast. And then it was back to my stable for our giant flag cake dessert and some champagne. Despite a little rain, the event was a great and memorable success for all.
Here are some more photos, enjoy. I wish all of you a safe and joyful Semiquincentennial Fourth of July weekend.
The afternoon began with a visit from United States Senator from New York, Kirsten Gillibrand. I toured her around my farm and then we had photos taken in front of my pavilion. See a video on my Instagram page @marthastewart48.
I had flags displayed along my Boxwood Allée – 22 in all. It was the main pathway for guests going from my stable to dinner in my Equipment Barn. All the flags were provided by the Annin Flag Company.
My stable was the perfect venue for refreshments. Bottles of wine from Patz & Hall Winery were chilling on the bar.
Patz & Hall is highly regarded for its Sonoma, California single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs.
A party just isn’t complete without Still G.I.N., an ultra-premium, citrus-forward gin created by Dr. Dre and my friend, Snoop Dogg.
Also served – Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop, a premium ready-to-drink cocktail, here in mango, pink lemonade, and passionfruit flavors.
And of course, guests enjoyed Martha-ritas with Casa Dragones Blanco Tequila.
For those preferring zero-proof refreshments, there was Pepsi and PepsiCo’s Poppi, a prebiotic sparkling brand combining fruit juice, apple cider vinegar, and prebiotics.
Wait staff provided by PS Tailored Events passed around trays of fresh bites.
The hors d’oeuvres included marinated salmon and crispy rice cakes, ricotta and roasted tomato and basil on baguette croutons, deviled quail eggs with double smoked bacon, chicken-artichoke salad on baguette croutons, pigs in blankets, and short rib tacos with pickled red cabbage and guacamole. (Photo by Shane Handler)
Because the forecast for the day called for spotty showers, I made the decision to hold dinner in my giant Equipment Barn. Flags were draped from both the north and south entrances. Fortunately, the walk from the stable to the Barn was dry and pleasant.
Guests were offered some pre-dinner snacks on the tables – caramel corn, scones, and cherries.
Dishes were placed in close reach of every guest. Everything was set up beautifully thanks to Brett Cameron and her team at La Maison Fête. The programs which included the menu and information for the event, were made by Heidi Stryker from John Jay Homestead. (Photo by Shane Handler)
The first course was Chilled Garden Pea Soup made with peas from my garden.
Dinner was served family style on long tables where everyone could serve themselves and interact with each other. (Photo by Shane Handler)
I made the opening remarks and welcomed all the guests to my Cantitoe Corners Farm. I also spoke a little about John Jay and the history of his homestead which was just so lovingly restored here in Bedford, New York. (Photo by Peter T. Michaelis)
Director of Armonia at John Jay Homestead and President of Friends of John Jay Homestead, Caroline MacGill, also addressed our group of attendees. (Photo by Peter T. Michaelis)
Chef Pierre and I planned the delicious menu. This is the Heirloom Tomato Salad served with pickled red onions.
The Red Bliss Potato Salad was served with gherkins, boiled eggs, and parsley.
And this is my daughter’s recipe. Alexis’s wonderful Chopped Salad with fresh corn, cucumber, hericots vert, red pepper, and cherry tomatoes. (Photo by Shane Handler)
More flags hung from above creating a festive and patriotic scene.
Following the salads, platters of salmon were also served.
… Along with Fried Chicken with barbecue sauce.
My nephew Christopher Herbert sang three songs – America the Beautiful, Aaron Copeland’s I bought me a Cat, and the American Anthem. His longtime accompanist is Chris Reynolds.
The dinner and entertainment were well received. It was so nice to see such an enthusiastic crowd – more than 200 guests fit so comfortably in my Barn.
At the end of dinner, Christopher sang our national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner.
Afterward, guests were ushered back to the stable for dessert and champagne.(Photo by Peter T. Michaelis)
The bubbly was provided by our friends at Veuve Cliquot.
The flag cake was enormous. It was made using 167 eggs, 36 pounds of flour, 32 pounds of sugar, 16 pounds of butter, three gallons of milk, six pounds of cream cheese, 24 pounds of strawberries, 13 pounds of raspberries, seven pounds of blueberries, and other ingredients. Chefs Molly Wenk and Sarah Carey who both work with me on a lot of projects, worked tirelessly over two days to make it.
Here I am with a glass of champagne about to make my celebratory toast. (Photo by Shane Handler)
John Jay Homestead program coordinator, Haley Rossi, and a team of volunteers prepared more than 200 gift bags for the guests.
The gift bag included: a book on John Jay, another book entitled “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” by Walter Isaacson, a puzzle of the John Jay Homestead designed by Katharine Barnwell, Shortbread Cookie from the local LMNOP Bakery, The Feed Project Bags courtesy of John Jay Homestead, a Flamingo Estate scented candle, and my own Elm Biosciences A30 Elemental Serum.
And just in case we got a little more rain – we were prepared. Everyone also got a Totes red, white, and blue striped umbrella.
The gathering served as a meaningful celebration of John Jay’s legacy and the 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I was so happy to host the event. Happy 250th Anniversary, America!
Preparing for any special gathering takes a lot of effort, time, and advanced planning.
I'm sure many of you have seen the photos on my Instagram page @marthastewart48. Last weekend the Friends of John Jay Homestead joined me in hosting a spectacular celebration of our nation’s Semiquincentennial, honoring the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In preparation for the event, it was "all hands on deck." Everyone at the farm was busy, inside and out - cleaning my giant Equipment Barn, finishing the planting in my garden maze, counting the plates and glasses, ironing and hanging all the flags, setting the tables for more than 200 guests, and so much more. It was a race to the finish, but with a good, hardworking team, we got it all done.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Due to the chance of rain on the day of the party, I decided to hold the dinner for more than 200 guests inside my giant Equipment Barn. In preparation, the entire space is emptied and the floors are power washed and mopped.
I used large tree stumps from felled trees around the farm as cocktail tables in the stable courtyard. Each one is cut to the perfect height and then also power washed and positioned in my courtyard.
The floors of the stable are also cleaned.
All the stable doors are wiped down.
In my maze, the last quarter of the space is planted and watered.
The carriage road that runs through my Boxwood Allée is weeded, edged, and topped with a fresh coat of gravel – thanks, Pete!
My housekeeper Enma irons all the flags – about 25! Flags can be ironed on a low setting and then hung temporarily until properly displayed.
Here they are ready to be hung outdoors on flag poles. Always take great care of a US flag because it is a symbol of national pride, unity, and respect.
Our wine from Patz & Hall is removed from boxes and carefully counted.
The Veuve Cliquot champagne flutes are individually washed and dried.
Dinner and dessert plates are stacked and ready to set.
Chairs and tables are positioned in the Equipment Barn.
Here’s my Boxwood Allée where the flags are put up on poles. Guests will use this allée to walk from my stable courtyard to dinner inside my barn.
In all, 11 flags on each side of the allée are displayed.
Tents are put up behind my stable and outside the Equipment Barn for food and drink preparations.
White sheet cakes are baked for the giant flag cake dessert.
The blueberries and raspberries are laid out in single layers on sheet trays and then frozen until they are placed on the cake for the stars and stripes.
My dogs are touring the farm to make sure everything is getting done!
Place settings are completed – every plate and utensil spaced perfectly.
Program place cards with menus are positioned at each setting.
Every chair is positioned just right.
Giant flags are hung on both the front and rear doors of the Equipment Barn.
And the lights inside the barn are hung and tested.
Here’s my longtime driver, Carlos, standing proudly by the flags.
My Cantitoe Corners farm is ready to celebrate this great Semiquincentennial. A lot more photos of the event to come! Stay tuned.
The next few days are expected to bring record heat with temperatures reaching up to 100-degrees Fahrenheit. In this weather, it takes a lot of close monitoring to stay on top of watering tasks here at my farm.
During these warm months, I use a number of hoses and sprinklers to keep the many trees, shrubs, and plants well irrigated. One of my favorite sources is Gilmour, a company that’s been manufacturing watering equipment since 1949. I use several of their products at my home in Bedford and at Skylands in Maine. They're easy to use, well-designed, and long-lasting.
Enjoy these photos and watering tips.
During the driest, warmest days of summer, we have to do lots of watering. Many ask if I use automatic irrigation systems. In general, I do not. Fortunately, I have several deep wells so many hoses can be manually placed, used, and monitored at any given time.
Gilmour has an excellent collection of gardening supplies. I have been using Gilmour products for years. The hoses are always put to great use in the gardens and wherever thorough watering is needed.
These hoses are excellent. They curve without kinking, connect without leaking, and are easy to store.
I also use these Gilmour Pro Telescoping Sprinklers. Each one is heavy duty, adjustable and offers a 53 foot range with 8500 square feet of coverage.
This is the Gilmour Heavy Duty Swivel Connect Watering Wand. It has an all-in-one thumb control for easy, secure handling and comes with five spray patterns.
And the Gilmour nozzles are helpful when watering smaller, individual pots or when rinsing other tools and equipment.
The Gilmour 50-foot and 100-foot Flexogen hoses are heavy-duty eight-ply garden hoses with a polished surface that resists abrasions, stains, and mildew. I have these hoses all over the farm. When first using, it’s helpful to unroll the entire hose first so it is straight and then let it warm slightly in the sun – this will make it easier to roll back. I like that the hoses are gray – they coordinate well with the color on all the buildings and outdoor furniture.
I keep the sprinklers near the hoses, so they’re always readily available. I also keep a wand or nozzle nearby.
Here’s one set up outside my gym building.
Here’s Phurba ready to set up a telescoping sprinkler. On hot, humid days, one or two members of the crew manage all the watering. This way, everything can be monitored and timed appropriately.
The collar of the tripod sprinklers can be adjusted for partial to full circle coverage.
The pin diffuser allows for a customized spray from powerful jet to gentle mist. I teach every person on my crew how to properly use these sprinklers to get the best coverage for the gardens.
The round dial on top makes it easy to set the direction and length of the spray.
Here, one can see one of three spiked feet of the tripod sprinkler which provide lots of stability on varied surfaces.
Each of the legs is also adjustable for low and high spray.
Mornings are the best times to water – when water pressure is high, evaporation is low, and the soil can absorb the water before the sun heats up the ground. This garden is behind my Tenant Guest House. It is lush, green, and thoroughly watered.
The height, distance, and spray patterns of the tripod sprinklers can be adjusted to suit so many garden needs. This one is watering my Cotinus, also known as smoke bushes, in the allée.
Well-established trees with strong, deep root systems will be more drought tolerant.
To avoid dry spots, sprinkler heads should be positioned so they overlap slightly in their coverage areas. During the summer, a good watering is done to a depth of about six to eight inches if possible. An even, intermittent sprinkling is best for thorough, deep watering.
Here’s one positioned in my dahlia bed. The adjustable tripod can reach a height of 58-inches and can water everything from above. And remember, once the watering in one area is done, it’s important to turn off the water at the source. Just turning off at the sprinkler puts a lot of pressure on the hoses and pipes.
Look how far the sprinkler can reach – and the spray is very consistent. This sprinkler is in my long Boxwood Allée.
Finally, try to occasionally observe sprinklers and nozzles in action, looking for clogged or leaking heads that may need minor maintenance. Take good care through this holiday weekend – keep yourself, your pets, and your gardens hydrated.
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