Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Captain Matt Ketcham, Owner of Peconic Gold Oysters.

Matt grew up on Long Island and developed an early connection to the water through fishing and boating. After studying at the University of Rhode Island and spending time working as a charter boat captain in Peconic Bay, he eventually turned his focus to aquaculture, launching Peconic Gold and becoming part of the growing oyster farming community on the East End.

In this conversation, we talk about how he got started in oyster farming, the challenges of building an aquaculture business, the techniques behind growing oysters, and the role oyster farming plays in maintaining the health of the bay. Matt also shares his thoughts on the future of aquaculture on the North Fork.

Today’s guest is someone whose story truly reflects the spirit of hard work, creativity, and community that defines the North Fork.

Born in Pakistan and raised half a world away from the East End, Choudry Ali eventually made his way to the North Fork, and in 2007 took a leap of faith that would forever change a beloved local institution in Mattituck.

When he purchased Magic Fountain, a summertime staple dating back to the 1960s, he didn’t just keep it going, he reinvented it. With bold, inventive flavors like goat cheese, Guinness, and honey-lavender, a commitment to vegan and sugar-free options, and a work ethic that can stretch 80 to 100 hours a week, Choudry transformed a nostalgic ice cream stand into a year-round destination.

In this episode, we talk about his journey from Pakistan to the North Fork, the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship, the emotional power of something as simple as ice cream, and what it truly means to serve, and belong to, a community.

Today I’m joined by Agathe Snow, an artist whose life has moved between worlds and mediums.

She spent part of her childhood in Corsica before moving to New York at eleven, an age when everything feels heightened and unsettled. That early shift between cultures, languages, and identities, would quietly shape the way she sees the world. Before she ever imagined becoming an artist, she was immersed in the energy of restaurants, helping her mother build community through food, first in Corsica and later in New York. That sense of gathering—of performance and nourishment intertwined, would later echo through her work.

In the early 2000s, she became a defining presence in downtown Manhattan’s art scene, creating immersive, chaotic, unforgettable environments, including a now-legendary 24-hour dance party near Ground Zero in 2005 that captured the restless spirit of post-9/11 New York.

In 2008, she moved to Long Island, where an almost accidental experiment grew into Mattituck Mushrooms, a working farm that feels less like a departure from art and more like its evolution.

Today, we talk about migration and belonging, about downtown’s electric years, and about her belief that art and food are, in many ways, the same thing.

Today I’m joined by Caroline Nadeau, Chief Compliance Officer and Director of Program Operations at The Butterfly Effect Project. A North Fork native, Caroline reflects on her roots here, the experiences that shaped her path, and what ultimately brought her back home. We talk about her work at BEP, the impact of programs that support and empower young people more broadly, and how the organization continues its mission even in the face of challenges. Caroline also shares her hopes for the future of the North Fork and the community she’s working to strengthen.

Today I’m joined by Maria Rivero González, CEO of RGNY Wine, a winery whose story spans generations and geographies, from northern Mexico to the North Fork of Long Island.

Maria grew up in a family where wine was part of everyday life. Her family began making wine in Parras, Coahuila, widely considered the oldest wine-growing region in the Americas, and what started as her father’s passion would eventually become a business Maria herself helped shape. At just twenty-three, she stepped into a leadership role, navigating both the challenges of entrepreneurship and an industry long dominated by men.

That journey ultimately led her to the North Fork, with the acquisition of Martha Clara Vineyards and the creation of RGNY as a bridge between Mexican roots and Long Island terroir. Today, RGNY reflects Maria’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and a deep respect for place.

In this conversation, we talk about family, legacy, leadership, and the future of wine on the North Fork and the role RGNY hopes to play in that story.

Today’s guest is Perry Bliss of The Old Field Vineyards in Southold, a place that’s been farmed by her family for more than a century and has played an important role in the story of North Fork wine.

Perry grew up on this land, returned to it, and helped guide The Old Field through generations of change, from vegetables to vines, from family tradition to modern winemaking, all while staying deeply connected to the people and the place around her.

In this conversation, we talk about legacy, farming as a family, learning to embrace change, and what it means to be present for a place from start to finish. And toward the end, Perry shares openly about the difficult decision her family made to sell the property, and why, not as an ending, but as part of a much longer story.

Today I’m joined by Bob McInnis, who many of you know as the North Fork’s go-to marketing mind behind some of our most recognizable local businesses and organizations. Bob is the founder of McInnis Digital, where his team helps clients grow through smart websites, search and AI optimization, social media, email marketing, automation, and both print and digital advertising, along with photography and drone services.

We talk about his work with businesses and organizations like Southold Fish Market, Suffolk Security, Jernick Moving & Storage, North Fork Sanitation, the Shelter Island Chamber of Commerce, the Mattituck Park District, the Greenport Miniature Railroad, and many others. Bob reflects on what makes local organizations endure, and what it takes to stay strong as the North Fork continues to grow and change.

Bob and his wife became year-round Greenport residents in the mid-1990s, initially using it as a home base between international travel as speakers and consultants on local business growth. Over time, Bob made the decision to stay put, focus his expertise locally, and raise his three children through the Greenport public school system.

We also look back at Bob’s earlier years, from growing up outside Boston to attending Dartmouth College, where he led the Dartmouth Entrepreneurs group and helped found the National Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs. Today, he’s a frequent guest lecturer at Hofstra’s Zarb School of Business and a longtime board member of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce, deeply invested in the future of this community.

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Today’s guest is Patricia Hammes, a Greenport resident who has played a central role in shaping conversations about growth, planning, and community life in the village.

Patricia brings a background that predates her time on the North Fork, and that broader experience has informed her work locally, most notably through her service as Chair of the Greenport Planning Board, where she has dedicated a great deal of time and service to the community.

In 2025, she also ran for the Greenport Village Board, coming just shy of a win and further solidifying her commitment to public service and civic engagement.

Today, we’ll talk about her path to Greenport, what drew her into local governance, how she thinks about balancing change with preservation, and her hopes for the village’s future.

Today, we’re joined once again by Michael Zweig to revisit a pivotal decade in the life of the North Fork, the ten-year struggle for its character and economic base, from 1985 to 1995.

Michael first visited the North Fork in the 1960s, returning more permanently in the 1980s, at a moment when the future of the region was very much an open question. Would the North Fork follow a path of planning, agriculture, and preservation, or be paved over by unchecked development? That tension between developers, environmentalists, and longtime residents shaped nearly every decision the town faced.

In this conversation, Michael reflects on his growing involvement in the community, from joining the Town of Southold’s Economic Advisory Committee in 1985, to helping examine the future of agriculture at a time when new forms of farming, including the emerging wine industry were beginning to redefine the land. He discusses grassroots organizing to protect open space, including the formation of Southold 2000, which later evolved into the North Fork Planning Conference.

We also talk about the political shakeup of the early 1990s, when dissatisfaction with both major parties led to the creation of United Southold, a new local political movement founded by Tom Wickham. Though short-lived, its 1993 victory reshaped the political dynamics of the town and left a lasting imprint on how Southold governs itself.

Along the way, Michael shares memories of Greenport during that era, his decision to join the Southold Fire Department, and how civic responsibility extended beyond meetings and policy. We close by turning to the present, the pressures facing the North Fork today, and Michael’s hopes for preserving the balance between community, environment, and economy in the years ahead.

Today I’m joined by Judy McCleery, photographer, writer, longtime community leader, and a lifelong North Forker whose story is deeply woven into the fabric of the East End.

Judy takes us back to her family’s arrival on the North Fork and her upbringing in Mattituck, sharing vivid memories of growing up here and how that sense of place shaped who she would become. From her years at Mattituck High School to early work in public service, we trace a path that reflects both curiosity and commitment to community.

Over the course of her career, Judy has worn many hats, recycling coordinator for the Town of Southampton, legislative aide in the early 1990s, bank employee in Greenport, a radio professional, and later a reporter and photographer, each chapter offering a different window into life on the North Fork and the people who make it run.

We also talk about her involvement in local politics, the East End Women’s Network, and her ongoing dedication to civic life, culminating in her current role as president of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce. Throughout the conversation, Judy reflects on why this place matters so deeply to her, and what she hopes the future holds for the North Fork and its community.