Plum Island

I learned from Pruned that a Long Island haunt of mine, only seen from afar, and painted too, is now up for sale by our federal government. If you travel to the far end of the north fork of Long Island, park at the ferry terminal, and walk another quarter mile or so, you will find yourself on a spit of land that points to Plum Island.

I imagine it was beach plums that aroused its nomenclature, but in the end this plum in the sound was only known for housing the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, a research facility that stored many of the most notorious animal diseases of the world. Despite the lot of negative press in the last twenty years, I did not realize it had been shut down. The promotional documentation looks beyond that recent history, making the island look like a charm.

I haven't been to that very tip in some time, but it's worth a drive or even bike ride in good weather. On the way, you can hit some of the north fork nurseries, stop at a farm stand or wineries. And after a few tastings, you can entertain making an offer on our notorious, yet charmed, island.