Foraged food festival coming to Indian Ladder Farms in May

ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A weeklong foraged food festival will return to the Capital Region for its fourth year in May. The New York Foraged Food Festival will take place from May 4 through May 10 at Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont.

Foraged NY, which aims to connect the community with the natural bounty of upstate New York, was originally founded by Nadine Medina as a collaboration between foragers and restaurants in Troy. The initiative then expanded to Albany and Schenectady before consolidating under Collar City Mushrooms in Altamont this year.

"Foraged has always been about celebrating our connection to the land and the incredible flavors that nature provides," Collar City Mushrooms owner Avery Stempel said. "Bringing the festival to [Indian Ladder Farms] allows us to create an even more immersive experience for participants while supporting sustainable food practices."

Prior to the festival, a foraging team will gather a wide variety of wild ingredients, such as edible mushrooms, flowers and greens. These ingredients will be provided to select restaurants, bars and cafes, known as "tendrils."

This year's "tendrils" will include Arthur's Market in Schenectady, DeFazio's at Indian Ladder Farms, Hamlet and Ghost from Saratoga Springs, Nighthawk's from Troy and more. The chefs and mixologists at these restaurants will incorporate the foraged elements into seasonal dishes and beverages, which will be available on their menus at the festival.

Attendees will also be able to try a selection of specialty wild-crafted drinks at the Indian Ladder Farms Tasting Room. This year, the farm's cidermaker, Alex Gill, will offer a magnolia cider, while head brewer Scott Veltman will create a spruce tip beer, both of which will be making their debuts at the festival. Other handcrafted cocktails, made with foraged ingredients and local spirits, will also be available.

Additionally, those interested in learning how to forage can join three guided foraging walks. The excursions will be led by forager and musician Sean Rowe and other wild crafters, and participants will get a hands-on lesson on identifying, harvesting and understanding wild ingredients.

The walks will take place on May 4 and May 10 at Indian Ladder Farms, and on May 8 at John B. Staalesen Vanderheyden Preserve in Troy. Those interested can sign up for one of the walks on the Collar City Mushrooms website.

Peekamoose and Catskill Fungi will also offer walk and dinner events on May 10. Tickets can be purchased online.

"Foraging connects us to the land in a way few experiences can," Stempel said. "It's an incredible opportunity to learn, taste and experience the natural world in a whole new way."

The festival will come to a close with the End of Festival Dinner and performance. The dinner will be curated by chefs Corinne Carey and Dave Chaiken, and will include foraged ingredients in every course. A musical performance by Sean Rowe will follow the meal. Tickets can be purchased on the Collar City Mushrooms website.

For event updates, including restaurant menus and festival hours, visit the 2025 Foraged webpage. Indian Ladder Farms is located at 342 Altamont Road.