Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (Ari Gold)

NEW YORK, NY April 27, 2007 —Spring is still in its early stages, but with the hint of warm weather many New Yorkers start craving their summer vegetables. WNYC’s Anni Katz took a trip to the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Westchester. She found out what one of the area's most popular chefs is planning for our dinner plates.

Slideshow: Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

REPORTER: Dan Barber is the chef and co-owner of the Blue Hill restaurants at Stone Barns and in Greenwich Village.

BARBER: April’s the cruelest month. March and April are the cruelest months.

REPORTER: Barber can whip up a tomato mousse, poach salmon and create buttery lamb chops. The only thing that gives him pause, is the one thing that’s out of his control. The seasons. As New Yorkers well know, early spring is a challenging time. So for farmers, chefs and diners - this brief season can be the trickiest.

BARBER: Because it’s so warm and all the customers expect tomatoes and zucchini the day the temp hits above 70 degrees. For me, it’s frustrating because there’s a lot coming, but it’s going to be a couple weeks. So we’re still serving root vegetables on the menu and it feels a little strange.

REPORTER: Barber is a vocal advocate of locally grown seasonal produce.

BARBER: People think I walk around and point where I want things and how much I want of it, but it’s the exact opposite. The farmers plan the menu because they plant and harvest what works in this ecology.

REPORTER: Barber says the bad weather earlier this spring is actually good news for this summer’s produce. The more rain during this time of year helps the summer crops at their root stage. So what’s Barber looking forward to the most? Dandelions, asparagus and green garlic. All of which will make their debut at the city’s greenmarkets in the very near future. For WNYC, I’m Anni Katz.