Far Hills In The Fall

Eighty degree sun filled days and long dinners outside on a friend's patio are now only memories.  Our play areas have moved from boats and beaches to horse race tailgates and Alumni weekends.  Think of a well built fire, leaves falling around you and hot cup of spiked apple cider.  Take a deep breath, Fall is here.

The Original Knot Belt, photographed in Sudbury, MA

The above is the same for both students heading back to school and those who have since graduated.  Shorts and flip flops during the day and slacks and sweaters at night create the simple change each day we all need and love.  Not until November will all of your summer gear be put to rest for the crisp months ahead.  Exchange those swim shorts for deep cords and ask a friend where they got their Barbour jacket.  Its no doubt the most diverse time of year for everyone in New England in terms of their style and dress, and at Knot we relish the Fall season.  Bust out the tweed, lace up a pair of duck boots and don't forget your Knot belt!  Of course, I don't need to tell you about the changing of seasons in New England.  What I really want to share with you is an event located among the many townships of New Jersey.

In less than two weeks, Knot Belt Co. will be heading to the rolling countryside of the Moorland Farmlands for the Far Hills Race Meeting.  This horse race is better known to the attending mid-twenty somethings as "The Hunt, " and we didn't name a belt after this event for nothing.  Having attended The Hunt since 2002 and only missing one year while I was abroad, it has grown into not just a tradition, but a meeting ground and business platform like no other.  It is a reunion that brings together friends and family.  It is where stories are told of summers past and everyone catches up the way people used to, face to face, and welcome the coming of Fall.

The Finish Line Tower

Rain or shine, the masses pile out of NJ Transit trains and set off for the hills to find friends.  You will surely bump into someone you know along the way to your tailgate and be pulled to their spot for a cocktail.  After a mimosa or two, its time to meet up with the people you actually came with and enjoy the day to the fullest.  After all, its only 11:00am.  You've had a full Irish breakfast supplied by your tailgating neighbors and before you can finish, the lunch spread is already being laid out.  The Hunt is about getting together with friends to socialize, eat, drink...and drink some more.  When the sun is shining, the drop gate of a truck is the best place to lay back and watch the clouds whisk by.  In times of foul weather the sanctuary of a suburban is a quick way to get warm.  Regardless of the weather conditions be sure to place your bets on a few races, even if you don't see a single horse.  Don't be alarmed when someone hands you a stiff mix to wash down those buttery steaming potatoes, they're only sharing the love.  Cocktailing all day may cause you to lose a friend in the crowds while you're walking around so make sure you have a beacon of reference to get back safely.  I suggest the finish line tower or a rowdy tent on the corner aisle of the infield.  Regardless, if you wander long enough you'll be sure to find another friend to grab a refill with and maybe even another sandwich.

Friends, new and old

 As each year passes, friendships and knowing the lay of the land grow stronger.  In our first attending years, we would hop from one parent's spot to another and snack on cheese plates and meat trays while tipping back fifths of whiskey.  A little juvenile yes, but hey we were in college.  Last year, the muddiest and wettest year ever, there was a combined tailgate put together by friends from St. Lawrence University and pros of the whole scene.  It lacked nothing; full bar, kegs upon kegs and tons of hot food.  The tarps kept people dry and there was even a bouncer for the seven spots we held in case it got rowdy.

As long as you have your ticket to get on the grounds, there will always be a tailgate to cozy up to.  And cozy up we do.  Having milked the first couple years from parents, the next few with a combo of friends, the need for your own spot comes to be.  Either way, friends across the east coast will swing by to sample your gumbo and pour another sociable. 

The Far Hills Horsebit Belt

This year, the seventh year after my first attendance to The Hunt, and the second year for Knot Belt Co., I'm proud to say "come on over and get knotty at our very own spot!"  We'll be bumping tunes (checkout our new Fall playlist below), sipping on cider and tossing back more than a few adult beverages.  To date there are about fifty in attendance and there's always room for fifty more!  So pack the koozies and don't forget your Far Hills Horsebit belt because its going to be a Knotty day!

Below is the invite for those looking to saddle up and have some fun.  If you already have a spot or are meeting people there, feel free to stop by, say hey and grab some of the free Knot swag we'll be tossing out.  Tally Ho!

Why Knot?

- Nick