NJ Farmers Markets 2005

[Rosie]

Here is a link to information on the NJ Farmers Markets.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/States/NewJersey.htm

We were at the one in Montclair last Saturday and bought some beautiful lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, beets and cucumbers. Let us know where you go and about the produce.

Note: Click here to page down to a list of NJ Farmers Markets by days of the week. Rachel

Edited July 8, 2005 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[zhelder]

Here is a link to information on the NJ Farmers Markets.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/States/NewJersey.htm

We were at the one in Montclair last Saturday and bought some beautiful lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, beets and cucumbers. Let us know where you go and about the produce.

←

I can't wait! Does anyone know if the Ridgewood farmers market has started yet?

[menton1]

We were at the one in Montclair last Saturday and bought some beautiful lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, beets and cucumbers. Let us know where you go and about the produce.

←

Wow, tomatoes? I thought tomatoes were not ripe in the Northeast until late July at the earliest... but some of these markets are not policed by the towns and they bring in produce from out of the area, or, worse, stuff they buy at the commercial produce markets and re-sell. I think we have had this debate, that it's only right that these vendors should only sell what they grow themselves, or else it's just like going into ShopRite!

[ghostrider]

They could be hothouse tomatoes. There's a farmer at the NYC Union Sq Greenmarket who has off-season hothouse tomatoes, & signs to tell you that. I consider that perfectly legit, but if that's the deal in Montclair they ought to state it up front too.

The list on the site above is incomplete, at the very least, they've left out Rutherford. I prefer the NJ state site below, which I believe is comprehensive, & gives more precise info on the open/close dates/times for each market:

Jersey Fresh Markets

Edited June 18, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[zhelder]

They could be hothouse tomatoes.  There's a farmer at the NYC Union Sq Greenmarket who has off-season hothouse tomatoes, & signs to tell you that.  I consider that perfectly legit, but if that's the deal in Montclair they ought to state it up front too.

The list on the site above is incomplete, at the very least, they've left out Rutherford.  I prefer the NJ state site below, which I believe is comprehensive, & gives more precise info on the open/close dates/times for each market:

Jersey Fresh Markets

←

Thanks, Ghostrider. Looks like Ridgewood opens next week. The anticipation mounts!

[menton1]

They could be hothouse tomatoes.  I consider that perfectly legit

Seems to me that greenhouse tomatoes are a staple in the supermarket these days, they are called "tomatoes on the vine", and have a very unremarkable taste and texture. Nothing like the outdoor-grown tomatoes that arrive in August.

Still think that these market vendors need to be held to a standard of "you didn't grow it, you can't sell it" but that seems like a pipe dream nowadays, with the rush of these vendors to make a buck and put one over on the public. Too bad the town coordinators are not more zealous in enforcing this logical rule.

[ghostrider]

Seems to me that greenhouse tomatoes are a staple in the supermarket these days, they are called "tomatoes on the vine", and have a very unremarkable taste and texture.  Nothing like the outdoor-grown tomatoes that arrive in August. 

Still think that these market vendors need to be held to a standard of "you didn't grow it, you can't sell it" but that seems like a pipe dream nowadays, with the rush of these vendors to make a buck and put one over on the public.  Too bad the town coordinators are not more zealous in enforcing this logical rule.

←

Agreed, there's nothing like the locally grown summertime tomatoes.

I look for that Jersey Fresh logo at farmers' market stands that I patronize. I don't believe that the farm can display that if they didn't grow everything themselves. (Of course I don't know how strictly that's enforced, but it's something.)

Edited June 19, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[ejebud]

I look for that Jersey Fresh logo at farmers' market stands that I patronize.  I don't believe that the farm can display that if they didn't grow everything themselves.  (Of course I don't know how strictly that's enforced, but it's something.)

←

I was told by the lady at the info booth at the Millburn Market that everything the vendors sell HAS to be from NJ, not necessarily grown themselves. BTW, speaking of Millburn, Rosies link page says Fridays, but this year they are Tuesdays.

Eric

[Rachel Perlow]

This was the list, updated as of Jul 20 2004, from last year. Anyone know of any changes? We'll update it then add it to the first post above, for easy reference.

Here's a link to the USDA Farmers Market page for NJ. The link has additional information, such as contact phone numbers and/or email addresses, in addition to which markets accept WIC coupons. It is organized in alphabetical order by town, as opposed to our by day order.

If there are any additional markets that were not listed on the USDA site, please let me know to add them to our list.

As I was reviewing the list compared to last year, I noticed that many of the markets have cut back their hours slightly, frequently cutting off the last hour. Plus, a few have changed locations. So, be sure to double-check the list for your favorite market.

see list in my next post

←

Edited June 20, 2005 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[Jason Perlow]

BTW, the Teaneck market starts this thursday and the Fort Lee market started this last Sunday.

[menton1]

Fort Lee has a new Sunday market in the municipal parking lot. Went to River Vale last Thursday, nothing there. Has it been disbanded, or is it just a very late start?

[Rachel Perlow]

OK, I removed the info from my post above because I just compared it ot the current usda link (in Rosie's first post, above) and updated it. If anyone has any corrections, please post them and I'll incorporate it into the list.

2005 Farmers Market Schedule, by day of the week

DAILY

Paterson: 6AM - 7PM, 449 East Railway Avenue

Trenton: Open all year-round, May - October, Monday - Saturday, 9 am - 6 pm; November - April, Thursday - Saturday, 9 am - 6 pm, 960 Spruce Street

SUNDAY

Berlin: 10-6, 41 Clemonton Road

Columbus: dawn-1:30, Route 206 South

Englishtown: 9-5, off County Road 527

Flemington: 10-6, Liberty Village Premium Outlets, 1 Church St.

Fort Lee: 8-2, parking lot behind post office

Lafayette: 10:30-3:30, Routes 15 & 94, Olde Lafayette Village

Lawrenceville: 9-1, 16 Gorden Avenue, off Rt. 206

Morristown: 8:30-2, Dumont Place, behind post office

Red Bank: 9-2, Galleria parking lot, West Front St and Shrewsbury Ave.

Ridgewood: 9-3, Train Station

Summit: 8:30-1:30, DeForest Ave & Maple St

West Cape May: 11-3, Borough Hall parking lot

MONDAY

Jersey City: 12-4, Sgt. Anthony Park, between Fleet St. & State Highway

Livingston: 12-6, Livingston Mall parking lot by Macy's on the Eisenhower Pkwy side of the mall

Maplewood: 2-7:30, Springfield Ave. & Indiana St.

Springfield: 12-6, (July-August) 101 Mountain Ave, Parking lot at Johnathan High School; (Sept-Oct) Ruby Field at Caldwell Place

TUESDAY

Camden: 9-3, Walter Rand Transportation Center

East Orange: 9:30-5, 192 Halstedt Street, Lot D (at Central Avenue, behind AutoZone)

Elizabeth: 11-6, Union Square Plaza, Elizabeth Ave & High St

Hasbrouck Heights: 12-6, Boulevard & Washington Pl.

Hoboken: 3-7:30, Newark St & Washington St

Jersey City: 11-7, Pavonia East Street; 3-6, St. Patrick’s church, Bramhall & Ocean Ave.

Millburn: 8-2, Essex and Main St.

Pilesgrove: 8-4, Cowtown Farmers Market, 780 Route 40

West Cape May: 3-8, 732 Broadway, Borough Hall parking lot

WEDNESDAY

Hopewell: 4-7, Rt. 518 (main street in Hopewell) in front of Failte coffee shop

Jersey City: 11-7, Kennedy Blvd at Journal Square; 2-7 Hamilton Park, 8th St & Jersey Ave

Ocean City: 8-1, Ocean City Tabernacle Grounds, 5th & Asbury Avenue

Roselle Park: 1-6, Chestnut St and E. Grant Ave.

Rutherford: 11-6, Williams Plaza, 176 Park Avenue

South Orange: 2:30-7, Meadowland Park Duck Pond, at Ridgewood Road North & Mead Street

THURSDAY

Atlantic City: 10-4, Center City Park, Between North & South Carolina Ave. on Atlantic Ave.

Berlin: 10-9, 41 Clemonton Road

Bloomfield: 11-6, Lackawanna Plaza parking lot

Camden: 9-1, Yorkshire Square

Cape May: 10-5, Cape May Courthouse, Crest Haven Road & Route 9

Columbus: dawn-1:30, Route 206 South

Jersey City: 11-7, Pavonia East Street

Livingston: 12-6, 45 S Livingston Ave.

Madison: 2-7, (July-August) Madison High School, Ridgedale Ave; (Sept-Oct) Community Pool, Rosedale Ave.

Montgomery: 12:30-6:30, Routes 206 & 518, behind Red Oak Diner

Newark: 10:30-5, Military Park, Corner of Broad Street & Raymond Boulevard

Newark: 10-4, Bethany Baptist Church, 275 West Market Street

Nyack, NY: 9-2, Municipal Parking Lot, Main Street behind the Helen Hayes Theater

Rahway: 12-6, Train Station, East Milton Ave & Irving St

Rivervale: 1-6, Piermont Rd.

Salem: 10-2, First Baptist Church on West Broadway

Smithville: 11-5, Village Green, Moss Mill Road & Rt 9

Teaneck: 2-7, Garrison Ave and Beverly Road, behind Miller’s Pharmacy

Trenton: 11-2, East State St, The Commons, between Warren & Broad Streets

Trenton: 9-6, 960 Spruce Street (year-round)

FRIDAY

Bridgeton: 10-2, Riverfront Parking Lot, Between Bridge & Commerce Sts.

Berlin: 10-9, 41 Clemonton Road

Camden: 11-3, Camden Waterfront

Camden: 9-3, Walter Rand Transportation Center

Columbus: dawn-1:30, Route 206 South

Englewood: 12-7, Depot Square Park, North Van Brunt St. & Demarest

Forked River: 2-6, Route 9 & Lacey Road

Highland Park: 11-5, Raritan Ave, between 2nd & 3rd

Middlesex: 12-6, Route 28 & Union Avenue

Trenton: 9-6, 960 Spruce Street (year-round)

West Orange: 12-6, 66 Main Street

SATURDAY

Atlantic City: 10-4, Center City Park, Between North & South Carolina Ave. on Atlantic Ave.

Atlantic Highlands: 9-2, Cornwall Park on Bay Avenue

Belmar: 10-3, Main St & train station

Berlin: 10-9, 41 Clemonton Road

Bernardsville: 9-2, Rt 202 & Claremont Rd.

Boonton: 9-1, Upper Plane Street parking lot

Bound Brook: 9-2, train station parking lot, Main St.

Burlington: 9-2, 12 West Broad Street

Camden: 9-1, Camden Waterfront

Collingswood: 8-12, Between Collins & Irvin Ave, along Patco

Columbus: dawn-1:30, Route 206 South

Englishtown: 7-5, off County Road 527

Franklin Township: 9-2, John’s Plaza, 720 Hamilton Street

Highlands: 9-2, Bay & Cornwall Avenues

Irvington: 11-6, between Clinton and Springfield Aves.

Jersey City: 8-1, Van Vorst Park, Jersey Ave & Montgomery St.

Metuchen: 9-2, Central & Middlexex Aves

Millville: 8-12, Buck & Pine Streets

Montclair: 8-2, train station parking lot at Walnut Street

Netcong: 9-2, Main St & Rt 46

North Plainfield: 9-2, Somerset & Race Sts., across from Borough Hall

Pilesgrove: 8-4, Cowtown Farmers Market, 780 Route 40

Princeton: 8:30-1:30, Herban Garden, Wetherspoon & Robeson Sts.

Riverton: 8-12, train station

Scotch Plains: 8-2, Municipal parking lot at Park Ave.

Sergeantsville: 8:30-12, Near Intersection of Rts. 523 & 604, across from Delaware Twp. Building

Trenton: 9-6, 960 Spruce Street (year-round)

Vineland: 9-2, 700 Block of Landis Avenue, across from Vineland Court House

Westfield: 9-2, Train station, South Ave parking lot

West Windsor: 9-1, Southbound, Princeton Junction train station, Vaughn Drive parking lot

Woodbury: 9-1, Between Cooper & East Barber Street

Edited July 8, 2005 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Went to River Vale last Thursday, nothing there.  Has it been disbanded, or is it just a very late start?

←

According to the USDA website, Rivervale starts in July. I have a call into the town to confirm a start date. More than half the markets start in July.

Edit: According to the NJ website, River Vale begins July 7th. Oh! and they just called me back, so that confirms it. Is it Rivervale or River Vale? I see it both ways on the various websites.

Edited June 20, 2005 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[ghostrider]

Thanks for that day-of-the-week summary Rachel, that's very useful.

According to the USDA website, Rivervale starts in July. I have a call into the town to confirm a start date. More than half the markets start in July.

Edit: According to the NJ website, River Vale begins July 7th. Oh!

I am tempted to make some comment about the superiority of state vs. federal websites but that may be getting too political.

[Rachel Perlow]

I am tempted to make some comment about the superiority of state vs. federal websites but that may be getting too political. 

←

I went through the USDA site for the list above, now I'm going through the NJ site, and there are discrepancies (for example, Millburn is now on Tuesdays, but only one site had the correct info, for others the times or locations have been wrong). However, they have each been wrong, so no comment on which is better. I've been calling the towns where I've found discrepancies between the two lists, so they can contact the appropriate website to update their info. If anyone finds that the info we have on our list above is wrong, please let me know so I can update it.

[bcm]

Info on sites varies as to location of Montclair market. Rosie, you were

there - were you at Walnut station or South Fullerton"?

[Rachel Perlow]

I spoke with Montclair. Walnut is correct.

[Rachel Perlow]

I finished my edit of the list, so I've updated my post above. Several markets changed days or locations or time, so check the list before heading to your regular Farmers Market. And, once again, if you find an error or have an update or know about a town not listed, please post.

[bobferdon]

My father founded the Montclair Farmers Market. At the time he went to every supplier and measured the farm and produce to ensure it was "Jersey Fresh" and that what they supplied was local. He did the same for 16 other markets that opened after that. There was always a problem with others who wanted to be part of the markets but were kept out because my dad wanted it to be kept real. He suceeded. It all changed in 1996 about a month after he died. Now it's an open air supermarket. Still good, but not what it started out as.

[ghostrider]

Kudos to your dad for getteing it started the right way & sticking to his principles.

[zhelder]

Well, today was the first day the Ridgewood Farmers' Market was open, and it was great. Bascially it's the same vendors as last year, with one terrific addition, the "Jam Man". (More on him in a minute. ) Basically, there are six vendors: two produce stands, a baked goods stand, Picklelicious, which sells a wide variety of pickles and olives, the mozzarella/sausage guys (I'm glad they're back!), and now the Jam Man. Prices seem to be pretty much the same as last year, which means that in most cases, the prices, especially on produce, are good. Picklelicious has added quite a few varieties to their selection of pickles, including horseradish pickles and hot & spicy pickles. They had samples, and both were great, but I liked the hot & spicy a bit more. Now, back to the Jam Man. I am not a jam expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I know what I like, and I have been looking for a good homemade jam vendor for some time. Well, I found him. The Jam Man's jams are outrageously good, probably the best jams I ever had (although again, I'm not a jam expert). He has a wide variety of flavors, and was offering samples of all the jellies. He sells 8 oz. jars for $5 each or 2 for $9. A bit much for a guy used to spending $.99 for a jar of jelly at the supermarket, but so worth it, and comparable in price to other homemade jam vendors, although much better quality than most. I purchased pear raspberry jam and peach blueberry jam. They are so delicious that I've eaten almost half of each jar already, without anything else! Overall, I'm glad the market is back in business and I can't wait to go back next week to get more hot & spicy pickles and jam! See you there!

[suzilightning]

glad someone had a good farmer's market. with the wet, cool spring today was basically flowers, honey and cheese at lafayette.

[suzilightning]

well, with the cool, wet spring here in nw nj there wasn't much besides flowers, cheese, honey and eggs at lafayette today. we did manage to score some cherries, strawberries and radishes. half the cherries have been pitted and are waiting to be mixed into some vanilla soy "ice cream" along with some chocolate chunks and topped with some homemade chocolate sauce. the radishes are bound for salad and some radish sandwiches. saw an old friend at one of the booths and he said the raspberries(which his wife grows) will be in next weekend. hopefully there will be more lettuces, etc. though this indicates to me that these guys are bringing only what they grow and not even bringing product up from south jersey.

side note: as we were heading north on 15 the corn is only 1-1 1/2 feet tall. in a normal year we should be seeing the corn start to come in next week. i don't think it will appear until late july if at all -especially if we don't get some steady, gentle rain up here.

[menton1]

I'm of the feeling that Farmer's Markets should only have vendors who sell things that grow in the ground, that they grew themselves. Jams are a very questionable item for a Farm Market, IMHO. As far as Picklelicious, she is open every day at her retail location at River Road in Teaneck. No need to wait for the Ridgewood market for those, Teaneck is less than 15 mins from Ridgewood.

Was there any good produce at this market?

N.B. And if jams were to be included in Farmer's Markets, isn't the Jam season late fall? Are these jams from last year?

[docsconz]

With strawberries and cherries in season jam season is now. My wife just made her first batch of strawberry jam with local (upstate NY) strawberries - yowza!

Of course that is not to say that those jams at the market may not be from last year.