Summer-Fresh Fruits and Veggies

 

SUMMER-FRESH FRUITS AND VEGGIES NOW IN COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKETS

mid-June through October

Trenton, NJ (June 26, 2007) -- Eating locally grown food is a treat to taste buds that’s finally catching on.  Like “wake up and smell the flowers” was to baby boomers, “eat local and savor the flavor” is becoming a mantra for today’s grown-ups.  They may be virtual foreigners to farming, but they are discovering that produce purchased within a few hours of picking can make eating vegetables a gourmet experience.  But, how to make sure that produce at New Jersey’s farmers’ markets really is just picked from Garden State farms?  That dilemma was the impetus more than 15 years ago for forming the New Jersey Council of Farmers & Communities.  Today, it boasts more than 30 member markets, which proudly display the NJCFC distinctive logo.

 

The council also matches up farmers with the community markets.  “NJCFC inspects all participating farms, reviews their crop plans to insure that what they sell is also what they grow and assists member markets in finding appropriate farmers,” says John Melick, president of the NJCFC.  

 

Connecting The Table With The Farm

 Community Farmers’ Markets are reviving a tradition as old as history itself -- connecting people who eat with farmers who feed them.  These markets are proving themselves invaluable to the customers, while helping to keep New Jersey farmers viable in a worldwide, competitive marketplace.  They serve not merely as shopping venues, but as community gathering places, where people gossip and exchange ideas and recipes with friends and neighbors and query farmers on how food is grown and best prepared. 

 

Why Buy Direct From Farmers?

  “Farmers can tell you exactly when their produce was picked, how it was grown, what soil conditions give it distinctive flavors,” says Melick.  “They can provide tips on preparation and storing and many other useful bits of information.  Farmers relate that they benefit from this interaction as much as customers, gaining insight into what’s popular and what’s not, and why.   Such info helps in planning crops for seasons to come and what should be harvested for this season’s markets.”   

 

Eat Local...We All Benefit

Buying local is buying fresh.  Just-picked food retains more nutrients; saves on storage and reduces costs and  pollutants of distance transportation – all else aside, it truly does taste better.  Even Time Magazine, in a recent cover story, stressed the importance of eating local, even over organic, which is not immune from long-distance shipping.

 

New Jersey farmers grow well more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables, ranging from the most common everyday shopping-cart items to more exotic Asian, Caribbean and European varieties, as well as organic.  On average, the food travels no more than 50 miles from where it was grown.  Several markets feature local organic produce, as well as cheeses, herbs, cut flowers, ornamental plants, organic eggs, poultry and meat.  Some offer weekly entertainment and special events.  All feature New Jersey farmers dispensing tidbits of friendly information and samples of their wares....”try these apples—they’re a new variety;”  “Heirloom tomatoes vary greatly according to type and the soil.”  Their farm-fresh wisdom is free, whether you buy or not.

 

The New Jersey Council of Farmers and Communities is a non-profit organization serving as a liaison between New Jersey Farm families and member markets.  Its mission is to support and strengthen New Jersey communities while protecting and encouraging farming in the Garden State.  Supporting organizations include the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Farm Bureau and New Jersey Highlands Council.  Most NJCFC Farmers’ Markets participate in the state’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Seniors' Farmers’ Market Nutrition programs, making fresh produce available to those in need.

 

Community Farmers’ Markets operate weekly, from June through October.  However, specific days and times of operation may vary or change, so it's best to call the market you wish to visit, or check the NJCFC website, www.jerseyfarmersmarkets.com for information on member market schedules.

 

Following is a calendar listing by day of the Council of Farmers & Communities member markets, with contact information.  For further information, check the website or contact the New Jersey Council of Farmers & Communities (NJCFC), P.O. Box 1114; Madison, New Jersey 07940-1114.  phone 609- 393-4763.

 

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Note:  The following schedule contains listings of participating markets as of  June 25, 2007.  Additional markets may be added at later dates.

  
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