Farm Report

When I lived on Long Island and made my ritual Sunday morning stop at the local bagel store, up on the counter was the glorious sight of picture-perfect giant ripe tomatoes which always bore the label "New Jersey," assuring the crowning touch for a lox and cream cheese bagel. Now you may hear people coo over California produce ("ohmygd...the strawberries were as big as golfballs!") but nothing gets the salivary glands working overttime like the phrase "Jersey Fresh" and it doesn't get much fresher than here in central NJ (think about it: almost guarantee that wherever you reside a working farm is within 5 to 10 miles). "My" farm is English Farm, located in Liberty Corner. Amazingly it is now in its eighth generation of family ownership. A working farm, the site includes a seasonal farm market (July thru October selling eggs, vegetables, flowers and Harrison Brook Farm herbs; eggs sold November thru May) and barnyard animals (a memorably funny visit last summer was when one of the pigs kicked up dirt from behind his fencing and onto Herb's new slacks--well, I thought it was funny!) including bantam chickens and a warren of rabbits (today I saw Ralph, Monique and Lindsay) right by the parking section. My purchases included Rainier cherries, garlic, dark plums, a few apples (I like to cut up in cereal) and genuinely sweet corn.
Looking ahead into the fall there are hayrides, pumpkin picking and annual History Day celebrations. By the way, English Farm is situated where colony-sympathizing French troops, under the leadership of General Rochambeau, camped out prior to the Battle of Yorkville 225 years ago.