Kim Klein at the Fresh Pik Farm stand, Asbury Farmers' Market
By Eileen Goldfinger (food editor @Blogfinger) and Paul Goldfinger. See the slide show below.
Janice Cvoliga, the farmer’s wife from Fresh Pik Farms in East Windsor, was one of the first vendors to participate in the Saturday Asbury Park Farmers’ Market, which has been held for 12 years at Sunset and Main. She recalls that she was sometimes the only vendor present. But now, the market is having its busiest season ever. There are more farmers and more customers; it has become a happening event. The produce was fresh and beautiful, having been picked last night or this morning. The market goes on from July through October. At the Fresh Pik display, we found a wide variety of produce including corn, onions, peppers, melons and brightly colored flowers—zinnias and cockscomb.
Zinnias and cockscomb at the Fresh Pik Farm stand
We met Tony Pagano, the owner and chef at Uva Italian Restaurant (a top Blogfinger pick) in Bradley Beach. He came early and spent much of his time at the East Gate Farm display. Tony said that he loves to shop at the Asbury Farmers’ Market and that he wished he could keep it a secret. He was having a discussion with farmer Frank Damico of East Gate Farms in Robbinsville, New Jersey as to how to prepare the squash blossoms and the long zucchini.
Tony told us that the Jersey tomatoes this year are “perfect.” He purchased an entire case of them. Frank Damico said that the tomatoes were especially good this summer because of the heat and sunshine — essential ingredients for the production of sugar within the plant. East Gate Farms wins the Blogfinger award for the most unique merchandise, including lemongrass, long squash, Asian bitter melon, Japanese spinach and Purslane.
Miss Joan Martz of the Martz Farm in Matawan was all smiles as the customers kept lining up. Her brother’s farm has been in the family for four generations. Heirloom tomatoes are a specialty, including the miniature fuzzy yellow variety and yellow pear shaped tomatoes. She said heirlooms were sweeter and had thinner skins than regular tomatoes. Joan told us that Jersey beefsteaks are ready-to-eat when the red reaches the stem. Store them on the counter, not in the fridge, and don’t let them get too soft. The Martz display contained a big selection of wonderful goods, including a variety of eggplants. Joan also carried peach pies from Wemrock Farms in Freehold.
There were four young ladies working the Shangri-La Farm display from Howell Township. One of them, farmer Elaine Taylor, had designed a natural insect repellant spray that is effective against flies and mosquitoes (attn: Grovers). Mrs. Taylor is active in the Southard Grange. ( The Southard Grange website) Charlene, an intern from Reed College, was learning how to become a farmer. In addition, they have live bluegrass music at the grange every Tuesday night — open to the public. Besides produce, the ladies were selling Amish baked goods (e.g., carrot cake with rum-soaked fruit). They also had seedless watermelons that weighed a ton. We also noted the celebrity vegetable Okra Winfrey. (Paul’s joke.)
Other items available at the market included flowers, hats, Italian breads, blueberries, Jersey peaches, long red beans, onions and radishes.
The prices are not cheap, but the merchandise is special, and it is fun to go there; check out the customers, including dogs and kids; and, best of all, kibbitz with the farmers. Agriculture is alive and well in the Garden State.
MUSIC. Vegetable music from The Fantasticks.
My husband and I bike from Ocean Grove to the Asbury Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning. We purchase all of our fruits and vegetables for the week from the bushels and baskets of Jersey Fresh produce. The tomatoes are indeed fantastic this year! The okra, cabbage, beets, corn, blackberries and peaches are currently plentiful and absolutely delicious. We pick up a loaf of great bread and a hunk of fresh mozzarella from an amazing charismatic vendor at the farmstand, too. We manage to stuff it in my bike basket and then bike back to the Grove. There is just something so special about being able to do this! It beats driving the car to a supermarket!
Maybe they are Reformed Amish.
They do sell tomatoes, peaches, basil, flowers, corn, cupcakes etc. No bread, no cheese, etc.
There are usually about 7 vendors there. Someone even sells wine from a vineyard in NJ
They do sell soap, lavender and dog treats.
I live on ocean Avenue and there is NO WAY my parking spot would still be there if I went to the farmers market on a Saturday morning. Riding my bike is a good idea.
I do like the Thursday Farmer’s market, just wish it were bigger with more variety….
p.s. don’t know how authentic the Amish baked goods are if they sell things with rum soaked raisins. Amish are a lot like the Methodists…. they are “dry” too.
This Saturday market is worth a bike ride. One of the nice things about it is that there is plenty of parking. We drove over early, and our space in the Grove was still empty when we got back. I understand that the Thursday market is not really a farmers’ market, I’m told that it is more like a flea market, selling soap, trinkets, etc. Please let us know more about the Thursday market. Paul @Blogfinger
This Farmer’s Market looks GREAT! But for those of us who would rather die than give up a parking space to attend, there is a SMALL farmer’s market on the Asbury Park boardwalk on Thursdays from 4 to 7. I sure wish some of the Saturday Folks would bring their wares to the Thursday market.