Snaking our way into Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck. a few days before Thanksgiving. Paul Goldfinger photos :
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net 2024.
Some years ago we used to buy Bell and Evans chickens at the Pathway Market in Ocean Grove, back when they had a resident butcher there. We liked those chickens, so Eileen decided to order a fresh B & E turkey this year (2024) from Delicious Orchards. We went there in the morning, a few days before turkey day to pick up the bird and we found ourselves in a line of traffic on route 34, waiting to get into the store.
It took about 20 minutes to enter the crowded parking lot. Once there we followed the line of cars and found a space way in the back. We walked towards the entrance, and it was quickly evident that we would not be able to get in right away.
A huge line outside had formed, wrapping around and heading back towards the highway. It didn’t seem too bad until we wound up in a tent-like space (above) where people were snaking their way, Disney-style.
The snake kept coiling and uncoiling, and it was weird the way people were simultaneously walking toward you and away from you, all the while heading to the same place. We spent about 30 minutes on line and then we entered the store where people were dispersing in every direction.
The incredible pie department. By Wednesday there will be a long pie line.
Inside, the pies were piled high. They are known for pies. Pie specialists were on duty. We picked up two pies: pumpkin and apple.
Our turkey was waiting for us in the meat department. It is a young bird, 10 pounds, wearing its logo proudly. Bell and Evans turkeys are grown in Pennsylvania Dutch country where the business has been for over 120 years. Their turkeys are supposed to be “natural,” bred for slower growing and bigger breasts and not injected like Butter Balls. (Yes, I am considering a joke here, but never mind. So more white meat means less fat and calories. But we were actually thinking “tastes better.” You can’t worry about fat and calories on Thanksgiving. That’s why they call it Thanksgiving.
Check out . Look at all the pie boxes. We waited in their crowded checkout area (above.) But there were many aisles which made it all move quickly. We made it to a cashier; I asked our Delicious Orchards bagger, a pretty young lady with long red hair, how things were going. “It’s a madhouse,” she said.
I replied, ” I have seen real madhouses, and this is no madhouse.”
“Does everyone in your family have red hair?” I asked her.
She smiled and said, “My four brothers work here also, and they all have red hair.” She wished me a happy holiday as she resumed filling a bag with groceries for the next customer.
On the way out they gave us a small cup of excellent hot cider, and we bought one of their cider donuts. I ate about 80% of it.–Eileen slowly finished her part, savoring every crumb. When we lived in Chester, we would go to Hackelbarney Farm—basically a country store in the middle of an apple orchard. Go there and you can watch them make cider, and the donuts and pies are famous. It’s worth a drive into beautiful Morris County.
Then it took about 15 minutes to get from the parking lot out to Rt. 34 again. The whole experience lasted about one hour, not counting the car trip and time spent drinking cider in the parking lot.
I asked Eileen, “Will you do this again next year?”
She said, “I don’t think so.”
But we had fun going for our turkey. We experienced a special event filled with hope as everyone was there preparing for a wonderful American tradition. It was actually a good time—good vibes–and hopefully an extra good turkey.
As we drove off I said to Eileen, “Let’s not decide now about next year. Let’s taste the turkey first.”
NOTE: 2025 and we will still repeat this ritual.
JAMIROQUAI. From the soundtrack of the movie “Valentine’s Day.” (crank up the volume a bit)
