Community Farmers Markets Open Throughout County

COURT HOUSE – State Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher recently announced the opening of the New Jersey farmers market season.
“Within a couple of weeks, all of the state’s community farmers markets will be open throughout the state, offering consumers a wide variety of their favorite Jersey Fresh vegetables and fruits,” Fisher said in a release. “These markets provide access to produce picked just hours before, and opportunities to meet the farmers who grow their food, as well as help maintain working farmland in the Garden State.”
There are 137 farmers markets statewide and five located in Cape May County including:
* Lower Township Farmers Market at the Recreation Center Grounds behind Township Hall, 2600 Bayshore Road, Villas. For information, contact (609) 886-7880, x 9/ Zach Zelwak or email zzelwak@townshipoflower.org. The market is open July 9-Sept. 3 on Fridays from 3 to 7:30 p.m.
* Ocean City Farmers Market on the Tabernacle Grounds at Asbury Avenue between 5th and 6th avenues. For information contact Shawnda McGinnis at (609) 399-1412 or email info@oceancitychamber.com. The market is open July 7-Aug. 25 on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
* Stone Harbor Farmers Market on the Water Tower Lot at 95th and 2nd avenues. For information, contact Anne Wannen at (609) 368-1924 or email annek20@comcast.net. The market is open June 27-Sept. 6 on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
* West Cape May Farmers’ Market behind the fire hall at 732 Broadway. For information, contact Annie Mollock (609) 884-1005, ext. 9. The market is open June 30-Sept. 1 on Tuesdays from 3 to 7:30 p.m.
* Woodbine Farmers Market in the vacant lot across from Cap’t Scrap on Rt. 550. For information, contact Stacey at (609) 464-0290. The market is open June 25-October on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
These and other statewide farmers markets are part of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition program. The program provides vouchers to eligible participants to purchase locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from New Jersey farmers.
In season now at the farmers markets are Jersey Fresh blueberries, the official state fruit.
“The wait is over for New Jersey blueberries – the harvest began last week, a bit earlier than usual due to warm early season growing conditions,” said Fisher. “Jersey Fresh blueberries taste great and are part of a healthy diet due to their antioxidants.”
According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, 53 million pounds of blueberries were produced last year on 7,700 acres with a value of $65.3 million. New Jersey ranks second in the nation in blueberry production. Atlantic and Burlington Counties are the main harvesters of the state fruit, accounting for 95 percent of the blueberry acres.
For complete information on locations, days and hours of community farmers markets, where blueberries are now available, visit www.state.nj.us/jerseyfresh/searches/urban.htm.