Our town has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and many small business owners are valued members of the community. Small businesses are often owned and operated by local residents, who are invested in the community and contribute to its character and identity.
Manalapan township is a gorgeous town holding onto this entrepreneurial spirit, charm and character. This is mainly because residents actively continue to support them by recommendations made from experience on a daily basis.
Often as word of mouth and especially on a very popular Manalapan New Jersey Resident’s Facebook Page, active recommendations help this town sustain its local businesses adding to the town’s close nit charm.
Since we have just entered the Spring season, in this article, I will keep it relevant to “the growing season” and the Manalapan “Farm to Table Lifestyle”
Our local Manalapan agriculture is worth noting because somewhere beyond the resentment of allergy season, our hearts and minds notice a special joy that comes from observing colors and landscape of the blooming nature all around us.
I want to mention two local farm stands that whole heartedly continue to serve our town by providing some very fresh wholesome fruits and veggies grown from the rich Manalapan soil.
Residents unanimously rejoice about a farm called C&J Farms, which is a long time dependable local farm, conveniently located and fondly known as the staple farm stand landmark of the town.
Located right off route 9, they often share the many stages of their “babies” milestones on their Facebook page, which report a crop’s life such as a tiny corn stalk from beginning to end as they manifest into tumultuous waves of plentiful vegetable fields as far as the eye can see right off route 9 North.
The hard work of farmers include, crop rotation, irrigation, fertilization, expensive machinery, lots expert techniques that were often self learned and evolved through years of experience.
Most of all, it is their passion, love and attention that yields what they offer proudly to us at their seasonal farm stand that matters most.
Their expertise serves to maximize and improve their crop yields, because it’s not that easy to have gorgeous tomatoes!
The specific proven protocols they use will depend on a variety of factors including the type of crops they grow, the soil and the ever changing climate conditions.
Happy Day Farm is another long time local farm that sells fresh eggs, honey, and maple syrup as a resident informed me.
They offer seasonal berry picking which also serves as a fun family event to create wholesome memories.
They have many other wholesome events throughout the fall season as well for Halloween attracting out of state patrons in droves! The local honey has been known to provide relief to some residents that suffer from seasonal allergies.
Sure, all year long, especially during the “off season” winter months there are many amazing local grocery stores stocked up with a wide variety of fresh produce, but during the “growing season” here in Manalapan, nothing can replace that “fresh farm to table” experience.
The farmers do it so well so that we don’t have to! Some residents admit failed attempts and embarrassment of not having a green thumb to cultivate their own backyard vegetable garden oasis.
I remember an old friend who had a proud arrogant, boastful brother that bragged about his very green thumb. He repeatedly won awards for the size of his watermelons every year. In an effort to show his brother up, he challenged him to a growing competition.
He ended up growing only one very small watermelon so in a hasty effort to avoid embarrassment, he went to his local supermarket and purchased the largest watermelon he could find.
He then swapped out the small watermelon and glued the huge one to that same stem. He was so excited and laughed just thinking about his brother’s reaction.
At first sight, his arrogant brother was humbled and commended his brother, even stating that it must run in the family to have such a skill, but as he came in a little closer to inspect, he turned the watermelon on its side and discovered a supermarket sticker that was never removed.
This not only blew the whole plot wide open, they both shared an amazing laugh together, which gifted back the brother’s sense of pride and accomplishment for his green thumb.
Many Manalapan residents often garden for themselves as it can be very rewarding. That cucumber salad or apple pie is just a little sweeter if it came from your own garden. It feels like you are conveniently shopping at your own store when you pluck the basil from your garden to add to your simmering sauce.
One business that caters to our town’s residential farm to table home gardening is Maple Leaf Farms also located in Route 9, but in the South direction. They sell fruit trees, herbs, vegetable plants, and berry bushes every year where residents annually add to their own properties bountiful “farm to table lifestyle.
Regional fruit trees that survive our temperature weather patterns such as apple, fig, apricot, and peach trees, along with many varied berry shrubs are a wonderful contribution to our environment that planted only once, still come back every year!
At the Manalapan Recreation Center, there is an annual plant sale which offers ornamental flowers, beautiful annuals and perennial flowers, as well as other plants for our residents.
Gardening for ourselves can be very rewarding. It’s also a great way to save money on groceries by eating locally-grown, organic produce.
In Manalapan, with a little time and effort, anyone can create a beautiful and productive garden that will provide fresh, healthy food for their family and friends all season long.
I remember when I first moved to Manalapan, the first thing I did was plant a vegetable garden. Everything was growing beautifully and my youngest son who was only 1 and a half years old at the time helped me tend to it.
One day, he excitedly brought me a bucket with every single vegetable that he prematurely plucked from their stems.
I remember suppressing my disappointment because he obviously didn’t realize what he had done. He was so happy! It can certainly be way easier when you don’t have an adorable, joy filled, well intentioned, baby farmer sabotaging your efforts.
Sometimes animals will help themselves to your garden so for this reason many generous residents create two gardens, one for adorable hungry wild animals and one for themselves which are protected by fences and netting.
Some easy-to-grow vegetables and herbs include tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, parsley, basil, cucumbers, and parsley. Be sure to give your plants the right amount of water, and avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot and other problems.
It’s great to know the local businesses that support our town in providing a “farm to table” lifestyle and it is my pleasure to spread the news.
And if you do grow your own garden and fail, be sure to remove the supermarket stickers for when your family and friends come over.
Fondly,
Joanna Renner
Writer, Life Coach and
The NJ Feng Shui Realtor
