NJ Musings: Browsing the Barrel: Farm Stand Fun
Burlington County Bounties: Corn Stop and Red Top.
As the story goes, in 1876, Abraham Browning of Camden dubbed New Jersey the “Garden State” at a Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia. His explanation continued to describe the state as an “immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends, with Pennsylvanians grabbing from one end and New Yorkers from the other”. A fitting description for a state whose residents define themselves not only by the sports teams they root for, but for which end of the barrel they hail from.
But if the barrel is defined as a cylindrical contain bound by metal hoops, the metal hoops in this analogy represent the East-West highways that connect the waterlines of the NJ coast with the inland cities and towns. Route 70 is one of those hoops.
Route 70 is a state highway the runs nearly 60 miles across the lower middle section of the state and connects the beach towns of Ocean and Monmouth counties in the East to the suburbs of Burlington and Camden counties in the West. It ends six miles before the Ben Franklin Bridge’s entrance into Philadelphia, but fret not. When 70 ends, Route 30 is right there waiting to usher you onto the bridge.
It also runs straight through sections of the Pine Barrens, so riding this road from one side of the state to the other really touches many of the aspects of what makes up New Jersey. Is there a faster route to go from east to west (or from Cherry Hill to Neptune in my case)? Sure. You can always jump on 195, which is officially an interstate highway, but I like the meandering pace of driving along 70.
But enough about highways and state roads. I’m here to talk about one of the reasons we are called the Garden State: farm markets and farm stands. I love them. It’s one of the reasons I like to take a more scenic route, and on this stretch of highway you can find some of the best. In my area, there are a variety of weekend farmers markets: Collingswood, Haddonfield, and Haddon Heights are among the most well-known. But, they are only open on weekends mornings. There are also few that operate on Wednesdays in Haddon Township and Marlton. But what happens if you are looking for fresh veggies and other goodies on a Thursday? Don’t worry, the Garden State (and Route 70!) has you covered.
So it was on my way home from Yacht Rocking that I made a stop at two of the biggest (and I think best) family-owned farm stands around: The Corn Stop Farm Market and the Red Top Farm Market. The Corn Stop is located just a few miles off of Route 70 in Mt. Holly and is an easy detour off the main road. It serves as the public market arm of Specca Farms, which offers a variety of pick your own options at their working farm locations.
Their Facebook page provides daily updates about what is available for pick your own at which location. I haven’t done a pick you own adventure, but it is certainly on my list of things to try. Be sure to check before you head out, as weather and harvesting times affect what is available. The good news is that Corn Stop is open daily from 8am - 7pm and their selections are fresh and bountiful. I grabbed a basket and picked up a Sicilian eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garden peas, broccoli, long hot peppers, and a field tomato. They also had all kinds of peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, corn, watermelon, peaches, blueberries, local honey and more. I’ve learned to edit myself over the years when it comes to farmers markets, but it’s hard when the selections are so fresh and varied.
On my way back to 70, I couldn’t help but make a quick stop at Al’s Family Market to check it out. Although smaller, and offering fewer produce options, I did pick up two “signature” garlic bulbs that the cashier said she had planted herself. I had never seen garlic with its full stalk still intact - a smart way to present and market a sometimes-overlooked kitchen staple. I am a fan of keeping roasted garlic on hand and will definitely be roasting one of these bulbs.
The next stop on my way home was the Red Top. This market is located right on 70 West (1801 Route 70 W in Vincetown, NJ to be exact). Parking at this location can be a little tricky, as it sits right on the highway, so be careful. Red Top had a similar selection as Corn Stop but also includes a large selection of fresh flowers, plants, trees, planter, and some other specialty grocery items like fresh seafood and local cheeses and honey.
Having operated for nearly 100 years, Red Top used to supply tomatoes to Campbell’s Soup Company which is headquartered in Camden. They also host events like wine tastings and food truck events. While I was there, I picked up another field tomato (and was given two “seconds” for free when I checked out), two pints of blackberries (which were the best blackberries I’ve ever tasted), carrots, and a container of fresh mozzarella (I sometimes can’t resist it).
I debated taking a swing through the plant and tree section, but I decided to save that for another day. I’ve purchased small trees from Red Top in the past and have been happy with the quality. Note: if you are looking for plants or trees, the Green Top Market (not affiliated with Red Top as far as I can tell, but it feels like there’s a story there) is just east of Red Top. They have a similar selection of plants, but less veggies and fruits. I would call them a garden center more than a farm stand. They are a very easy two-stop trip and Green Top (1811 New Jersey 70 Southampton Township, NJ) is worth checking out.
So, get out there and explore your area’s farm stands and farmers markets. You are bound to find something new, something fresh, something beautiful, and something delicious.
© 2022 Kim Selby. All rights reserved.
All photography © Kim Selby unless otherwise credited.