By Chef Christina Martin
Now in its eighth season, the Ventnor Farmers Market prides itself as being a delightful place to shop, bring your dog, and having something for the whole family. They have more than 60 vendors each week.
Many shoppers ride their bicycles to the market, helping to make it a greener market. The Ventnor Farmers Market is located in the parking lot of the St. James Church, 6421 Atlantic Ave. Market hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon every Friday from May 24 through Aug. 30.
After many years as market managers, Penni and her husband Andy retired last year and the market is now managed by John Dowd.
One of my first stops at the Ventnor Farmers Market was for produce from Peplowski Fruit Farm, a farm located in Swedesboro, Gloucester County. It has been a family-owned farm for generations.
Renee Peplowski’s grandfather started the farm raising cattle and chickens, then turned to tomato farming, supplying the Camden-based Campbell’s Soup Company. Strawberries and asparagus were added and 45 years ago, fruit trees were planted.
They have 30-plus varieties of peaches. Hard to believe that many peach varieties even exist.
The farm is now run by Renee, her two brothers, and their mother, along with Renee’s daughter. Her mom has a garden that includes peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes.
You can shop at their farm stand located on Route 45 in Swedesboro which is open seven days a week.
One of my favorite things at the market is the Farm Box which is available from Peplowski Farm. It costs between $10 and $15 and is available most weeks.
In the box, there is usually a combination of peaches, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, and sugar cube cantaloupe. These cantaloupes are incredibly delicious.
Renee told me she likes to include one unique item that people might not have tried before. It helps introduce shoppers to a new veggie that they might discover they could enjoy. There is a larger $25 Farm Box as well.
For those concerned about the spraying of fruits and veggies, this farm is part of the Rutgers Integrated Pest Management program. IPM helps reduce the pesticide usage and thus the cost of using chemicals on crops.
New Jersey requires a license for pesticide usage and is more strict than most countries where farmers are not regulated. By supporting local farms you can find out what is on your food versus food that is being shipped from out of the country.
Jersey farmers do not normally wax their cucumbers and apples, especially since many are not shipping them far. Renee said many of her fruits and veggies at the farmers markets are not waxed, nor do they have ripening agents.
You can find them showcasing peaches at the upcoming Gloucester County and Salem County fairs as well as at other local farmers markets. Follow Peplowski Farm on Facebook for market updates.
Market tip of the week: Look for donut peaches this week. They are super sweet and great for little hands.
You cannot help but stop at the Far and Away Flower Farm stand with their brightly colored flowers. Located on 30 acres in Tabernacle, Burlington County, they are a favorite at the Ventnor Farmers Market. They often sell out, so go early.
They might be from a few miles away, but the majority of their business is done at the Jersey Shore. You will find them at many shore town farmers’ markets this season.
Back in the late 1990s, Sean Colton’s parents bought a farm for alpacas. His mom Mary Beth has a masters in biology and in 2019 they decided to start growing and selling cut flowers.
Sean was looking for something to do with the farm when he met his fiancé Emily and her father Tom Dauria. Tom was a former florist and flower farmer and was instrumental in steering Sean into the flower farm business.
They began by selling to florists and then at farmers markets. Their main focus and source of enjoyment is selling directly to the public.
Sean gives credit to Penni and Andy, the former Ventnor market managers, for giving them a start at a big farmers market and taking a chance on their flower farm business. And it is a success.
What sets them apart is that their bouquets are not pre-made, they are carefully assembled right in front of the customer with the customer’s tastes in mind.
Sean calls it “deli style;” some people like mayo on their sandwiches some don’t. It is the same with flowers. Some people love sunflowers and some do not.
So if you are someone who doesn’t like those yellow beauties, you won’t get a bouquet with one. Sean said he can make a tailored-to-you bouquet in 30 seconds.
He likes to put on a bit of a show, too. His employees at the farm stand have it down to just under a minute.
Flowers, like fruits and veggies, change with the season, and they grow many different types. Some of what they grow include: zinnias, sunflowers, lisithus, and filler flowers like feverfew. Celosia will be blooming mid to late July depending on the weather and is one of Sean’s favorites.
What is great about this flower farm stand is that no two bouquets are alike. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and they make them just as the customers want them. Follow Far and Away Flower Farm on their social media on Facebook and Instagram.
Also on my farmers market visit, I spotted Free Bird Eatery, which is a plant-based meal prep service.
Free Bird offers items like black bean hummus, garlic aioli, buffalo chickpea salad, pancake mix, and chia pudding. These are great items to have on hand when you have guests with dietary preferences like vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free.
For more information check owner Stephanie’s social media at Free Bird Eatery.
With more than 60 vendors there are so many more to write about. I am looking forward to sharing with you more about these businesses that offer local, home-grown, homemade, and unique products along with their stories rooted at the Jersey Shore.
Peach Galette
Ingredients:
- 2 large, not overly ripe yellow peaches (about 3/4 pound total), pitted, sliced into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices from Peplowski Fruit Farm
- 3 tablespoons organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon unbleached flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter (I use vegan butter)
- Sprinkling coarse sugar, optional
- Pie dough (premade)
Procedure:
Preheat the oven with the rack in the middle position to 425°F.
Place the peach slices in a bowl and sprinkle with the flour and sugar.
Toss gently to coat.
Sprinkle vanilla extract over the peaches.
Melt some butter, set aside.
On a lightly floured, clean, smooth surface, roll out the dough to about a 12-inch diameter.
Gently lift up the rolled out dough and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
Arrange the peach slices in an overlapping pattern in a single layer in the center of the dough, forming about a 7- or 8-inch circle. Dot with a little butter.
Fold the outer edges of the dough round over the filling, by about 2-inches all the way around, in an accordion fashion.
Use a pastry brush to coat the exposed dough with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
Place in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet, over a rack, about 15 minutes.
Serve with a little dairy free ice cream.
Chef Christina Martin is a dedicated chef educator, passionate advocate for healthy eating, and mother. Christina’s expertise has been spotlighted in Independent Restaurateur Magazine and she has been awarded 2024 Chef Educator of the Year from the Professional Chef Association of South Jersey.
