By Christina Martin
On a recent visit to Walking Bird Farm I had the pleasure of meeting the owners/farmers Jen and Ryan LaMonaca. They started farming by leasing land and working with Ryan’s uncle, the former Secretary of Agriculture, Art Brown and his wife Carolyn. Jen and Ryan took ownership of B&B Farms in 2020 and renamed it Walking Bird Farm. The name came from Jen’s background as an environmental researcher and their commitment to protect the wildlife that calls their fields home.
They have 40 acres of farmland on which to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs. All these crops are harvested by a small group of employees. The farm is located at 250 S. Mannheim Ave., in Egg Harbor City. They have an adorable market store which is open to the public on Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They also offer pick your own, where you get to go into the fields and harvest select items yourself. The day that I visited the blueberries were ready for picking. In season strawberries can be picked as well as flowers. The front of the market is welcoming with fresh herbs planted and there is seating both outside and inside the market where you can chill out and enjoy your market treats.
The farm offers a CSA membership with an eMarket card (gift card) which is different from most traditional CSA programs. When you purchase a share you receive a gift card based on your share size.
Walking Bird Farm uses organic practices and integrated pest management (IPM) on their crops. IPM means that a farmer will use an environmentally friendly approach to pest management. Often grocery store produce has to spend days traveling just to get to the store and then sits on shelves for even longer. Purchasing from a local farm often means getting produce picked that day at its peek of freshness which makes a huge difference in it’s nutritional quality and taste.
When you visit the farm market store you will see that they offer other locally made food items as well as locally sourced vegetables and fruits in varieties that they do not grow. The day I visited they had beautiful peaches and corn that were from Pastore Orchards located in Hammonton, NJ. Enjoy treats such as the sheepsicle, an ice cream bar made with goat milk from Misty Meadow Farm as well as their cheese products. Freshly baked pastry items from local Hammerbacher kitchen. Other specialty and local farms include; Mushrooms from Faith Farm, Meats from Sicklers Farm, Griggstown Farm, and Piney Pastures Ranch. Eggs from Cycle Farm and Working Dog Farm and produce also from Nichols Farm. Honey, Jams, Preserves and more from Mill Creek Apiary, Pine Barrens Post and The Seed Brewery. Walking Bird Farm has created a community of growers and makers to bring its customers a wide assortment of locally produced goods all in one stop which makes food shopping a wonderful experience.
One of their most favorite farm events of the year is FesTomato. This year is the 6th annual FesTomato is hosted by NOFA-NJ (Northeast Organic Farming Association) celebrating the Jersey Tomato. The festival will take place on Saturday Aug. 10 at Walking Bird Farm from noon to 5 p.m. The event is free to attend and includes a tomato tasting, beer station with The Seed Brewery and products from Hammerbacher kitchen and more. This would be a great time to visit the farm, meet the farmers and find out if a CSA membership is right for you. Follow Walking Bird Farm at https://www.facebook.com/walkingbirdfarm
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.
