Farms- See

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farms that are preserved under the program. For some, growing and selling food crops acts as the mainstay for their livelihood. Ornamental plant growers and legendary stables are also on the list of preserved farms in Ocean County. Plumsted’s dominance in the preservation program has earned it the distinction as Ocean County’s farm belt. Offi cials say the coastal divide makes a world of diff erence in the quality of the soil from sand or marshlands. Last week, county offi cials invited the media to join in a tour of some of Plumsted’s preserved farmlands. Mayor Robert Bowen also came along for the visit. Hallock’s U-Pick Farm was the fi rst to become part the Farmland Preservation Program as far back as 1991. Located at 38 Fischer Road in New Egypt, the farm consists of a total of 269 acres. Those who want a fresh vegetable picking experience will need to bring along their own knives. Fields are open daily although the owners suggest pickers call ahead if they’re looking for a particular crop. Just because a fruit or vegetable is available in the supermarket doesn’t mean it’s in season locally. A retail store on the premises off ers a wide selection of already hand-picked delights. The Hallock farm has been around for generations and is well invested in the preservation program. The late Doug Hallock once served jerseyshoreonline.com as chairman as the Ocean County Agriculture Development Board. His daughter continues to run the farm – the only business she’s ever known. According to Mark A.C. Villinger, a Supervising Planner with the Ocean County Department of Planning, one of the largest farms purchased under the program was the Grant Farm, which originally consisted of 282 acres. “We purchased the Grant Farm in 2012 directly from the owner and the county became the owner of the farm,” Villinger shared. “We preserved it with the state.” The state’s farmland preservation easement ensured the land would not be developed. Ocean County subsequently auctioned the land, which is now subdivided into two farms. Krowicki’s Farm Market, located at 862 Route 539 in New Egypt has 28.76 acres of the farmland. Dennis Krowicki provided a tour of nearby fi elds that began with rows of diff erent melons, including crenshaws and honeydews. An apple orchard set apart from the regular crops promises honeycrisps as a favorite variety. “Anything you see growing here is done without any chemical fertilizers,” stressed Krowicki. “There’s no reason to use them.” Pointing to a big dark pile in the distant fi eld, Krowicki said he uses a Zoo Doo he gets from Six Flags. The compost blend likely consists of diff erent animal manures collected from the animals in the amusement park’s safari exhibits. Krowicki’s fi elds contain a variety of fruits and vegetables that will be picked and off ered for sale inside the farm’s market. However, there’s one other distinction to this particular farm. Away from the crops, horse lessons attract eager riders from afar. Krowicki said the farm also hosts riding shows. Emery’s Farm, located at 346 Long Swamp Road in New Egypt became part of the farm preservation program in 2001. The 60-acre property includes 20 acres of blueberries alone. Visitors can pick blueberries or sunfl owers depending on the time of year. The aroma of fresh baked goods hit the senses before the door to Emery’s Farm Country Bakery opens. “The bakery is the largest in Ocean County,” said Bowen. “People come from everywhere to buy baked goods here.” John Marchese, the owner of Emery’s Farm said he’s been in the farming industry for 22 years. The lack of rainfall has been one of this year’s challenges, as well as a low volume of blueberries in the industry. And, like everything else, increased costs and supply chain issues have added expenses. At one time, Emery’s Farm featured a ten-acre corn maze. However, with infl ation, Marchese decided the $5 admission fee could be a stretch for some families. He’s decided to shorten the corn maze and do something else. “The open ground is now germination for a fi ve-acre sunfl ower patch,” Marchese said. “We’re switching it up because the millennials with their phones will want to take pictures for fi ve bucks each.” Marchese pointed to another area of the farm where four varieties of pumpkins are planted. He said the drought also poses a dilemma for the pumpkins, which could potentially become a tough crop without water. “We do plan to sell the farm in the next couple of years,” shared Marchese. “We already have three or four serious people who want to purchase it.” While most appreciate the concept of supporting

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