Sharpen up your senses, New Jersey peaches have hit the market, and is there anything closer to heavenly than a perfect peach? Bounteous supplies are available this season, with near-perfect color and sweetness; you can hardly find more delicious …and they’re nutritious — like dessert with health benefits.
Jersey-grown peaches are being celebrated with peach events and peach pie contests at community farmers markets, on-farm markets, restaurants and supermarkets. So, come on, get going and get lots. They’re only in season from late June through mid-September.
“The weather gods shone on us this year,” says Santo John Maccherone, chair, New Jersey Peach Promotion Council and a major south Jersey grower. “My crop is coming in very strong, I’ve started picking and public demand is healthy. It’s very rewarding to have people expressing appreciation for a product.”
At Holtzhauser Farms in Mullica Hill, the first two varieties of yellow (Desiree and Early Star) and white (Spring Snow and Manon) peaches are being picked, and Tom Holtzhauser is packing overtime to meet public demand, smiling all the while. His crop was decimated last year by frost. “I started picking June 20th, and customers are lining up to get my peaches,” he says. “My hours are 8am -6pm, and even at 6pm, I have customers waiting.” Holtzhausers grows 30 peach varieties and sells mainly retail from his farm.
Ron Thomas of Sunny Slope Farm in Hopewell is also a happy grower. “Our crop is clean, sweet, pretty and perfumes the air,” he says. We have a full crop and so far, no thunder storms have knocked fruit off the trees.” He’s picking and selling Sentry yellow variety now, and will have more varieties in a couple weeks.
At Melick Town Farms in Oldwick/Califon, pick-your-own peaches will be available July 4th, “Aand there are plenty,” says John Melick. “Our peaches look wonderful this season, as compared to last year when we had a thin crop. We’ll have more than enough for the entire season, through Labor Day and beyond,”
Gary Mount of Terhune Orchards in Princeton says they began picking yellow and white varieties. “We have a terrific crop” he says. Our early yellows, Flamin Fury, are some of the best.”
Demarest Farms in Hilldale has a bountiful, flavorful crop of yellow and white varieties, with pick-your-own starting the last week of July.
Greg Donaldson of Donaldson’s Farms in Hackettstown concurs with growers throughout the state. “A warm January and February delayed ripening,” says Greg, “which encouraged large and flavorful fruit.”
Jersey peaches come in yellow-flesh, white-flesh and flat/doughnut varieties. They’re rich in nutrients, each peach contains Vitamin A (570 IU per peach): orange-yellow skin indicates large amounts of beta-carotene Potassium (333 mg per peach, Fiber (2.6 grams per peach), magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and more – all packed into just 60 calories.
They’re sweetened by natural sugar, and packed with vital nutrients (Vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium fiber and more) — like dessert with health benefits. They’re also low in calories (just 60 in a medium-size peach), no saturated fats and packed with …But don’t just associate them with dessert; they’re great in green salads, cooked with pork, chicken and fish, even in chili.
The following calendar shows special peach events currently. Additional events will be added as they are planned. The calendar and other peach information can be found on www.jerseypeaches.com and facebook.com/newjerseypeaches. Watch for Jersey Peach ads on facebook’s News Feed page.
For further information, contact the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council, 800 Ellis Mill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028 email: info@jerseypeaches.com; check us out www.jerseypeaches.com; newjerseypeaches; @njppcpeaches
NEW JERSEY PEACH PARTIES AND PIE CONTESTS
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DATE 2017 |
MARKET |
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July 1 -Sept |
Holtzhauser Farms, Mullica Hill 74 Woodland Ave, www.facebook.com/Holtzhauser-Farms Peaches all day/every day Featuring our famous Peach Pancakes and Holtzhauser Peach Roasted Rib Eye Sandwich. |
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July 20 |
Margate Farmers Market 9700 Amherst Ave (Steve & Cookies by the Bay) Peach Party…Peach Pie contest for amateur bakers |
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July 22 |
Bernardsville Farmers Market Train Station parking lot Peach Party: Getting the peach season into high gear, free drawing of fresh peaches from Silver Lake Farm, Hensler Farm and Alan’s Flower farm. Baker's Bounty peach cobbler give-away, free peach ice cream from Penguin Ice Cream. Enjoy the fruits of the season until the treats run out. |
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July 22 |
Downtown Wildwood Farmers' Market 3501 Pacific Ave. (Pacific & Schellenger Ave.) Peach Party & Perfect Peach Pie contest for amateur bakers. Peach purveyors are Nummytown Farm and Visalli Farm |
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July 24-Aug 20 |
The Brothers Moon Restaurant, Hopewell 7 W. Broad St., Peach Time July 28, 29, 30 – Come taste the difference between Crumble, Cobbler, Crisp, Buckle, Brown Betty Many peach recipes by email to Chef Will: chefwill@brothersmoon.com Menu available on website |
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July 29 |
206 Farm Market, Hammonton 200 Rte 206 Peach Festival |
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July 29 |
Boonton Farmers Market Upper Plane Street Parking Lot Peach Festival & Pie contest for amateur bakers |
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July 29-Aug Sat, Sun 10-3pm |
Demarest Farms, Hillsdale 244 Wierimus Rd Pick Your Own Peaches |
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July 30 10am-12 noon |
Edison Farmers Market 925 Amboy Ave, Peach Pie contest for amateur bakers |
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July 30-midSept |
The Frog & The Peach, New Brunswick 29 Dennis Street Celebrating Jersey Peaches Festival of Peaches: 5-Course Peach Tasting Menu Every night, July 30th through Mid-September |
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Aug 1-5 |
blueplate Restaurant Mullica Hill with Holtzhauser Orchards 47 S Main St Just Peachy Dinners using Holtzhauser Farms peaches.. 4 course dinner with every course highlighting peaches. price $39. We will be filling our menu all season with peaches including our famous Peach Pancakes and our famous Holtzhauser Peach Roasted Rib Eye Sandwich. |
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Aug1-5 |
Stokes Farm, Old Tappan 23 DeWolf Road, http://stokesfarm.com /,Facebook/StokesFarmNJ Peach Week special peach baked goods, cooking demonstrations, activities for children. A full schedule of events on our website, Facebook, and Instagram |
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August 3–8 |
Gladstone Tavern, Gladstone 273 Main St www.gladstonetavern.com Jersey Peach Week. Spectacular take on Peach Melba: sponge cake bottom, vanilla custard, poached peach, sour cream sorbet, raspberry and peach sauces, garden herbs. |
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Aug 5 |
Community Presbyterian Church, Chester 220 Main St Peach Festival and Country Auction. Lots of peach desserts including peach pies, cobblers, kuchens, fresh sliced peaches, and home made peach ice cream. |
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Aug 5-6 |
Terhune Orchards, Princeton 330 Cold Soil Road www.terhuneorchards.com Just Peachy Festival “Summer Harvest” farm-to-fork tasting featuring 8 local chefs, $15/person. Terhune peach wine |
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August 5 |
Chatham Borough Farmers Market RR Plaza South off Fairmount Avenue www.chathamborough.org Peach Festival with tastings, live music & more |
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August 6 |
Riverview Farmers Market, Jersey City 498 Palisade Ave, www.farmsintheheights@gmail.com Peach Pie Contest for amateur bakers Live Music Kid's Activities and more |
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August 6th |
Ramsey Farmers Market 3 Erie Plaza Peach Party, Peach Pie contest for amateur bakers |
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Aug 6 & Aug 13 |
Alstede Farms, Chester 1 Alstede Farms Lane Peach Festival August 5-6 12-13 11-5 PM Peach Breakfasts August 6th and 13th 8-12:30 PM Peach picking every day in late July and August. Call ahead for admission price and availability. |
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August 6 9am -2pm |
ll get back to me with date. she'ic) Nutley NNutley Farmers Market Municipal Parking Lot #1 William Street, Peach Party & Peach Pie contest for amateur bakers |
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Aug 12 |
Pennington Farmers Market Rosedale Mills, 101 Rte 31 www.penningtonfarmersmarket.org It’s Just Peachy What You Can Do with Peaches. Recipe sharing, cooking competition, showcase with Arts Council |
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Aug 12 |
West Windsor Community Farmers Market, Princeton 2 Vaughn Dr, www.westwindsorfarmersmarket.org Peach Pie Baking Contest Griggstown Farm Peach Pie tasting |
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Aug 12 |
Brigantine Farmers Market Haneman Park/15 St & Revere Blvd www.brigantinefarmersmarket@gmail.com Peach Festival, Peach pie contest, for amateur bakers Contest: 8:30 til noon. Judging begins at 10AM; after winners are announced, “buy a slice for charity”. Bakers can donate their pies with proceeds going to True Spirit Coalition (our local food bank and resource center for people in need). |
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August 12 |
Moorestown/Burlington Co Farmers Market, Moorestown 500 Centerton Rd www.burlcoagcenter.com/farmers-market Celebrate the Peach! Just Peachy Party peach basket giveaways, free peach ice cream and peach pie samples, peachy cooking demos, peach tastings, peachy kids crafts and much more. |
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Aug 5 Aug 8, 9, 10 |
Collingswood Farmers Market/Peach Dinners 713 North Atlantic Avenue www.Collingswoodfarmersmarket.com Just Peachy dinners kick-off, with peach specials, cooking demos & more Just Peachy dinners Aug 8, 9, 10.(check website for restaurants) |
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August 19 |
Montclair Farmers Market Walnut Street Train Station www.montclairfarmersmarket.org Peach Party—samplings, peach baked goods, kid’s activities, recipe brochures, more |
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Date to come |
Fort Lee Farmer's Market 1355 Inwood Terrace Peach Party |
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The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council is a non-profit voluntary organization of growers, shippers, wholesalers and associated industries dedicated to the orderly promotion and marketing of New Jersey peaches, thus preserving farmers and farmland and providing the highest quality and best tasting fresh local peaches for consumers.
Source: The New Jersey Peach Promotion Council
