A tour through a different kind of market-Longmeadow Farm, Blairstown, New Jersey

Tucked in the backroads of northern New Jersey (quite literally ‘over the river and through the woods’) sits this charming family run farming operation, originally started in 1993 as a pumpkin patch. As word got out and the crowds became bigger, it didn’t take long for them to add in a pick your own apple orchard. Today it offers great family entertainment, events, and on-site activities that make this a great day trip!

Entering the gate, you must gear up for your mission. Fully stocked with baskets, apple hooks and wagons, I was on my way to start this adventure!

To save the best (er….heaviest) for last, it made sense to start with the vegetable side. As opposed to many markets that I’m use to, this felt like going to your best friend’s garden and being welcomed with open arms! It was a fully ‘pick your own’ style, and they had every type of vegetable in season.

Moving past the rows of vegetables, I was greeted with the largest sunflower field I’ve ever walked through! Taller than I am and with many varieties, these babies were gorgeous!

Here begins the quest for the perfect pumpkin. This is where your own personality drives decision making. There really is no right way to say what’s a perfect pumpkin, but I like to pretend there is a science-enough of a stem that it’s healthy but not too much that you can’t pick it….round enough that it looks great, but not too round that it loses character…you know the drill 🙂 My little kid at heart was coming out!

Given the sheer size of this pumpkin patch, they had picked pumpkins from the back field and brought them in closer for ease. Looking over the hill I was quite relieved, as I hadn’t realized just how large this farm was!

Pumpkin and flowers in tow, it was time to tackle the apple orchard!

Row after row….after row…after… this was the biggest orchard I have ever stepped foot in! I couldn’t help but feel a little sad for the amount of apples on the ground, but with as many as there were present, I can’t say I was surprised. It was overwhelming! (I later learned that several local civic groups gather volunteers to pick up the good apples that have fallen and are able to donate to the food pantries in the area!)

It was at this point I started to realize a flaw in my culinary plan. With 15 varieties to choose from and I with my two buckets, I was likely not going to be able to tell them apart for cooking or offering a solid review of taste. But, I will say, all were delicious!

And not to worry, for those less mobile or with young ones in your party, there was easy ‘picking’ available at the end of many of the rows. This are also the bins that are sent to the local food pantry. Each season, over 50 thousand pounds of apples and vegetables are donated. Way to go Longmeadow!!!

Not only was this a fun excursion, but also a pretty cool learning lesson on apples!

Wrapping up the day’s adventure, there were tables of goods in case searching for your own did not pan out or was not your style. Many tables were set out with everything from squashes to peppers, tomatoes to potatoes, and eggplant galore.

When it comes to over a decade of a family business, I find it’s often best to trust the expert. Their homemade recipes and combinations were fantastic! This picture doesn’t do justice, but the mixes of sweet, spicy, deep seasonings, honey, syrups, and herbs in jams, jellies and preserves was absolutely mouthwatering.

And in case you weren’t up for the hike, no one can leave without their Halloween pumpkin! Already picked and waiting by the parking lot for easy carrying.

Last but certainly not least, my favorite part of wrapping up a tour is a walk past the flowers. In this case, it was a huge rainbow of mums in every color I could imagine and in full bloom! A gorgeous site!

Before you get back in your car, if the kiddos still have some energy to burn off, why not finish off the day with a trek through this amazing maze or a ride on the hay wagon?!

Heading back to the car, the weight of the carts (yup, plural) was a realization of just how much fun you can get carried away having, and just how much room (or lack there of) is actually available in the refrigerator. I spent the next few hours trying to think of how many ways to make an apple pie, and just how many neighbors I could deliver these too….

My souvenirs for the day consisted of a very large quantity of apples (most of which did turn into incredibly ‘creative’ looking pies that I will save some face by not showing a picture of), and a few squash.

Looking for ways to use these fall produce items? Check out some of these creations:

Butternut Squash Soup with Apple and Sage

Butternut Squash Soup with Turkey and Kale

Butternut Squash and Sage Cauliflower ‘Risotto’

Butternut Squash Bruschetta with Maple Bacon and Whipped Ricotta Cheese

Swiss Chard Salad with Feta, Apple, Almonds and a Lemon Vinaigrette

Twice Baked Acorn Squash with an Apple Wild Rice Stuffing

Apple, Pomegranate Seed and Feta Salad with a Balsamic Glaze

I started this journey with my love of cooking in mind, and giving myself a little challenge in the kitchen to go outside of my comfort zone and to try new ingredients and techniques. I read in an article many years ago that the average person eats less than 25 foods…regardless of what they are making. Think about your own kitchen and add up your ‘go to’ ingredients you use in every dish!! Yikes! It has moved so much beyond that to include exposure to people and places I never thought I would come across, and has been such a joy! Thank you for following along and I always love hearing from you!

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Thanks again for tagging along on this journey!

Hannah (your fearless culinary visionnaire)