Editorial

Farm bounty a true benefit of area living

   Did it just get a little greener in here?
   Summer always means roadside produce stands full of corn and tomatoes grown at local farms and in back yards here in New Jersey, but this year an even greater demand for fresh food seems to have ripened in the area, propelled by a growing awareness of the importance of where and how our food is grown.
   In Bordentown, a group called Jersey Harvest has started up a Saturday morning farmers market, setting up shop at stands by a Farnsworth Avenue corner for local growers to offer their wares within easy walking distance for city residents.
   Among the offerings are locally grown organic fare. Interest in organic food seems to be on the rise again, with a growing awareness of the dangers of foodborne illness from produce and other foods, much of which is shipped from an average of 3,000 miles away. New concerns about contaminated food being shipped from overseas from both chemical or natural sources also have helped to shape awareness about where our food comes from, and how it is raised.
   Living here among the fields of the Jersey farm belt, we are fortunate, compared to residents of cities or the more built-up parts of the state, because many of us pass roadside stands on our daily commute. Farmers markets are accessible from within a couple of miles from anyone in the northern Burlington County area — close enough to ride a bike to, if you can stand the summer sun.
   The demand for locally grown and organic goods also can be seen in larger grocery stores, such as the new Acme supermarket in Bordentown, which displays both prominently in its aisles.
   Meanwhile, down the road in Chesterfield a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) cooperative at Fernbrook Farm attracted a full slate of subscribers early in the season this year and manages a diverse bounty of unusual and heirloom crops raised organically.
   These are also all reasons why continuing to preserve farmland and limit sprawl are such looming issues in this area, and why towns like Springfield and Chesterfield have taken steps such as 10-acre zoning (in Springfield) and the Transfer of Development Rights program (in Chesterfield) to limit or concentrate development in these mostly rural townships.
   Summer won’t last forever, but while it’s here let’s enjoy the fruits of our labors and support local growers. Let’s appreciate the work and tax dollars that go into preserving farmland and keep it productive for generations to come.