It’ll be just peachy on Aug. 18 as the Pennington Farmers Market hosts its annual Peach Festival on the lawn in front of Rosedale Mills, Route 31 North, Hopewell Township.
One of the highlights of the annual event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., is the Peach Bake-off – a friendly competition that encourages bakers to show off what they can do with peaches.
All items must be baked goods – cakes, pies or cookies – that will be judged on their taste, creative use of peaches, and appearance. The judging takes place at 10:30 a.m.
But it’s not just about the bake-off.
Visitors to the Pennington Farmers Market can sample an assortment of peach products, from ice cream to iced tea and jams. The Peach Festival will feature music by Jeff Griesemer and games for children.
The Pennington Farmers Market features produce grown by farmers who are as close as down the street to about 50 miles away from Hopewell Township. Its mission is to provide growers and producers with a place to sell directly to the public, and a place where people can buy fresh produce.
And in case anyone is wondering why there is a peach festival, it’s because New Jersey is a pretty “peachy” state. It is one of the top peach producers in the nation, ranking fourth in production after California, South Carolina and Georgia, according to the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council.