Farmers Markets in Middlesex County, New Jersey

The thought of waking up on an early Saturday morning in the spring and summer months to head over to our local farmers markets brings back beautiful memories of my children. I personally have a bias and love to shop at local farmers markets. It has always been a tradition in my household and when I think back to when I was a kid, it is something that created a unique bond between my mom and me. There is something very comforting about shopping in the open, crisp early morning air. If you live in the Edison New Jersey area, we have the luxury of two local farmers markets in Metuchen and Highland Park.

The Metuchen Farmer's Market is located on 442 Main Street (1 block from the train station). The Farmers Market is open from June to October on Saturday mornings from 9am to 2pm. For information you can call 732-548-2964. Local farmers gather under cute white tents to sell what they have either grown in the fields or in there green houses. I know that haggling with the farmers is acceptable in large markets, but not in the small ones, after all they do need to make a living. If you are buying a large quantity, many of the market vendors will cut you a break.

Next on my list of local farmers markets is the Highland Park Farmer's Market. It is located at Raritan Ave Rt 27 between S 2^nd and S 3^rd Street in Highland Park NJ. The market is open from June to October on Friday's from 11am to 6pm. Contact Guillermo Vivas at 732-777-6003 for details. This market is in a prominent Jewish neighborhood and in observance of the religious day of Saturday; the market has always been open to locals on Friday. I lived in South Edison NJ for a period of time and used to go every week with my son. He was only about 10 months and the market vendors used give him cookies and other fresh baked goods to sample. It was a fun experience for him; I think that maybe why he enjoys trying different fruits and vegetables.

I think that small family farms are struggling to keep up with the expenses of running these farms. It is getting more difficult to compete with the big guys and it is in the community's best interest to encourage shopping at these markets. It is a method of building a safe, happy, healthy community where people get an opportunity to see people on a regular basis just like the old days.