Stony Hill Gardens Offers Flowers and Fresh Produce

Stony Hill Gardens is located at 8 Rt 24 (Rt 513) Chester NJ, they are open year round they also operate Stony Hill Farm Market at 15 North Rd Chester NJ from May 1 to Dec 24. They grow their own produce and even go to farmers markets in South Orange and West Orange in June.

Right now they have strawberry picking and in the fall they have pick your own apples. They sell bedding plants, hanging baskets, and they have a florist and gourmet gift basket section. They also sell orchids. And at the farm market they have a bakery and corn maze in the fall.

Recently with Jon Corzine's decision to end the agricultural department, Stony Hill mobilized and were in Trenton to help save the department. It's a testament to farmers such as these that it has been saved. They went to some agriculture conferences and if you go to www.stonyhillgardens.com for more information, they will tell you how to contact your legislator. Their children even spoke about the future of agriculture at the conferences about choices they made to continue the family tradition including studying courses relevant to agriculture. They spoke at the 2008 North American Farmers; Direct Marketing Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The children presented five minute speeches about their daily duties.

They had so much success with their pick your own strawberries, that they planted more this year to keep the growing season longer. The picking season starts at the end of May, so its soon time to get started. Strawberries are nutritious as well as tasting great. They have fiber, Vitamin C and antioxidants. Eight medium strawberries are only 70 calories. According to Weight Watchers, 1 ½ cups of strawberries equal one point so you certainly can have a lot without feeling bad.

When picking strawberries, look for plump, bright red barriers that look well shaped, these will taste the best. They will not ripen if they are green or white around the cap after they've been picked. You can store your strawberries in a bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap and place them in the coldest part of the refrigerator. These juicy berries are mouthwatering to be sure. Just don't wash them until you are ready to use them.

Stony Hill Farm is family owned and is open from 9 to 6 for the public. Please support the local agriculture and visit your local farmer. It is through hard work and patience that they bring food to our tables. And buying local from farmers ensures their livelihood and makes for better tasting food. Farm fresh really is the best tasting and most nutritious foods when you buy what's available in that season.