Every farmer and local producer at the Blairstown Farmers’ Market has a story to tell! This week we hear from Arena Farms:
“In 1997 I bought a farm house which needed a lot of work. The house came along with 36 acres of land. If someone
would have asked me at that time if I was going to be a farmer, I probably would have laughed.
I remember the first time I plowed a small field in front of my house. It was a very good feeling and I knew at that moment it was something I wanted to keep doing. It took a couple years of trying but sweet corn was the first crop I grew successfully and sold. I stacked it out on a picnic table on the main road with a coffee can so people could leave money. Every year there after, I tried to learn about new techniques and planted additional crops.
As time went on, what began as a hobby slowly turned into a growing farm business and a growing passion for fresh produce.
Currently, we grow everything from melons to potatoes, onions, garlic, a variety of tomatoes, greens and more. We continue to try new crops every year. My wife and two young children help as much as possible. We like to consider our produce truly “home grown”. We do our best to use safe practices and most of our crops are grown without herbicides and pesticides.This year we ventured into asparagus and strawberries. We want to ensure our customers, that with some hard work and a little luck, we should have something new to enjoy next year!”
– Frank Arena of Arena Farms, Knowlton, NJ
Know your farmer, Know your food!
