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Dig IN!


Eatsouthjerey visited Moods Farm Market recently to pick blueberries. We discovered brimming blackberry bushes as well. No thorns, just loaded bushes ripening daily. Check out our trip here.
Visit our maps page to find Moods Farm Market.

We found the trip great fun, but also very economical. The price for our blackberries compared very favorably with prices at the supermarket, and even at the Collingswood Farmers Market. So, take a ride in the country and come home with dinner!

 

Eatsouthjersey is designed to grow, like a community. We’re starting out small. We believe in the quality and value of locally produced foods of all kinds.

If you are a local food producer of any kind, from cheese to meat to baked goods, let us know. If you find something locally that tastes real good, let us know.

We’re all about developing the consumer side of our site as well. In the Links section, there’s a recipe page. Send us yours. If your church or community is sponsoring a food related activity, notify us and we’ll get the word out to the entire region. Your comments will help us grow in a healthy way.

Why
The Local Foods movement has been growing rapidly all across the country. People are beginning to remember what our farmers have never forgotten. Local means ripe, delicious fruit and vegetables. Local means keeping our family farms viable. Local means helping the environment. Local means supporting our local communities. Here in the Garden State we live within one of the most fertile growing regions in the US. Let’s take advantage of that!

Eat South Jersey, eat!

 

 
 

harvest

Fresh For All

Philabundance is the Delaware Valley's largest food relief agency. They are responsible for distributing approximately 17 million pounds of food to needy families in 2008. Philabundance was founded in 1984, to reduce food waste and fight hunger in the Delaware Valley. In 2005, Philabundance integrated with the Philadelphia Food Bank to become the region's largest nonprofit hunger relief organization.

Philabundance has recently expanded their operation into South Jersey through their "Fresh for All" initiative. Sites heve been opened in Paulsboro and Glassboro in Gloucester county, Camden City in Camden county, and Salem in Salem county. The Fresh for All program offers fresh produce to needy families in a farm market setting. There are currently over 800,000 people in the Delaware Valley that can benefit from this program. Volunteers are needed to continue to insure success of the program. Much more information can be obtained at the Philabundance "Fresh for All" web site, or by calling 215.220.1920. Please visit to volunteer and find out how you can help your fellow New Jersey citizens.

EatSouthJersey had the opportunity to volunteer one day at a Fresh For All site. We found ourselves at a community center early one morning, surrounded by numerous volunteers, eager to help their neighbors. By the time the food trucks arrived, around 150 people were in line for fresh produce. On this day tomatoes, squash, pineapples, bread, and much else was available. Everyone took home a bag of fresh produce. The need for programs such as this was clear, and we're lucky to have the opporutunity to share our wealth with our neighbors. Check out the Fresh for All site linked above and look for an opportunity to lend your assistance. the need, and the program run all year round. Thanks!

 

Economy Affecting Local Growers

In a discussion with one of our local farm families we've heard the following;
"We don't know what is going to happen this year with the costs of everything going up drastically - a lot of farms may go out of business this year because of it. We are unsure of how much we can pass onto the wholesaler or consumer - it remains to be seen. Just the fertilizer alone has more than tripled since the end of last year. And don't even mention the diesel costs - once we start irrigating when extremely dry which sweet corn has to have, we are filling up the tank every week - 500 gals at a shot.

Going to be a challenging year for all the farmers!

How Can You Help?

Support your local Farms...Think globally, Eat Locally!