Katona Farms is an absolute treat, and I wish I had visited sooner, specifically earlier in the…read moreyear, during asparagus season. I have an individual farm share at Katona's neighbor, Honey Brook Organic Farm and I retrieve my produce (and pick my berries and flowers) on Thursdays. So, I've been passing Katona for the last 3 months, telling myself each time I should stop in.
Honey Brook planted corn this year, as an add-on crop, so you can purchase some each week for an additional fee (members otherwise pay in advance for the rest of the produce for the whole season), but I've been put off by the price - $1 an ear. This is my only complaint about Honey Brook - and it's minor. I did try two ears of their organic corn last week, and it was, like everything else grown there, amazing. But we are at the height of New Jersey's corn season; and I am in corn country. I knew I could do at least just as well, cornwise, elsewhere. I like organic food, and philosophically, prefer it, but I can't always justify it financially. Maybe that's shortsighted of me - I am a big fan of bees, and the earth's other little critters that suffer under non-organic practices. But now the corn is already grown AND ISN'T GOING TO EAT ITSELF!
So I stopped in at Katona. They've got a NJ Preserved Farm designation, so even though they're not organic, at least they're not condos now. Or a freakin' golf course. Or a parking lot. Or strip mall. The market is way in the back, behind some buildings. It isn't hard to find, but I had that "where the heck is this place?" feeling the whole time I was driving around back there.
The staff was very nice. Despite the sign, "Corn: $5 a dozen," they told me it was $4 a dozen today, and they'd give me a baker's dozen -- and, as it turns out, a baker's half dozen, if I wanted less corn. So I got 7 ears of corn for $2.
I haven't had a proper NJ tomato all season, and saw that Katona had some, so I grabbed 3 medium-sized babies. And a cucumber. With the corn, the whole bag of produce was $3.50.
My farm share included 2 melons, a pile of potatoes, and a bunch of very large beets, in addition to flowers, and herbs. So between that, my work bag, and, oh, the two loaves of bread I picked up at the local IPB (BOGO day today), and Katona's produce, I had a hell of a time unloading my car tonight!
But I ate really well, Katona providing the bulk of the meal. The corn was every bit as good as the organic stuff down the street, and the bonus was that I had a tomato to go with it. I ripped up a couple of basil leaves and threw them on top. That first bite of tomato was eyes-rolled-back-in-my-head joy. Pure joy. How I've missed you Jersey tomatoes! I roasted my Honey Brook zucchini in rounds, after brushing them with pesto, and topping them with just a little bit of Romano and mozzarella. I may never eat zucchini any other way. While my experience at IPB was not quite stellar, the bread was such a nice addition to the meal. I just finished it off with a glass of cabernet. It is summer, and I am happy.