The conversation in the car had turned to JERSEY TOMATOES. If there is anything that New Jersey does right with consistency it truly is the JERSEY TOMATO!!! You can toss in Jersey White Corn too as an after thought plus the freshest clams in the world come from the waters off the Jersey shore. That's about it ... otherwise speed down the Parkway to the next state.
Perhaps there was something magical about the car because right after talking about those tomatoes what appears along Kings Highway... a big roadside sign for JOAN's MARKET. And, what is forcing the redirection of the car .... JERSEY TOMOATOS. Ok, so the sign poster can't spell but we aren't about to enlist the owner in the National Spelling Bee ... we want TOMATOES!!!! From a New Jersey farm field not the Florida bouncy ball tomatoes that fill grocery store shelves.
Entering this rather dingy market we spot the tomatoes and out from behind the "curtain" steps Joan. Yes, she is really Joan and has been running this stand since she married into the farm family back in the 1970's. Her mother-in-law not only gave her a husband she gave her the family farm stand; Joan didn't indicate which was the better reward but did say that her husband had promised to put her name up in lights when they were dating and then she pointed to the market's sign.
I would not call this a fully stocked market. The options are few but the options are farm fresh! While filling a bag with tomatoes one of Joan's neighbors came in. He said 'it's so great to be able to get farm fresh almost at the end of my driveway." I watched as Joan tried to refuse his payment but she relented.
Now please note ... Joan is a farmer. She has two relatively small fields to grow crops. The tomatoes, the cantaloupes, the corn are hers ... also grown in New Jersey were some peaches (I don't think these were hers.) and blueberries. You will pay more for farm fresh then you might get with your coupon at the corporate grocers but your first bite will reward you with great taste.
Joan provided a sampling of a peach ... increasing the purchase to include some.
The real treat ... the disappearing reality is that Joan offers customers a slice of Americana that once was but is quickly fading. This stand has been in operation since the 1930's. She has run it since the 1970's. She will talk with you, share stories, smile and even complain. What an awesome gift that Joan offers if you are traveling down the highway of South Jersey thinking about a really good tomato, some mozzarella and maybe a dash of balsamic with a little fresh basil. MMMMMMMM read more