On a sun-filled morning, I headed to Blue Moon Acres in Pennington, NJ. We all know that New Jersey proclaims itself as the “Garden State,” and when I set out to Blue Moon, I wondered what to expect. I’ll tell you right now that it was way more than corn and tomatoes. This organic nugget of a farm had so much to offer that I was surprised and in awe at each and every turn.
As I approached the farm store, the beautiful garden of pollinators proved to be home for bees and butterflies. Immediately upon my arrival, Ashley Lyons Putman, director of marketing and development, greeted me. Her warmth and energy set the tone for an interesting tour of the farm—from the “high tunnels,” which are greenhouses that can promote year-round growing, to the organic rice fields. Yes, rice fields.
The Lyons Family & Their Vision
You might call this a family farm, as Ashley’s parents, Jim and Kathy Lyons, are its founders. Their vision to bring high-quality, organic and sustainably grown produce to restaurants, food enthusiasts and families is a true reflection of the Lyons family and how they value healthy and nutritious produce.
The family began offering a community-supported agriculture operation in 1992 and expanded in 2007 to 63 acres of Certified Organic goodness. One of its cornerstone crops is microgreens, of which they grow more than 40 varied and luscious varieties. From Micro Opal Basil to Purple Mizuna and Thai Basil, restaurants from NYC to Philly (and beyond) all pride themselves on serving dishes using Blue Moon Acres produce. It was quite exciting to see a greenhouse filled with row upon row of vibrant growth, like beautiful red-veined sorrel. Not only does it give beautiful color to a finished dish, but it brings a delicious, lemony flavor to any dessert or salad. Many of the microgreens are grown exclusively for restaurants and are available through Blue Moon Acres’ “Chef Program.”
Rice Grown in New Jersey? Yes!
Rice is a staple in many pantries, but once you taste the fresh and sweet flavors of the rice grown at Blue Moon Acres you will never be able to eat boxed rice again. Blue Moon Acres is the first and only organic farm in New Jersey to grow rice. I purchased rice that was harvested exactly one week before my visit. It cooked beautifully and added a fresh and robust flavor unlike anything I had ever experienced. Aside from the rice, Blue Moon Acres also makes its own organic rice cake thins. They are lightly salted and perhaps the most flavorful rice cakes I’ve ever eaten. “If you’re eating our rice and it was harvested last week, it was planted in April,” explained Ashley.
Even More in the Market
The Blue Moon Acres market is a quaintly constructed building well stocked with freshly harvested heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, greens, ginger, carrots, celery and other locally grown vegetables. Freezers are stocked with local ice creams, sustainably raised meat and poultry, Italian pastas and sauces. My favorite item was a delicious, handmade veggie patty from Jersey City Veggie Burgers. It was packed with white beans and broccoli rabe and rich in flavor. “We really try to make the market store a ‘one-stop shop,’” stated Ashley. Ashley is right; I purchased groceries to make a bountiful summer dinner for my family and it was delicious. I suggest the Butterball Potatoes, which are a total game changer in the “spud” world. They are small, the size of a large gumball, and tasted creamy and nutty!
A Family Affair
Family farms are the cornerstone of America, and the Lyons family is helping to maintain the goodness and value of smaller farms with lofty goals. Not only do they grow amazing and organic produce, but they go above and beyond by providing food to various food cupboards. Food insecurity is a real problem, and the Lyons family is part of the solution by trying to keep local citizens healthy with access to fresh produce.
Scott Morgan, the farm manager in Pennington, oversees all aspects of the farm—from machine maintenance to crop coordination and planting schedules, he does it all. His daughter Clara was busy collecting eggs from the free-range chickens that live on the farm. He and his wife and their three children actually live on the farm.
Visiting Blue Moon Acres was, for me, a truly rich experience. It can be very easy to forget the origins of produce when you just shop at a grocery store. The freshness, organic integrity and flavor of the produce at the farm was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Visiting was a warm experience. I drove home feeling very rich. It was a “once-in-a-blue-moon” experience, and meeting Ashley and Scott made me feel very fortunate to have been given such a special assignment. Support local, eat organic and eat plants! All three can be done by stopping at Blue Moon Acres.
When You Go
- Check the website for a full list of available produce, family activities, and other information. Do take a tour of the farm.
- Take a reusable shopping bag so that you can fill it with lots of fresh produce and locally sourced groceries available at the market.
- If you’re coming from Delaware County, expect the trip to take about an hour.
Find Blue Moon Acres markets at 19 Bridge St., Stockton, NJ; 11 Willow Creek Dr., Pennington, NJ, phone: (609) 737-8333; and 2287 Durham Rd., Buckingham, PA, phone: (215) 794-3093.
- Photos: Char Nolan
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