Alstede Farms celebrates the heroes of Agriculture during Black History Month. Black history month is a time to remember and honor those important people and events in history. We begin by highlighting several unforgettable heroes who changed the face of agriculture as we know it today. We honor George Washington Carver for developing ways to… Read More »

John-Paul Andronici brings his love of culinary creations to Alstede Farms, setting the table for the first Food & Beverage Manager position. Alstede Farms transcends the farm-to-table experience with this new position planting the seed for a sprouting hospitality department. John-Paul brings his corporate chef experience, fine dining acumen, and his hospitality background to elevate… Read More »

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a way of connecting families to farmers and increasing local food accessibility. Although there are disparities as to when the first CSA was developed, some believe the model was adapted from a 1920’s European philosopher, while others believe it may have been developed in the 1970s either in Europe or… Read More »

Hard Cider is apple cider that has been naturally fermented into alcohol and goes long back to our pioneer roots. Apples and hard cider have a long history, eventually making their way to New Jersey with the early settlers. Apples were primarily used in our region for cider and hard cider, (aka Apple Jack), as… Read More »

The Alstede Farms cider mill was started in 2015 and we are proudly going into our 8th year of pressing apples. Having a cider mill on an apple farm means that nothing goes to waste on this sustainable-focused, regenerative farm. The cider mill produces fresh apple cider using an antique rack and cloth press from… Read More »

Turnips and Rutabagas are categorized as an Itsy Bitsy crop on our farm. Itsy Bitsy crops mean they are a tinier crop in size by definition. They also occupy smaller acreage and are all planted using the same machine making them an overall smaller crop that gets categorized into this grouping. Other Itsy Bitsy crops… Read More »

Align closer to the season by making sure to keep your pantry stocked with essential items that make mealtime fun and easier. Our culinary and education specialist, Miss Jenn, has put together her top picks to help you cook with ease and obtain optimum nutrition this Winter. Basic essentials are items that you should have on… Read More »

Carrots and parsnips are cool-season, root veggies that we plant in early spring and fall. Carrots that have been planted in spring will be available typically from June through November and then longer with cold storage. Parsnips are available, typically, in April & May and then again in October through December.  Root vegetables are low… Read More »

All of a sudden we shifted from our summer harvest to fall harvest which includes root crops, such as beets & carrots, along with tuber crops, such as potatoes. We grow six different varieties of potatoes on approximately 6 acres of farmland, varieties include russet, red, white, Yukon gold, purple, and fingerling. It’s no mistake that… Read More »

Tomatoes are the fruit of the tomato plant. They are botanically classified as a fruit since they contain seeds and grow from a flowering plant, however, they are more commonly known as a vegetable to most people.  The first tomatoes that are said to come to Europe were yellow varieties, therefore, the Italian word “Pomodoro”… Read More »

Eggplant, also known as Aubergine, is technically a berry, as it contains small edible seeds, although it is regarded as a vegetable in cooking. Eggplants are a member of the nightshade family which also include; peppers, tomatoes and potatoes. Eggplants are in season on our farm in the summer months of late July through September,… Read More »

Garlic is one of those things that is so very loved by some and not so much by others, a true dichotomy if you start asking around. Here’s an example of that divide, even in our culinary specialist Miss Jenn’s’ own family, as her parents cooked with garlic daily while growing up.  Now she and… Read More »