newjerseynewsroom.com

BY MARGARET MORGAN

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

David R. Bulk started Bulk's Nursery in 1921. He came over to America on the boat from Holland virtually penniless, so he took off his wooden shoe, planted a geranium in it and sold it. Hence the birth of Bulk's Nursery, Inc in Montauk, L.I. had arrived. The nursery moved to Millstone, New Jersey in the 1970's and later expanded to Manalapan where the current market resides. Son, Peter Bulk and his wife, Gloria, took ownership about 18 months ago. Pete runs the landscaping business; while Gloria runs the floral and plant business, which she is now planning to expand to include organic food products.

As a family, the Bulks are very much involved in organics and natural foods. Her idea is unique as she is planning a large drive-through market. One can pre-order and pick up, park and select foods, or they can drive through and select as they go. She will have an organic section, fresh vegetables and fruits in season from New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania farms — grass fed beef, pork and free-range chicken. There will also be an organic coop with the farms she works with where customers can go on the farms' websites, order what they want, then Gloria will pick the orders up and customers can come to Bulk's to receive their products. Currently, she works with about 15 farms and with, distributor, Mike Azzara from Zone 7 who will deliver to her from some of the markets.

The drive-through display will be a multi-tiered, four-sided stand similar to an oversized gazebo with refrigeration and packaging housed in the interior where staff will service customers. The Grand Opening for the market will be June 16. Bulk's Nursery is located at 265 Monmouth Road in Manalapan. However, due to the variable weather this spring, growth is slow, so the majority of produce won't be in until early July.

Sickles Market's, "Enjoy the ‘Good Stuff' for the Good Life," was started more than 100 years ago as a wholesale truck farm by Harold Sickles who delivered farm grown fruits and vegetables to local stores.

Since 1978, the market has been run by Harold's grandson, Bob Jr., who says a lot of his great produce is coming out of southern N.J., Calif. and Fla.. right now; however, the market is currently featuring greenhouse tomatoes from Allentown, NJ; stone fruit — apricots and peaches — and melons from California. He explains that we are on the cusp of Jersey "greenies" like basil, but asparagus, rhubarb, herbs (parsley & cilantro) are in now. As with the Bulks, due to the weather, growth and harvest has been much later, even in California, and has caused purchasing from outside New Jersey. New Jersey produce will start to arrive mid-June - zucchini, yellow squash, beans, and cucumbers from south Jersey and great Jersey strawberries. Corn will be a little later this year, as will peaches.

Sickles Market features a large selection of cheeses from all over the world, including the best U.S. artisanal goat's, cow's and sheep's milk cheeses such as the very popular Compte and Beaufort; gourmet jams like Les Moulins Mahjoub's fig jam; and fine imported balsamic vinegars, and homemade breads.

Since 1908, Sickles Market has been located on Harrison Street off Rumson Road in Little Silver. Visit the informative website at www.sicklesmarket.com.

Matt's Farm Market & Garden Center's Owner/Partner, Chris D'Esposito's great uncle Matt opened his corner market in the 70's and in 1989, Chris started working at the market. The farm grows more than 125 varieties of heirloom and cherry tomatoes. In order to have the variety and consistency of the heirlooms that they wanted, they concluded that they would have to grow their own varieties. An heirloom tomato, Chris explains, is any variety that is over 60 years or more. Some varieties date back 250 years. Seeds were collected year to year, put away and planted the next year. A lot of heirlooms actually come from Europe. He says, "The heirlooms are the real deal. When you eat them, you realize the quality of what you're eating — the thin skin, the different flavors and colors — we really do eat with our eyes. They are so pretty and vibrant — it just tastes good!"

On the farm, they grow four or five different varieties of black, but in the black family there might be a dozen or fifteen varieties. Each color is its own variety — green, red, yellow and white — the white can take on a pink or golden blush color as it grows. The farm is located in Tinton Falls where they also grow a wide variety of squashes. Flavors of squash vary widely from nutty to spicy. They look for squash that is colorful and attractive, as well as very tasty. All other produce is purchased from local farms throughout New Jersey.

Herbs, greens and garden vegetables are all from local greenhouses in New Jersey. Chris has maintained the same relationships with farmers for more than 20 years. He goes the old-fashioned route by taking the truck to various farms to pick up the produce that each farm specializes in. That way he can see the produce before being purchased. He tries to be fair and loyal with the farmers that he has worked with year in and year out. Early spring he has to go more than 100 miles to south Jersey, but during summer, his route is within 60 miles of the market. Watermelons come from Delaware, however. Mid-June is when New Jersey produce really begins, except with squash which is growing now, as is asparagus, spinach and strawberries.

His partner, Travis Cusick, started with Matt working in the market when he was in high school. After college, Travis came back with an interest in joining Chris in the business, which became an LLC operation. Matt's Farm Market is located on Highway 71 at 18th Street in West Belmar.

It is interesting to note that while these markets are decidedly different, from a small corner market to two huge garden and produce centers — one featuring an organic drive-through; the other featuring artisanal cheeses, products from around the world and local produce. Yet, they are all markets that have been kept in the family and handed down generation to generation. New Jersey is truly the Garden State, proudly represented by the farmers and markets that provide from harvest to table.