Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in newark, NJ

Join a CSA, Help the Farmers, Educate your Children

by Vanessa Druckman

March 11, 2009

I'm always looking for new opportunities to expose my children to experiences that will educate them. One of the things I've been toying with lately is joining a CSA. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Small farms, that are usually organic, split their harvest into shares that they then sell to individuals. This allows the farms to stay afloat without being price gouged by large corporations. It also allows consumers to get a front-row seat to see how a farm works while eating produce that hasn't been shipped halfway around the world to get to them.

I've been thinking of joining a CSA for a couple of years now, but something's always held me back. Now as we gear up for spring, the thought of picking up boxes of ripe strawberries and juicy jersey tomatoes is almost too much to resist. A full share can run you over $500 so this is a significant investment, but it's probably equal to what you would be spending in the supermarket and far superior in quality. I think the kids will really learn a lot from learning when fruits and vegetables are actually produced in our climate. Some farms also let you visit them to really round out the experience.

Here is a listing of NJ CSAs, in case you too are interested in trying out this experience.

Catalpa Ridge Community Supported Farm (Wantage): Weekly CSF deliveries to drop-off sites in Hoboken, NJ /Jersey City, NJ / Mahwah, NJ as well as on-farm pick-up in Wantage,NJ. Deliveries run from the beginning of June through the end of October. Deliveries include a diverse selection of seasonal vegetables freshly harvested from our farm in Wantage, NJ. Share prices vary depending on drop off location.

Upper Meadows Farm: Delivers to NYC, Essex County, or on the farm in Montague, NJ. A full share is $595 and a half or individual share is $425.

Honey Brook Organic Farm in Pennington, NJ. Weekly produce can be picked up either on the farm or at pick up points throughout NJ which include locations like Princeton, Trenton, Summit, Maplewood, East Brunswick and many others. A share is either $600 or $624 which works out to about $24 a week for produce. Payments can be split into 1 to 4 payments.

Starbrite Farm has pick-ups in Montclair, Bloomfield, West Orange, Westfield, and Jersey City. Email kruegerjohn@earthlink.net for more info.

For other CSA listings, consult the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey.

 

Lions, Tigers and Bears - Oh My!

by Vanessa Druckman

October 11, 2008

Whenever we travel to a new city, our first destination is always the zoo. It's just the perfect family activity - fun for everyone. Of course we've seen all the zoos in our area and we have our favorites. 1) The ultimate zoo around here is definitely the Bronx Zoo . It is huge; definitely something you should devote the day to. We've never been able to take in all the exhibits in one day.  Read more...

Five Best Day Trips within an Hour of Northern New Jersey

by Vanessa Druckman

October 09, 2008

Every once in a while, when we get bored of our local haunts, we're ready for a longer adventure. Within an hour's ride, there are a ton of great destinations to entertain the whole family. Here are our favorite five: 1) Go on an African Safari at Six Flags Great Adventure without EVER having to get out of the car, you can see every animal your child has read about in books: elephants,  Read more...