Naturally, you'll find plenty of produce at the Seaside Park Farmer's Market

Just a few years ago, Seaside Park residents had to travel to any of the area supermarkets to procure food suitable to create a balanced meal.

While typical shore staples (read: cold cut subs and limes for Coronas) have always been readily available and appropriate for carrying home within your beach cruiser’s basket, healthy “on to go” options were previously difficult to find.

Times have changed.

On Monday afternoons through Labor Day, bicycle baskets throughout Seaside Park are overflowing with produce and other fresh provisions, courtesy of the Borough’s Farmer’s Market, located on Marina Field, which is situated at the corner of Central Avenue and J Street–directly next to the only traffic light in town.

Operating from 11 AM through 5 PM, the market features traditional fare, including produce and flowers from Jersey Fresh farms, but the provisions here extend well beyond the standard offerings.

Under the white tents, you will find fresh honey products;  a variety of nuts, candies, and herbal products; hot sauce, dips, and other condiments; artisan bread and cheese; eggs, meat, and seafood; cakes and donuts;  and, a mixture of pickled cucumbers, olives, and mushrooms.

Stroll along the lawn and explore the goodness

It’s certainly not your typical farmer’s market, and that’s important here, considering the lack of diverse food products within a reasonable walking and biking distance of Borough residents.

“I’m retired, and this is something that I look forward to,” said Bob Grier, a summertime resident and self-described “snow bird” who divides his time between South Florida and the Borough. “Best of all, it’s all healthy.”

Mr. Grier mentioned that he and his wife, Kathleen, usually purchase a variety of fruits and vegetables, bread, roasted peanuts (”for the beach,” he says), donuts, and sometimes meat, but much to his wife’s chagrin, he’d like to try the “Jersey Death,” a flame inducing hot sauce, found at the Molly Spice Cabinet tent, a Beachwood based business.

“I love hot sauce, but my wife says it’s not good for my acid reflux. In fact, it would do some magic on some of her dishes,” Mr. Grier said in between laughter.

Under the Molly Spice Cabinet tent, a gregarious Patti Budnicki will greet you and happily introduce her products, including the Jersey Death hot sauce, grilling sauces,  fresh herbs and spices, jams, and dips, and explain to you the value of locally and micro-produced items.

Make sure you have the water bucket filled and ready for chugging

All of Ms. Bucnicki’s offerings are produced by small companies–many of which are locally based–that seek to create items that are not typically found in your local supermarket.

“We try to carry the unusual,” Ms. Budnick said.

People are abuzz about the offerings at the Herbertsville Honey Company tent, adjacent to Molly Spice Cabinet, a Point Pleasant based family owned business that was pinned with “Best of Show” and “Best Exhibitors” awards at the 2008 NJ  State Honey Show.

Featuring pure unprocessed local honey, culled from 60 apiaries throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties, Alf Berg sells, of course, honey, but also honey byproducts, including raw honey pollen, honey comb, and honey based soap, creams, and lip balm, among other products.

No bees here -- just fresh honey products

“I’ve been beekeeping for 10 years and [selling honey products] for six years,” Mr. Berg commented during my review of his offerings. “It started as a hobby, and I just went nuts with it.”

Beyond the Seaside Park Farmer’s Market, you may find Herbertsville Honey Company’s offerings at Shore Restaurant Supply and Allen Farms, both in Brick, as well as the Bay Head Cheese Shop in Bay Head.

Let your nose direct you to the Nuts For You tent, a Trenton based business, where Dutch Swayze presents an impressive spread of bagged candy, fruit, and nuts, along with shaved ice and freshly roasted peanuts. You will certainly find something amongst the offerings to satisfy your cravings.

The colorful displays will seduce you

“We sell our products at five farmer’s markets each week,” Mr. Swayze told me while I stared lustfully at a peanut roasting apparatus. “Behind here, that’s our antique peanut roaster — made in 1920.”

It may be pushing 90 years old, but this peanut roaster is still a workhorse

Mr. Swayze’s display is sure enough to ignite your senses; if it’s not the smell wafting from the peanut roaster, the colorful explosion of his bagged offerings will certainly draw you.

If Ms. Budnicki, Mr. Berg, and Mr. Swayze don’t manage to grab your attention, you will certainly have trouble not stopping at the Italian Treasures tent, aka “The Bread Man,” which is manned by Marco Minuto, a colorful guy who knows how to artfully market his products.

Based in New Hope, PA, at this tent, the namesake is authentic, where you will find “all kinds of focaccia and multi-grain breads, fresh mozzarella, and other types of Italian cheeses,” Mr. Minuto said.

Perfect for a tomato and mozz sandwich

After a brief explanation of the ingredients within each loaf, Mr. Minuto said that Italian Treasures has been in the farmer’s market circuit for five years, with a weekly stand, in addition to here, in Toms River, Barnegat, and Lacey.

As it was clear that Mr. Minuto obviously knows his breads, I was curious about his favorite pick.

“Ciabatta,” he said cheerfully. “It’s the Italian slipper bread.”

Seaside Park residents and those of neighboring towns should rest assured that they can find Jersey Fresh products here. Just don’t stare too hard if you see people biking around on Monday afternoons with food overflowing from their baskets.

And, if you’re on a carb-free diet this summer, beware of Mr. Minuto, as he’ll try to persuade you otherwise.

Asked what he would say to someone on such a diet, he said, “Just try the multi-grain bread. You’ll love it.”

The Seaside Park Farmer’s Market is held at Marina Field, located at the corner of J Street and Central Avenue, every Monday through Labor Day weekend from 11 AM to 5 PM. After Labor Day weekend, it is held at the same location and same times on Sundays until Columbus Day weekend. For more information, you may contact Seaside Park Borough Hall at 732-793-3700.