Township could open central farm market
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE - Next summer, residents may not have to drive out of town for farm-fresh fruits and veggies.

Mayor Nancy Grbelja announced at the Township Committee's June 20 meeting that the township's Agricultural Board is investigating the possibility of starting a farmer's market in a central location in town.

"Maybe we can have a number of vendors selling products," she said. "It's just another way of promoting farming in the township."

Grbelja said the Township Committee will work with the board to find a location for the market. She said the township may be able to bid out the use of a piece of its property to either an individual or a group of vendors.

Committeeman Elias Abilheira mentioned that such a market might create competition for longtime farm stands in the area such as the Red Wagon on Route 33. However, he said such markets do well in downtown areas and cited the ones near the courthouses in the borough of Freehold and in Brooklyn, N.Y., as examples that he, an attorney, has seen work successfully.

Grbelja said the Pinhas family, a local farming family, suggested the endeavor since there are currently no fruit, vegetable or other crop vendors situated within the township's borders. She said the Agricultural Board hopes to work on the project this year so that the market would be available to residents next year.

Deputy Mayor Robert Kinsey said he thinks the farmer's market is a good idea and added that he would support it.