FARMto table
Photo by Monmouth County Park System
As you travel west from the shore, country roads dotted with fields of
corn and vegetables and orchards of ripening fruit come into view.
Stop at farm stands and farmers’ markets brimming with locally
grown produce, herbs, flowers and pies, or make time to pick your
own peaches, nectarines, sweet corn, apples, raspberries, pumpkins,
squash and gourds, Christmas trees and more!
The county is home to several gourmet markets that were once rural
farm stands. To find out what is in season, what agricultural events are
happening around the region and where to find a roadside market,
pick-your-own farm or community farmers’ market, visit
www.jerseyfresh.nj.gov.
For a sense of the area’s agricultural heritage, visit historic Longstreet
Farm where the sights, sounds and smells of rural Monmouth County
in the 1890s have been recreated on nine acres in Holmdel Park. The
farm is open year-round and interpreters in period dress show both
daily and seasonal agricultural and domestic activities.
Stop at a vineyard for a tour and tasting. Carry a camera and capture
blue autumn skies and fields full of yellow sunflowers and orange
pumpkins. Bring the kids and enjoy a haunted hayride or corn maze.
Return in winter to cut a Christmas tree or dig up a live one. There are
four seasons of back-to-the-earth activities to enjoy. See the Events
section of this guide for a list of farmers’ markets and more great
things to see and do throughout the year.
horsin’ around
Drive along the rolling back roads of Colts Neck, Howell, Freehold
and the more rural Millstone, Upper Freehold and Allentown,
and you will see spacious fields, barns and stables and the
magnificent colts and fillies of Monmouth County’s beautiful horse
country. Several farms in the area offer visitors the opportunity to
ride, and equine enthusiasts will want to visit Horse Park of New
Jersey, a unique competition venue in rural Upper Freehold. In the
summer, look for The Monmouth County Horse Show, the annual
competition that has run yearly since the late 19th century, except
for a brief period during World War II.
Photo by T. Morrison
Freehold Raceway I8
Rt. 9 and Business Rt. 33, Freehold
732-462-3800 | www.freeholdraceway.com
Established in 1853, the nation’s oldest and fastest
daytime half-mile harness-racing track features live
standardbred harness races for trotters and pacers,
August through early June. The raceway is open yearround
for thoroughbred and harness racing simulcasts.
34 www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com
/www.jerseyfresh.nj.gov
/www.freeholdraceway.com
/www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com