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Sunday shopping at the city’s local farmer and artisan market kicks off this weekend. The outdoor market gives customers the opportunity to interact one-on-one with farmers and artisans who hand craft their wares.

Asbury Fresh returns with new offerings and programs, as well as next weekend’s launch of its Belmar Fresh, a satellite market that will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays June 18 to October 1 at Pyanoe Plaza, located at Main Street and Ninth Avenue.

“We’re really excited to be expanding to Belmar this season,” market director Meghan Armbrecht said in a written news release. “Moving forward, we see the potential to open additional markets in other Monmouth and Ocean county towns.”

Asbury Fresh runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays through September 25, and from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays July 1 to August 26 in Kennedy Park, located at Cookman and Grand avenues.

Last year, the local outdoor market featured over 60 curated vendors offering everything from baked goods, handmade jewelry and soap, home décor items and plants. The assortment of goods also includes certified organic and pesticide free produce, seafood, fresh milled ancient grains, free range eggs and meats.

“We have an amazing family of farms that truly are at the heart of the weekly market,” Armbrecht has said. “Rolling Hills, Thompson Family, Harvest Moon and Farmer Meg- these are people dedicated to making sustainably grown, local produce more accessible. Hough Family Farm provides ethically raised meat and eggs and this year we are incredibly excited to have Eric Morris of Local 130 Seafood joining us with fresh, local seafood. Add to that all of our talented artists and craftspeople… it’s going to be a great summer.”

And now, for the first time, a community supported agriculture [CSA] program will be available via Lambertville-based Rolling Hills, owned by Stephanie Spock and John Squicciarino [shown at right in courtesy photo]. The duo use environmentally responsible methods to grow over 200 varieties of organic, chemical free, sustainable vegetables, fruit and their specialized mushrooms.

“We are the only producers of organic mushrooms in the state of New Jersey, as well as one of the very few growers of mushrooms in the area,” Spock has said. “Being able to provide a very diverse spread of food is important to us.”

CSA members will have the ability to buy the produce they need on weekly basis and collect them from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays through September. Any money not spent rolls over from year to year.

Rolling Hills market shares are:

$250 establishes a $275 account – a 10% discount

$350 establishes a $392 account – a12% discount

$500 establishes a $575 account – a 15% discount

Last summer Asbury Fresh launched a box-share program via Rolling Hills that brought weekly 10- to 20-pound packages of vegetables and fruits at a share cost of $400 [less than $15 per week]. It came with weekly recipe email blasts.

For more information about Asbury Fresh, visit their website or Facebook page. For additional information about Belmar Fresh, visit their website or e-mail team@asburyfresh.com. For more information on Rolling Hills’ CSA and box share program, visit Rolling Hills Farm website.

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The Asbury Park Sun is affiliated with the triCityNews newspaper.

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