Jersey tomatoes are back in-season, and the Burlington County Farmers Market is celebrating them this weekend, along with their frequent companion – the pepper.
Tomato and Pepper Day at the Burlington County Farmers Market will be held from 8:30 AM to 1 PM this Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road, Moorestown. The special tomato/pepper-themed market will feature famers selling varieties of these masterpieces of Jersey Fresh produce, plus scores of prepared foods with tomatoes and peppers as ingredients.
There will also be a tomato-themed cooking demonstration at 10 AM in the Agricultural Center’s Farmhouse Kitchen, a kids’ scavenger hunt, tomato craft and free samples of tomato pie, salsa, bisque and tomato and mozzarella pairings from participating food vendors. There will also be special tomato beer for sale from Marlton-based Zed’s Beer-Bado Brewing.
“Jersey tomatoes are a summertime favorite, and we are excited to celebrate them and the peppers they are often paired with during this weekend’s market,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, the liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation, Parks and Farmland Preservation. “The Burlington County Farmers Market is a fantastic place to purchase tomatoes, peppers and other seasonal produce, along with prepared foods, crafts and more. If you haven’t visited the market this summer, this Saturday is the perfect time to stop by and see why it was voted the best in New Jersey.”
New Jersey is annually among the top 10 producers of tomatoes in the United States. In 2023, New Jersey growers harvested more than 60 million pounds of tomatoes and generated more than $36.2 million from tomato sales, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
While Jersey-grown tomatoes are famous across the nation, few may be aware that the beloved produce has an important Burlington County connection. Arguably the most common and popular variety, known as the Rutgers tomato, was first developed by Rutgers plant breeder Lyman Schermerhorn in cooperation with South Jersey-based Campbell’s Soup and the company’s tomato research facility located in Riverton, Burlington County.
Another notable tomato developed there was named the JTD, after John Thompson Dorrance, the renown Burlington County chemist who invented condensed soup.
“Burlington County has centuries of history to discover, and the work of John Dorrance and the discoveries made at the Riverton tomato research facility are facts that some of the most knowledgeable history buffs are surprised to learn about,” said Commissioner Randy Brolo. “We’re proud of this history and how agriculture has helped shape our county. One of our top priorities is to protect that legacy and make sure agriculture remains a strong industry for future generations.”
Twenty different farms are scheduled to sell crops this weekend on Tomato and Pepper Day, along with another 27 food vendors and more than a dozen artists and crafters. The band Opus Soul will also perform live throughout the day.
Now in its 19th season, the Burlington County Farmers Market is held rain or shine every Saturday from early May through late November. The market also holds several preseason market days in March and April and a holiday market on Dec. 6.
The Farmers Market was voted No. 1 in New Jersey and No. 3 in the Northeast Region during the 2024 America’s Farmers Market Celebration, an online poll conducted by the American Farmland Trust.
Voting in this year’s poll is happening now through Sept. 30. You can vote for the Burlington County Farmers Market at https://markets.farmland.org/markets/313985 .