Farm News
Strawberries OPEN
It's been a few days of wet and wild weather - seems the strawberries are handling it. We are hoping for a little peek of sunshine this afternoon! Regardless, the fields are full of red, ripe berries that need to get picked ASAP. Bring your muck boots because the fields are wet.
WHEN? OPEN TODAY, Thursday 5/15.
HOURS? TODAY, 2PM-6PM, or until sold out. When is the next pick? We will see how today goes. If picking is heavy today, we will close for a few days to allow for the next flush of berries. Follow our social media for updates.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - YES.
MEMBERS - time to use your Market Cards! We will continue to offer members only Pick-Your-Own sessions; this time we need everyone to help pick so we can keep the fields clean and productive. No limit on how much you can pick.
PRICES and CONTAINERS. $5.50/lb. We provide the containers for you to pick and take home.
Pre-Picked Strawberries and Rhubarb. Limited amount of picked quarts ($8 each). And for those who like to make pies, we have RHUBARB for sale from our friends at Rancocas Creek Farm.
As the saying goes… “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain”.
See you on the farm!
First Pick - Member Monday
FIRST PICK! Members ONLY.
2 Quarts Per Membership/Market Card. For example, if you are coming with mom, dad and kids, your group may only pick 2 quarts total. This is first pick, strawberries are just getting started!
2 Picking Sessions (please note time change from our previous post):
Monday morning 10AM-12PM and Monday evening 4PM-6pm.
Please leave time for picking. For example, if you show up at 6PM, you will not be able to pick.
Fields close promptly at end of each picking session (fields will close at Noon and 6PM, respectively).
Price is Per Pound, NOT by the Quart.
Containers/Quarts will be provided.
Payment Type: Can I use my Market Card? YES!
Reservations not needed, BUT you must be a member/ have a Market Card… at this time.
Cant make it Monday? No Worries! This is first pick, strawberries are just getting started! We will continue to keep you updated on the next sessions. Likely Friday/Saturday. Wahoo!!!!
Strawberry Season is almost here!
STRAWBERRIES
First Pick. Members Only.
Reservations coming soon.
Members, mark your calendars! Member Monday, 5/12. Strawberry Season is just beginning!
Pick-Your-Own Strawberries. Reservations ONLY. Members ONLY. Enjoy picking on YOUR farm! Perfect for all ages, create lasting memories with your loved ones. Book your appointment for a berry-tastic experience! Members, check your emails over the weekend for a booking link. This system helps us control the volume of customers and make sure everyone has a good experience.
WHY? As of now, we are picking by reservation only. Due to the extreme drought last year, we did suffer some plant loss, therefore limiting quantities. The good news is, where there are plants, there are berries! Strawberries are in high demand - members get first pick.
HOURS. Reservations ONLY. 2 picks available, morning and evening: 9AM-11AM and 5PM-7PM.
Members, can’t make it on Monday? We will continuously offer flexible picking reservations throughout the season, weather dependent and as available. Why Monday? That’s when the berries will be ready! They need a few days of sun to ripen and sweeten.
Not a member? We hope to open the strawberry fields to the public in the next few weeks. In addition, our Farm Store will be open to the public soon. Please follow us for updates.
FARM STORE OPENS SOON
Flowers going in!
We are predicting Farm Store Opens the first week of June, maybe a week earlier. Right now, we are busy in the fields planting and growing your food! We look forward to seeing you on the farm for another great season.
2025 Farm Memberships On Sale Now!
We’d love to see you when things warm up. Your support now will help make that a reality. Purchase a 2025 Farm Membership for yourself and share it with family and friends or send it as a gift!
MEMBERSHIPS, 2 LEVELS:
SMALL $325. PLUS CASH BONUS. YOU PAY $299, and your membership is automatically loaded with $325 for you to spend in our Farm Store.
LARGE $450. PLUS CASH BONUS. YOU PAY $414, and your membership is automatically loaded with $450 for you to spend in our Farm Store.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
GET BONUS CASH. Discounts are upfront and applied when you purchase your farm membership now versus at checkout in our Farm Store later. This will reduce long lines at the register during the season.
DIGITAL CHECKOUT. Add your eGift card Farm Membership to Apple Wallet for fast and easy redemption in our Farm Store. You can save the QR code to your smart phone or print it out. Perfect for multiple users – share your Farm Membership with friends and family.
USE ALL-SEASON. We use E-Gift Cards to track your purchases and Farm Membership; it is a "Buy-Down" program. Your prepaid amount will automatically be in our system and will be deducted as you (or whomever you wish to share it with) shops with us on the farm throughout the season.*
FLEXIBLE SPENDING. E-Gift Cards can be used on anything in our Farm Store, including vegetables, meat, cheese, baked goods and Pick-Your-Own (excluding events and alcohol).
* This is an annual Farm Membership. Any remaining balances on E-Gift Cards will expire at the end of the year. Spend all season long, from May-Dec.
WINTER WORK.
Over the winter months, we attend farm conferences and educational sessions, give presentations and continue learning from other farmers and ag professionals. We just got back from the NOFA-NJ Conference in Asbury Park. It was an amazing day (and night!) of celebrating local organic food and sustainable farming. NOFA-NJ is also our partner in FesTomato... Save the Date tomato lovers, Aug 9th, 2025! Up next is the NJ Vegetable Growers Convention in Atlantic City. In collaboration with the NJ Department of Agriculture and Rutgers University, this convention has a very comprehensive lineup of meetings and social networking. We will be busy that week! Along with these activities, we are members of the Atlantic County Board of Agriculture, and farmer Jen serves as the President; next month the board is hosting our annual Legislators Appreciation Event, and we are looking forward to a night of good food and networking among farmers.
In closing, Farm Memberships give us the early capital we need to purchase seeds, potting mix, heat for our greenhouses, fertilizer and more. It also helps cover operating costs now like hiring staff, paying taxes and insurance. Without the upfront help from our community, sustaining this operation would be very challenging. With all our hearts, we thank you for your continued commitment to our growing and evolving farm. We can’t wait to see you again!
Your Farmers - Jen, Ryan and the Crew.
Walkingbird Farm
Winter Sale, Sat 12/21
Holiday shop on the Farm.
Saturday 10AM-2PM. One Day Only!
Join us and our Farm Friends:
Hammerbacher Kitchen and Fluffy Farms… cookie boxes, bread, charcuterie crackers, handmade ornaments.
Winter Solstice Sale:
100% grown on our Farm… lettuce, arugula, brussel sprouts, carrots, watermelon radish, cabbage and kales. Farm apparel too.
Drop in on the Farm! We will have the heaters on and hot cocoa to keep us warm. Thank you for your business and Happy Holidays.
Closed for the Season, Winter Market in Dec, One Day Only.
We are closed for the main season. We are planning one more Farm Shop Market in Dec, just before Christmas. It will be one day only. Stay tuned for details and thank you for your business.
Last Week Before Thanksgiving...
Brussels, Purple Carrots and Pot Pies!
FARM SHOP HOURS, PLEASE NOTE:
*** THU AND FRI 10AM-4PM ***
SAT 10AM-2PM (due to daylight savings).
NEW CROPS, FARM SWAG AND WHAT'S NEXT?
THE HARVEST
Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Purple Dragon Carrots (purple outside, orange core), Cabbage (red and green), Fennel, Loose Greens - Arugula, Lettuce Mix and Spinach - BYOB (BRING YOUR OWN BAGS!), Rainbow Chard, Kales, Scallion, Hakurei Turnips. Also, assorted mushrooms (limited supply).
FARM SWAG... MAKES A GREAT GIFT! Hand-dyed t-shirts, made from flowers on our farm - goldenrod, marigold and sunflower. By Earth Drenched.
POTPIES AND MORE FROM GRIGGSTOWN FARM
LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE... limited quantities per customer. Potpies, Chicken Sausage and Ground Turkey.
WHAT'S NEXT?
WREATH WORKSHOPS! Fresh cut mixed winter greens, aromatic eucalyptus, a luxury bow, pine cones, winter berries, gold vintage bells, and accents lavishly displayed on your 18" asymmetrical grapevine wreath. All materials provided. Contact info@thebarnworkshop.com.
DEC. FARM SHOP. Dates to be determined based on weather and availability. We will keep you posted! Market Card Members, 2024 Memberships expire at the end of this year. Any remaining balances do not carry over. Thank you for being a customer, we appreciate your support this season. It means the world to us!
Goodbye Oct Hello Nov.
Halloween, what? More like April Fools on another 80 degree day. Let’s enjoy it for whatever it is and move on to more fall like weather ASAP! Farmers need rain!!
IN STOCK THIS WEEK:
FROM OUR FIELDS: Arugula, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Fennel, Kale, Lettuce, Peppers, Radish, Spinach, Scallions.
FROM OUR FARMER FRIENDS: Apples and Sweet Potatoes (Pastore Orchards).
BEEF IS BACK! Ground and Sausages (Sicklers Farm).
FARM SHOP HOURS:
OPEN THIS WEEK Thu, Fri 12-6PM and Sat 10AM-2PM.
CLOSED Nov 7,8,9… in preparation for our Farm Dinner.
OPEN Nov 14, 15, 16… likely the last one in Nov.
Winter sales TBD. Market Card Members have until the end of the year to use remaining balances, memberships do not carry over.
FARM DINNER
We are nearly sold out. It’s gong to be a Grateful night! Join us!
Join us for a Grateful Event
You are invited!
Enjoy good food from our fields and live music.
This event is an expression of our immense gratitude to our customers for trusting us to be your farm, to our farm friends for your unwavering support over the years, and to our hard-working farm crew for your commitment. We appreciate you ALL and we are truly grateful.
The Meal: by Hammerbacher. Includes pre-concert bites, dinner and dessert.
The Music: by Cold Chocolate. Folk, funk and bluegrass fusion.
Seating indoors with heaters and outdoor fire pits. BYOB.
Limited seating. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Flavors of Fall
Harvest of the Week
Acorn Squash, Apples, Broccoli, Cabbage, Fennel, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Peppers, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard. Flowers and Herbs.
MEATS.
Back in stock...
Ground Beef and Sweet Sausage.
Sicklers Farms, Monroeville.
Thanks to our Farm Friends!
Acorn squash, Pastore Orchards, Hammonton.
Apples, Nichols Orchards, Franklinville.
Mushrooms, Faith Flower Farm, Estell Manor.
If you ate today, thank a farmer!
HOURS.
THU AND FRI 12-6PM
SAT 10AM-2PM.
We appreciate your business!
Our Fall Season
Farm Store RE-OPENS
Thu 10/3 12PM-6PM
Fri 10/4 12PM-6PM
Sat 10/5 10AM-2PM
THE HARVEST, OUR OWN:
Lettuce, Rainbow Chard, Kales, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage, Fennel, Broccoli, Peppers, Garlic. More crops coming in every week!
Farm Jars - Pickles (garlic/dill), Garlic Powder and Cowboy Candy (kick it up!).
Flowers and Herbs - Farmer bouquets or UPICK.
POTPIES, BEEF, PORK AND MORE:
From our Farmer Friends at Griggstown, Sicklers and Nichols Orchard...
PotPies - Chicken, Veggie, Beef Sheppard's.
Ravioli.
Sausage - Chicken with Apple and Sweet Italian.
Beef - ground and cubes.
Pork Chops.
Apples - Mutsu, Winesap, Golden Delicious.
FALL HOURS, IN OCT.
THU AND FRI 12-6PM.
SAT 10AM-2PM.
(We will update our hours in Nov for daylight savings).
We anticipate being open up to the 3rd week in Nov.
We look forward to seeing you on back on the Farm for our Fall season!
Concert - GET TICKETS
Join us Sat night…
Live Music featuring Noble Dust.
SAT NIGHT 9/28, doors open 6PM, Concert begins around 7PM.
MUSIC WITH MEAL $50/PERSON:
Cooking on site by Hammerbacher.
Wood-fired burgers, house buns and Farm Accoutrements.
MUSIC ONLY $25/PERSON:
Concert ticket only. BYO food/snacks.
DRINKS:
BYOB or purchase on site.
The Seed Brewery. Cash or Credit.
See you Sat night for LIVE music, burgers and brews!
Seasons Change
As our Summer Season ends this weekend, we flow right into our Annual Arts and Crafts Festival next weekend, Sat Sept 14th, 10-3. Join us!
In the Farm Shop THIS WEEK Th, Fr 12-6 and Sa 10-2:
THE HARVEST:
Tomatoes (last wave!), Peppers - beautiful colors! Cucumber, Zucchini, Garlic, Onions, baby gold Potatoes, Eggplant, Kales, Fresh Herbs, Flowers bouquets - all our own! Corn and Peaches (big ones!), Pastore Orchard.
MORE JERSEY FRESH:
CHEESE. Fresh delivery! Mozz, Feta and Cheddar.
EGGS and MUSHROOMS.
MEATS. Whole Chickens, Ground Chicken and Turkey. Also a few Ribs and Chicken Sausages.
TOMATO SAUCE - our own! Another batch will be ready for our Arts and Crafts Festival next Sat.
FARM FRIENDS…
Friday with The Seed Brewery. Grab your fav 4 pack or try something new.
Hammerbacher Haus Party? Check out the EHC location this week for pre-party bake sales and to make a reservation for the Haus Party.
Much love and thanks to everyone for an amazing summer! After a little rest, we will be back at it for the Fall Season (Oct-Nov). See ya soon!
Fall Season
A Quick Update about our Fall Season
A quick follow up on our last email, regarding our September schedule...
we still have a full Fall schedule ahead of us!
We are just taking a break in-between the summer and fall seasons.
We will re-open the Farm Store in Oct-Thanksgiving.
MARKET CARD MEMBERS... you can use your market cards through the end of this year - lots of fall crops growing in the fields and new items coming in October.
On the Farm this weekend and in September
Labor Day & Sept News
Weekend Lineup - The Harvest and Our Farm Friends. September Schedule and Upcoming Events.
It's Labor Day weekend!
THE HARVEST
Our tomatoes will be gone soon! Come in for your end of summer bbq essentials - tomatoes (red “jerseys” and colorful cherry/grapes), corn, peaches, arugula, cucumbers, zucchini, potatoes, garlic, onions, peppers, herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, chives, rosemary), fresh cut flowers AND MORE.
UPICK CHERRY AND GRAPE TOMATOES! Roast some (or A LOT!) this weekend!
THE MORE
Ravioli - and our own farm grown Tomato Sauce!
Meats - whole birds, ground, ribs, sausages, burgers and dogs.
Cheese - mozz, ricotta, feta, cheddar - limited quantities.
Eggs.
Sheepsicles - back in stock - raspberry, vanilla and chocolate.
THE WEEKEND
Friday on the Farm -
The Seed Brewery selections:
First Root - pale ale
Fiore - Italian Pilsner
Records on Replay - ipa
Until the sunlight - Baltic porter
As simple as youth - Kellerpils
Oh sweet Saturday -
Hammerbacher back in the house.
SEPTEMBER SCHEDULE:
Farm Shop. OPEN Th, Fr, Sa, Sept 5th-7th… last week for summer season!
Arts Festival. Sat Sept 14, 10am -3pm.
Live Music. Nobel Dust - Sat 9/28.
See ya on the farm!
Savor Summer - tomatoes, corn, peaches and more.
Oh yeah, we tomatoed! It was a great day; several vendors reported record breaking sales. “We did the best we ever did,” said Melanie G., Co-Owner of Fluffy Farms in Egg Harbor City. “As a small farm, NOFA-NJ has been a lifeline, enabling us to achieve viability beyond our wildest dreams.” Drawing a mixed crowd of farmers, gardeners, families, foodies, and existing Walkingbird Farm customers, FESTOMATO is designed to promote local farms and food systems while highlighting tomatoes during peak season. Mark your calendars for next year - we are looking forward to doing it again! Thank you NOFA-NJ for making us a partner of this annual event. The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey (NOFA NJ) has supported and advocated for organic farming and local food systems in the Garden State since 1985.
IN THE FARM STORE AND THE FIELDS…
THE VEG AND MORE: Go for the Gold - featuring our Fingerling Potatoes. No need to peel - makes great smashed potatoes or perfect roasted alongside a whole chicken from Piney Pastures Ranch. Grown on our Farm - Zucchini (green and yellow), Cucumbers (slicers and kirby’s), Peppers (bells, jalapenos and shishido), Eggplant (classic black, round Italian heirloom, long whites), Garlic, Cabbage, Spaghetti Squash, Fresh Herbs (Basil and More). AND TOMATOES - red beefsteaks, orange beefsteaks and mix cherry/grapes types. Grown by our Farm Friends - Cantaloupe; Peaches and Corn, Pastore Orchard.
IN THE FREEZER AND FRIDGE: Ribs, Bacon (Pork and Beef), Chip Steak (THE BEST for cheesesteaks!), Beef Cubes - Sicklers Farm; Ground (Chicken and Turkey), Chicken Sausages (assorted varieties), Ravioli - Griggstown Farm, Whole Chickens - Piney Pastures Ranch; Eggs - Cycle Farms and Working Dog Farms; Joe’s Teas (assorted varieties).
UPICK: Cherry/Grape Tomatoes - mix them up - orange (sweet rounds and long ovals), reds and dark bronze with green stripes. Beautiful weather for picking, and get a better deal than the pre-picked pints! And Flowers too!
MARKET CARD HOLDERS - we have reached the halfway point of our farm season; this is a friendly reminder that Market Cards will expire Dec 31, 2024. Market Cards DO NOT carry over into the 2025 season; Market Cards are an annual membership. So please do visit the farm and stock up! Having trouble getting to the farm often? Share your account with a friend or family member - it’s easy! Just share your QR code with your farm friend, or we can look up the account at checkout. Market Cards can be used on nearly everything in our Farm Store (alcohol excluded) - vegetables, flowers, farm jars (pickles and more), meats, cheeses, baked goods.
Farm Shop Hours: Thu, Fri 12-6PM and Sat 10AM-2PM.
100% Local, 100% Jersey Fresh. Thank you for supporting family farms!
FESTOMATO!
Hey all! Special announcement this week:
HOURS THU 12-6, FRI CLOSED, SAT FESTOMATO! 12-5.
Farm Shop CLOSED FRI in preparation for this event. Farm Shop OPEN SAT during the festival.
FESTOMATO! Walkingbird Farm, SAT 12-5.
An annual event hosted by NOFA NJ to highlight and promote NJ’s favorite summer vegetable (or fruit?) and the amazing farms and farmers that grow them. Tomato tastings, farm tours, culinary demos, live music, local vendors.
Make it a double on Sat! Show your support for local agriculture this weekend…
Atlantic County 4H Fair. Fri AND Sat.
Tomato tastings, farmer knowledge, community partnerships, tasty bites and brews, live music and more!
4th of July Week
Closed on Thu, the 4th.
Open Fri 12-6 and Sat 10-2.
🫐 U-PICK Blueberries and Flowers.
🌸 Sip and Snip with us and The Seed Brewery on Friday! No frills kinda day - enjoy the fields and a farm flight. BYO snacks if you like, grab a hay bale in the shade and just be.
🥬 This Weeks Harvest… 100% grown on our farm!
Carrots, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Scallions, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Arugula, Rainbow Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi and Radish.
Enjoy your 4th, see you Friday!
Farm Store Opens This Week
Farm Store Open.
Members and non-members welcome, see below for details.
***NEW HOURS FOR 2024***...
opens later and closes later.
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 12PM - 6PM.
SATURDAY 10AM - 2PM.
THE HARVEST
Spinach, Arugula, Radish, Garlic Scapes, Kale.
U-Pick Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries.
Next week the harvest is heavier with more to choose from. Non-members welcome to purchase our crops, as available, changes daily. See store signage for details. We sell what we grow!
U-PICK BERRIES
Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries:
Berries, THU AND FRI - Members Only.
Berries, SAT - Open To The Public.
Follow us on social media for updates @walkingbirdfarm.
FROM OUR FARM FRIENDS
OPEN TO NON-MEMBERS:
MEATS - Sicklers Farm and Griggstown Farm.
Hot dogs, hamburgers, ground beef/turkey, sausages, bacon, pork roll.
CHEESE - Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy and Fulper Farms.
Blue, chevre, cheddar, gouda. Also Sheepsicles!
BAKED GOODS - Hammerbacher Kitchen - SATURDAY ONLY.
Breads, sweets, savories and more. Handmade, from scratch.
EGGS - Cycle Farm, WorkingDog Farm and locals.
MUSHROOMS - Faith Flower Farm.
BEVERAGES - The Seed Brewery - FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
Also, non-alcoholic Joe's Teas.
JAMS - made with our strawberries!
More to come in throughout the season!
A Very Berry Saturday
Our Berries and Market Updates
U-PICK Raspberries are ready! Strawberries still out there - super sweet! Last week for them? Blueberries open next week? We will keep you posted! Our Market Store will be open Thursday, June 13th. We sell what we grow - Jersey Fresh!
U-PICK RASPBERRIES AND STRAWBERRIES - OPEN THIS SATURDAY AT 10AM, UNTIL SOLD OUT.
RASPBERRIES
$10/pint CSA, $12/non-members. Pints will be limited, just coming in.
No pesticides, herbicide's or chemicals used. Know your farmer, know your raspberries. How to pick raspberries? They are extremely delicate! Please be careful with plants - take care not to knock off ripening berries. They should be a deep red and slip off the plant easily, if not, they are not quite ripe and will be tart. This is a very labor intensive and expensive crop to grow - we expect you to have a taste in the field, but please no snacking. Thank you for respecting our fields.
STRAWBERRIES
Heat has made them especially sweet! Don't be afraid to pick a few that may look overripe or bruised, flavor is excellent! Size does not affect the flavor, pick them all, might be the last pick of the season.
MARKET STORE - OPENS NEXT WEEK - THURSDAY 6/13, 10AM-5PM.
NEXT WEEK:
THE HARVEST AND MORE...
Crops available (tentative) - Arugula, Cabbage, Chard (rainbow), Garlic Scapes (makes the most amazing pesto!), Kale (green curly and tuscan types), Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Radish, Salad Turnips, Spinach. Maybe a few Flowers and Herbs come in too. ALL weather dependent - it's been a cold, wet spring and crops are just catching up. Many more crops in the next few weeks. We sell what we grow - Jersey Fresh!
U-Pick (tentative) - Raspberries, Blueberries and Strawberries?
From Our Farm Friends - meats, eggs, cheese and more... all the details to follow next week.
See you on the farm!