Burlington County gardeners have reason to celebrate. The Spring Garden Market is returning to the Burlington County Agricultural Center this month and it’s going to be the biggest one yet, with more vendors, activities, flowers, plants, seeds, tools and everything else needed to make a garden bloom.
The annual Spring Garden Market will be held Saturday, April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Burlington County Agricultural Center at 500 Centerton Road in Moorestown. This event provides a special showcase for many of the local farms and vendors who cater to gardeners.
More than 37 different vendors are signed up to sell goods, including more than two dozen farms and agricultural-related vendors.
“With more acres of farmland preserved than any other county in New Jersey, Burlington County continues to help New Jersey remain the Garden State,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “In the spirit of that tradition, the Spring Garden Market has grown to become a popular event for everyone, and we’re thrilled to see it return better than ever.”
“Perennials, annuals, vegetables, fruits and herb starts, hanging baskets, native plants and seeds will all be available, along with garden tools, soils and nutrients,” added Commissioner Allison Eckel, the liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation. “Whether you’re already a Master Gardener or planting for the first time, the Spring Garden Market is the perfect place to find all the products needed to get your garden ready.”
Among the agricultural vendors expected are Bart’s Flowers, Black Sheep Farm, Grow Generation, Homebody Farm, Hope Sprouts, Mill Creek Apiary, Nana’s Home and Garden, Pinelands Produce, Rancocas Creek Farm, Recklesstown Farm Distillery, Springville Herbary, Toadshade Wildflower and the West Jersey Rose Society.
In addition, the market will feature another 23 food and craft vendors, including the Hoop House Bakery, The Soup Bar, Wild Flour Bakery and Humble Spud. There will also be activities for children, including rabbits, crafts and houseplant potting.
Several gardening demonstrations are on the schedule:
- Rose Pruning and Care at 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. with the West Jersey Rose Society;
- Creating Proper Soil Beds for Home Gardens at 11:15 a.m. with Grow Generation;
- Composting at noon with Gina Cohl of Tri-County Sustainability;
- Tree Planting at 11 a.m. and noon
Tours of the Burlington County Agricultural Center will be offered at 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. The center is located on a 68-acre former dairy farm on the Moorestown-Mount Laurel border.
The county preserved the property in 2005 and remade it into a community resource and educational facility focused on food production, health and nutrition, agricultural and land stewardship. A portion of the property continues to be leased for farming and the site also features community gardens and demonstration gardens, field plots maintained by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service and a commercial kitchen. It is also the site of the county’s weekly farmers markets from May through November 18.
Last year featured record-high attendance at the county market, and it was also voted among the 10 most popular farmers markets in New Jersey by the American Farmland Trust.
“The Agricultural Center is a one-of-a-kind destination that showcases our county’s farming heritage and commitment to keeping agriculture alive and vibrant,” said Eckel. “It’s a place for residents to come all year for programs on cooking and gardening, agriculture, and sustainability. It’s the perfect venue for not only our Spring Garden Market but also the county’s popular weekly farmers markets that will kick off next month.”
