Spring and summer are synonymous with farm-fresh produce, local cut flowers, and mouth-watering treats, from empanadas and guacamole to scrumptious breakfast items and pastries.
All of these offerings are what have eager locals, tourists, and hard-working vendors returning to the Haddonfield Farmer’s Market year after year.
Located at 2 Kings Court, the market season began on Saturday, May 17, and continues through October 11. The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The market has been in operation since 2002 and was officially incorporated in 2007, and weathered having to close during COVID-19 and other obstacles. Each week, there are 25 to 40 vendors who offer a wide variety of wares.
Sponsorships from small businesses and corporations to support the market’s operation are always welcome throughout the season. Current sponsors that help with the costs of running the small non-profit market include Camden County-Haddonfield Financial, 4 Seasons Landscaping, HIP (Heights in Progress), Premiere Realty, and Haduko Academy, a jiu jitsu yoga and fitness studio in Haddonfield.
The market is known for its new and returning vendors who display and sell fresh produce, flowers and plants, smoothies, BBQ, goods, baked goods, candles, and hand-made accessories. There is always something for everyone!
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Haddonfield Farmer’s Market serves up education, recipes, and connection from May to October.
Several aspects of the market sets it apart from other New Jersey farmer’s markets.
“At the center of our market is community,” says Market Director Ralph Ciallella, who formerly headed up new product sales for Nike, and has been with the market from the first day in 2002.
“People come to our market to see old friends that they haven’t seen in 30 years,” Ciallella says. “A lot of people come back and raise their children here. People walk through most farmers’ markets and leave, but they tend to come and hang out because of our top-notch musicians in the gazebo.”
He adds that, “Many of our vendors have turned their small market businesses – selling candles, hand balm, and a variety of food items – into brick-and-mortar businesses. We help one another, which is why I have stayed so involved. I love helping our vendors turn their dreams and hard work into success stories.”
One example is OK Charley’s Craft BBQ in Mount Laurel, owned by Nick Hancock, a Texas-trained restaurateur who quickly caught on with the Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers, and started a local catering and pop-up business. Ciallella encouraged the entrepreneurial dreams of Hancock, a Sicklerville resident.
“Nick went from having a hobby to quitting his other job to successfully serving his mouth-watering food full time, as a market vendor, and selling out in the first two hours,” Ciallella said. “He looks forward to the day he has a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Every time I see him, he gives me a big hug of thanks.”
The music in the Gazebo is another major attraction at the market. Most of the musicians, who are soft rock or singer-songwriters, are local to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including Sam Caruso, John Shaughnessy, Dave Kelly, Jerry Mayall, Barry Hollander, and Tara Hendricks. Pete Donnelly is a national performer.
Many of the musicians play together in a famous local tribute band called Candy Volcano, which is a Bowie band.
The health-conscious Ciallella said that overall, the food Americans eat is creating a very unhealthy future for “our children and grandchildren.”
“Few children have an exposure to farms and farm fresh food, but it is so important for the next generation to have these options,” he said
Ciallella added that “with our children glued to their phones and other electronic devices, it is important to get them outside.”
“Take them to a farmer’s market, disengage from their screens and gain knowledge about how their food is grown, get some local recipes, and find out how the farmers keep their products fresh,” Ciallella said. “It is a day of education about nature, great music, and lots of fun.”
Mary Ellen Muth grows and sells flowers from her Muth Farm Flowers and is one of the original vendors at the Haddonfield Farmer’s Market. She sells flowers for everyday enjoyment and every occasion – weddings, new babies, birthdays, anniversaries, and even funerals.
She also makes bouquets on site, another personal touch that people enjoy and is a big draw to the market since it helps them connect with the backstory of the flowers.
“There is a nice community and family feel in Haddonfield, when I am there in the spring, summer, and fall,” Muth says. “We are near downtown, and people enjoy the music in the Gazebo. Week after week and season after season, I have helped a lot of regulars – that’s the aspect of the market I enjoy the most.”
She said many shoppers come not only to buy local but to connect with the seasonality of the plants and produce. “They are excited about the first peaches or apples of the season, and they want to learn about the farming involved.”
Muth says that it is an opportunity for someone who has never been there to “enjoy the ambiance of the area, visit the nice mix of music and musicians. It is a place for pedestrians to roam around and run into friends and neighbors.”
Eugena Yoo, who specializes in 100% natural produce from her Lanis Farm, started selling at the market last year and will returned for opening day this year. She has been a Bordentown family farmer for nearly 40 years, taking over from her father.
“I love that there are so many regulars,” she said. “I focus on the plants, and my brother’s area is the vegetables.
“This produce is extremely special and the taste is very different from other produce because we grow it without any sprays.
“I love that chefs from New York City come to visit us once a year to learn about how we are farming and appreciate all of the freshly grown items,” she said.
