New Jersey harvests expected to exceed last year

This year’s fruit and vegetable harvests in New Jersey should be more robust than they were in 2022.

“Last year, New Jersey saw a late-spring freeze that affected the harvest of blueberries, peaches and some apple varieties that were in bloom when the cold hit,” said Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary and director of marketing for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. “This year, we are seeing heavy blossoms and fruit set and expect full crops with good availability throughout the season.”

New Jersey grows more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables on about 70,000 acres, Atchison said.

Asparagus, spinach, leafy greens, herbs and lettuces are some of the main spring crops, while the state is known for blueberries, peaches, peppers, eggplant, sweet corn, squashes and, especially, Jersey tomatoes in summer.

New Jersey had a mild winter with little to no snowfall across much of the state, Atchison said. Mild temperatures continued into spring, and there were no damaging frosts.

“At this point in the season, we anticipate everything to be of top quality given the favorable weather conditions,” he said in late April.

Egg Harbor City, N.J.-based Consalo Family Farms was able to begin harvesting two to three weeks ahead of schedule because of the warmer weather, said Chelsea Consalo, executive vice president. Full production on lettuce was expected to be underway in early May, and an early start on blueberries was anticipated as well.

The company offers a full line of New Jersey produce, which also includes herbs, cooking greens and wet vegetables.

“We also boast our summer citrus program, Little Smoochies,” Consalo said.

Custom pack sizes are available on any Little Smoochies item, including grapefruit, clementines, lemons and limes.

Quality was very good on early items, like radish, parsley, cilantro, spinach and kale, she said in late April.

The company’s volume will be up compared to 2022.

“We have done extensive research on varieties this year, which has enabled us to plant smarter,” she said. “This has already benefited us in terms of volume these first few weeks of the season.”

AeroFarms, an indoor vertical farming operation based in Newark, N.J., specializes in leafy greens and microgreens, said Marc Oshima, chief marketing officer and co-founder.

“We’re now the No. 1 brand at retail for microgreens,” he said.

The company’s seven kinds of microgreens and five kinds of baby leafy greens are grown in multiple farms in New Jersey. It also has a facility in the Middle East.

Products are distributed throughout the year across the U.S.

“Year-round availability really helps create a different level of engagement” compared to seasonal offerings, Oshima said.

Sine they’re grown indoors under a controlled environment with no pesticides, AeroFarms’ products can offer consistent quality, he added.

They’re freshly harvested and produced under the company’s FlavorSpectrum philosophy with packaging that associates with the product contents. For example, the micro spicy mix comes in a bright orange box that denotes the spicy flavor characteristic.

“It jumps out on the shelf and has strong visual appeal,” Oshima said.

The vertical growing method is up to 390 times more productive than field production and uses 95% less water than field operations, according to Oshima.

AeroFarms “is in growth mode,” he said

Last year, when the leafy greens category reported double-digit growth, “we were three times that,” he said.

Consalo of Consalo Family Farms said it makes sense for eastern buyers to choose New Jersey-grown produce.

“New Jersey’s unique geographic location makes transportation to retailers up and down the east coast very easy,” she said. “Timingwise, there is a great window of opportunity for many items with the season beginning in April and usually extending into November for some crops.”

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture will continue to promote its Jersey Fresh statewide branding program this season as it has for nearly 40 years, Atchison said.

“When consumers see the Jersey Fresh logo, they know they are supporting growers from the Garden State and getting top-quality produce that is frequently picked, packed and shipped within 24 hours,” he said.

AeroFarms supports the Jersey Fresh program, Oshima said.