Burlington County Farmers Market To Celebrate New Jersey’s Sweet Summer Melon Crops

Nothing says summer like a perfectly ripe melon, and the Burlington County Farmers Market will be celebrating the juicy, sweet crops this weekend.

The Burlington County Farmers Market’s first-ever Melon Day is this Saturday, August 1, at the Burlington County Agricultural Center (500 Centerton Road, Moorestown). Held during the market’s regular hours between 8:30 AM and 1 PM, the special melon-themed market day will spotlight numerous farms and vendors selling Jersey Fresh cantaloupes, watermelons (seeded and seedless red and yellow varieties), honeydew, and canary melons, plus plenty of melon-themed prepared foods and other sweet treats.

There will be melon basket raffles, children’s crafts, and a melon-themed cooking demonstration in the Farmhouse Kitchen at 10 AM. And since it’s also peach season, there will be free peach pie ice cream and peach crisp samples for all shoppers while supplies last.

“New Jersey is famous for its tomatoes and corn, but don’t skip out on its juicy sweet summer crops like melons and peaches,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Dr. Felicia Hopson. “The Burlington County Farmers Market is a fantastic place to shop for all varieties of Jersey Fresh produce and prepared foods, and Melon Day offers an extra helping of fun. It’s a great day to come see the market for newcomers who have never gone and regulars who shop there weekly.”

Melon Day this year also coincides with the start of this year’s America’s Farmers Market Celebration, an online poll conducted by the American Farmland Trust to crown the best farmers markets in the nation and in all 50 states.

The Burlington County Farmers Market finished No. 1 in New Jersey and No. 3 in the Northeast Region during the 2024 poll. It placed No. 2 in the state and No. 3 in the Northeast in last year’s poll.

Voting in this year’s poll kicks off Saturday and will continue until Sept. 30. Beginning Saturday, you can vote for the Burington County Farmers Market in the poll at https://markets.farmland.org/markets/313985 .

“This is the 20^th season of the Burlington County Farmers Market and we continue to see it grow in popularity every season,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel, the liaison to the County Department of Resource Conservation and Parks. “The market is a great place to discover new foods, meet farmers and artists, listen to live music, and soak up the atmosphere of our County Agricultural Center. We’re proud of the market’s success and what it means to the farms and agribusinesses it supports, and we want to encourage residents to visit, shop, and vote to make it the No. 1 market in the Garden State again.”

The Burlington County Farmers Market is held rain or shine each Saturday from May through late November. The market also holds several preseason market days in March and April, and postseason holiday markets in late November and early December.

For more information about the market, including a full list of participating vendors, visit https://www.burlcoagcenter.com/farmers-market/ and follow it on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/burlcofarmersmarket and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/burlcofarmersmarket/?hl=en .