JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, NJ (Morris County) – Residents in the Jefferson Township area will soon have convenient and year-round access to fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables produced at Alstede Farms, a family-owned and operated farm that has nourished New Jersey families for 40 years.
Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms, located at 54 Route 15 at Berkshire Valley Road, will open on April 1, according to Kurt Alstede, founder of Alstede Farms.
Additional details, including hours of operation, will be announced soon, Alstede said.
Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms will offer seasonal locally-grown fruits and vegetables direct from the Alstede farm fields in Chester. There will also be apple cider, home-baked pies, dairy products, cider donuts, jams, jellies, and soups; as well as other grocery items. Families can also purchase Christmas trees in December, sign up for the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and access free online recipes for healthy meals, and snacks.
The farm store is Alstede Farms’ fourth location and, according to Alstede, the area’s only locally sourced farm store.
“We can’t wait to share with families the goodness of what we grow,” Alstede said. “That we make this goodness accessible to everyone, every day, matters to us. We look forward to being an important part of the local community.”
With the opening of the farm store, Alstede Farms is continuing a tradition started 73 years ago by the Stanlick family when it opened Lindeken Farms in 1949. Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms’ current retail space was formerly occupied by Lindeken Farms which, for generations improved families’ quality of life by providing a steady supply of locally grown produce.
“Major building renovations and an architectural refresh are underway to better reflect the Alstede Farms brand, but the spirit of the building remains,” Alstede said. “Our family and our team members are proud to continue Lindeken Farms’ tradition and keep the Stanlick legacy alive in the community.”
Alstede is a first-generation farmer who started Alstede Farms in 1982. His wife, Mary Thompson-Alstede comes from a family that has farmed in Chester for more than 100 years. Alstede’s children inherited a passion for farming and plan to remain in the business while completing their college degrees and using their talents and gifts as second-generation farmers.
Alstede Farms’ original retail store is located on their family farm at 1 Alstede Farms Lane in Chester. Two farmstands – Alstede Fresh at Mendham/Chester (378 Route 24, between Mendham and Chester) and Alstede Fresh at Bridgewater (831 US-206, Bridgewater Township) – operate seasonally, from April to November.
Alstede Farms is best known for its 300 plus varieties of fresh produce harvested on 800 acres of preserved farmland in Morris County. The farm offers the area’s largest selection of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, pumpkins, peppers, tomatoes, and more. A tractor-drawn hay wagon transports customers to and from the farm fields.
The farm is also Home to the Blooming Giants, 12 acres of land growing successive plantings of sunflowers. For more information, visit www.alstedefarms.com.
