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Montgomery’s Farmers’ Market Returns, Updates on Princeton & Hopewell Markets
May 29, 2025
5 min read
By Lea Florentine | Posted May 29, 2025
The Montgomery Farmers’ Market returns to the Montgomery Municipal Building in Skillman, off Route 206, on Saturday, May 31, from 10 am to 1 pm. The Blawenburg Band’s Dixieland Ensemble will perform from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm to help celebrate opening day.
Montgomery Friends of Open Space (MFOS) Market Manager Lorette Pruden says there will be live music most weeks throughout the summer. “It will be a blast!”
Grand Cru cut flowers
The Vendors
Grand Cru Farm in Stockton is new to the market this year. The farm is just north of the Green Sergeants Bridge, which is New Jersey’s last covered bridge.
Owner Danielle Cohen came to farming from financial technology (fintech), new technology that seeks to improve and automate the delivery and use of financial services.
For example, folks can now open a bank account over the internet, without physically visiting a bank, and link the account to a smartphone and use it to monitor transactions.
Cohen grew up in Philadelphia, lived in New York for a few years, then she lived in Paris for 15 years. Those years in France were the inspiration for the farm’s name.
Cohen said, “I admired the agricultural ethic, so we named the farm Grand Cru (or great growth) because we hope to make products that reflect our terroir at the highest possible level.”
Terroir is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop’s phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop’s specific growth habitat.
“We think New Jersey produce is the best in the country and can be the best in the world,” Cohen said.
Grand Cru is managed by Bec Guilloud. Cohen said, “I teamed up with Bec and hired her to run the farm because I was, and still am, a novice in farming and wanted to grow and raise vegetables and meats organically.”
Cohen says she loves Hunterdon County. Growing up on her grandparents’ farm in Hunterdon County, Guilloud said, “I fell in love with all things livestock.
“I studied biomathematics at Rutgers University and had a 10-year career in the pharmaceutical industry,” she said.
“My real motivator to return to the agriculture from my youth was food and health. The fluorescent lighting and synthetic nature of a corporate lifestyle had me feeling sick and tired, so I started eating local and working weekends on a farm.
“Once I tasted and felt the difference, I swapped pharma for farming!”
Grand Cru sells pasture-raised American Bresse chickens and their eggs.
Grand Cru offers various cuts of grass-fed Katahdin lamb. Guilloud notes, “Katahdins are a hearty sheep bred for meat production that don’t need to be shorn.”
The farm also offers whole pasture-raised organic American Bresse chicken and their eggs. Guilloud said, “They’re known for a rich, chicken-y flavor, which you’ll have to experience yourself to really know what I’m talking about.
“We also offer a classic pasture raised, organic meat chicken that is milder in flavor. We control the whole process from hatching to harvest.”
Guilloud notes Grand Cru also will be selling organic produce including lettuce, kale, chard, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and summer squash. She adds, “We offer a variety of herbs and fresh cut flowers too.”
Other New Vendors at the Montgomery Market
Urban farmers Inyul and Zaimus Rizwan of Trenton, will be selling microgreens, juices, and pesto. Specialties include Rambo and Daikon radishes, salad mix, and black oil sunflower.
Yash Kamal of Umrit Farm in Hillsborough, will be selling Desi/Southeast Asian vegetables.
New vendor Chris Doukas of Princeton makes olive oil from his father’s crop, grown organically in Greece. The olives in Legend Naturals extra virgin olive oils are grown near the village of Perdika by the Ionian Sea.
Doukas said, “Our oil is made exclusively from the Koroneiki variety, known for its high polyphenol content and vibrant green hue. They are hand-picked solely from our family-owned groves.
The oil is named for the nearby ruins of Elina, or Epirus, which dates from the fourth century.
Antijito’s Mexicanos
Tamales and tacos by Claudia Rodriguez and William Mendez of Hamilton.
Bountiful Bowl
Fresh lemonade and ice cream by Thomas Wu of Princeton.
Pavlo Kudelya of Cranbury Craft Distillery.
Shell’s Soaps
Michelle Cagnano of Tom’s River sells all-natural soaps, scrubs, and lotions.
Ground and whole bean coffee from Homestead Coffee Roasters in Bucks County, PA. Proceeds benefit programs that help military veterans pursue agriculture.
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Returning Vendors
Caribbean Classics
Jerk seasonings and spices by Omar Francis of Hillsborough.
Catalina Empanadas
Jimena & Mikl Hajek of Hopewell, all baked, with vegetarian and vegan available.
Goana Delights by Shiv Narayan
Shiv Narayan offers wild caught New Jersey Ahi tuna jerky.
Caroline and Bob Phinney of Montgomery have been at the market since its beginning. They sell organic eggs, herbs and teas, organic produce, flowers, jams, sauces, soups, and pesto, at the Eat Local Table.
Jarad Roper of Rocky Hill sells hand-crafted jams.
Pankaj and Reema Gupta of Princeton sell Southeastern Indian style sauces and prepared foods including butter chicken, chicken kebabs, samosas, and chicken puffs.
George Zell and Shumay Wang of Hillsborough offer a variety of mushrooms, heirloom pastured chickens, and Asian vegetables.
Montgomery Farmers Market gift certificates are being sold at the Eat Local table. Manager Lorette Pruden said, “We also accept SNAP, WIC and SFMNP, as well as offer double value on produce through Good Food Bucks.”
Pruden said there will be activities held in conjunction with Montgomery Township staff and the Montgomery Library on market days, “including the grand opening of the new inclusive playground in early June.
Seasonal and children’s activities will also be held, including Howl-o-ween, with a small parade of dogs in costume, in late October.”
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Montgomery Farmers
Produce and meats are also available at these farms around town:
Located at Bridgepoint and Dead Tree Run roads in Belle Mead.
Regeneratively produced vegetables (especially sweet corn), melons, and grass-fed and finished beef.
889 Route 518, Skillman.
Produce, eggs, and flowers.
Pariso Farm
404 Skillman Road, Skillman.
Vegetables, berries, fruits, and flowers.
105 Fairview Rd., Skillman.
Enjoy the freshest flavors of the season with our ever-changing selection of farm-fresh produce! Our offerings vary based on what’s growing best right now.
Other Farm Markets in the Area
Hopewell Farmers’ Market
Sundays, 9 am – 1 pm
62 East Broad St., Hopewell
Now through November 23,
Vendors:
Beechtree Farm, pasture raised beef, lamb, pork and eggs; homemade soaps, and greeting cards, Hopewell
Carolina’s Line, handmade children’s clothing, Pennington
Catalina Empanadas
Fairgrown Farm, produce, Hopewell
Sue LaRue, potted cactuses
Lee’s HoneyBees, Rocky Hill
Roper’s Way Farm
Sprouts Flowers, Princeton
Tript Foods
Zell’s Farm
Thursdays, 11 am – 3 pm
Hinds Plaza, Witherspoon Street, Princeton.
Now through Nov. 20
Vendors:
Abe’s Acres, organic produce and condiments, Hightstown
Backer Farm, pastured beef, poultry, pork, and eggs, Menham
Burek Mediterranean and Italian specialties by Zeni, Ewing
Catalina Empanadas
Cherry Grove Farm, grass-fed, pastured cheese, meat, and eggs; Lawrenceville
Chickadee Creek Farm, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers, Pennington
Davidson’s Exotic Mushrooms, Cherry Hill
Downward Doe Farm, jams and preserves; proceeds benefit animal sanctuary, Howell
The Granola Bar, Princeton
Hudson Grinding Company knife sharpening, Jersey City
Khloe’s Paw Pastries, pet treats, South River
Little Balkan, snacks and baked goods, Hamilton
Little Star Middle Eastern Foods, Princeton
Lost Bread Company, Philadelphia; most grain is grown in PA and milled in VT
Louie OG’s Café, fair trade coffee, herbal iced tea, and organic lemonade, Freehold
Maam Got Greens
Mediterranean Delicacies, Philadelphia
Nutty Novelties, nut butters, Telford, PA
Picklelicious, Teaneck
The Shepherd’s Pasture, naturally dyed wool, cashmere, and goat milk soap, Bordentown
Terhune Orchards, Princeton
Tript Foods
Whimsy Design, bookmarks, jewelry and wind chimes, Plainsboro, occasionally
