If you ’ve ever wondered why New Jersey is called the Garden State , S and R Farms will allow for an answer .
All photos courtesy of S & R Farms
Located in central New Jersey in Allentown just off the New Jersey Turnpike , the 350 - acre certify American Grown flower farm lies in the shadow of some of the most urbanised landscapes on Earth . New York City is an time of day northward on I-95 and Philadelphia is a half - time of day south .
But at S and R Farms , the view includes landed estate and Acre of peonies and helianthus .
“ You would never know that New York City is just around the box from here , ” said Nick Ricci , owner and head flower farmer at S and R Farms .
That proximity to major East Coast population inwardness also translates to a whole lot of possible customers nearby . Its localization makes commercialise a low priority for S and R Farms . There ’s no website and it has little presence on social media . But the demand for its flower is unassailable .
“ The need is never end , ” Ricci sound out . “ It ’s just about try on to get the right price for it . ”
S and R is a family cognitive process ask Ricci , his married woman , stepfather and father - in - law , with help from a work party of seasonal workers . Together they raise about 50 varieties of blossom on 350 Akko . helianthus get the most space with about 60 acres watch over by peonies on about 20 acres . There ’s also coxcomb , dianthus , feverfew , marigold and zinnias , to name a few .
due south and R Farms is all in the family . Nick runs the farm with his married woman , step - father and father - in - law .
mho and R gets its bloom to market via a internet of wholesalers and broker that put together bouquets for supermarket . It also relies on a group of independent sellers who supply flowers to small deli - eccentric storage in New York City .
“ It ’s actually a pretty big business , ” Ricci read . “ It might not reckon like much – each store will have three or four buckets – but you times that by 50 or 60 stores across the city and it ’s quite a bit of stuff and nonsense every week . ”
Despite all the nearby urban environment , farming has always a dependable fit for Ricci . He ’s work on farms his entire working life , starting with garden truck and incite to bloom .
“ It ’s always been farming for me , ” he said . “ I never really care anything else . ”
After working on a efflorescence farm for 10 years , he struck out on his own with the service of his stepfather , who had grown up on a farm in Vineland , N.J.
At the prison term they started looking for property , Princeton Nurseries , a major grower in the field since 1913 , was going out of business . They finish up buy three of Princeton ’s conterminous farm . “ It was perfect timing , ” Ricci say .
S and R started with peonies and gradually tote up more varieties . “ We ’ve grown every year , ” Ricci said .
entropy and R Farms rise a mixture of prime on 350 acres just outside the major metropolitan sphere of New York and Philadelphia .
succeeding development might include venturing into trade flowers straight to consumer at the farm . Many border produce growers have adopt farm tourism to help boost the bottom line . Ricci also is reckon sell peony via the cyberspace .
For now , becoming a evidence American Grown procedure is one elbow room to pad business . Ricci sound out he prosecute the certification at the petition of a couple of middleman who want to advertize their offerings as American - grown .
“ It really open up the gates to go other places , ” he read . “ People are starting to wish where their flowers come from . They want to buy flowers from here , not China or Colombia or wherever they ’re coming from . It divide you from everybody else . ”
For more information : American Grown Flowers916.441.1701[email protected]www.americangrownflowers.org
