As October winds down in Northwestern New Jersey, our fields bring a colorful variety of fresh vegetables to your table. We’re harvesting hearty fall greens, crisp cabbage, root vegetables, broccoli, cauliflower, and an assortment of pumpkins and winter squash. These crops are made for comforting home-cooked meals, from roasted vegetable bowls and seasonal soups to hearty family dinners.
Eating in season is a delicious way to enjoy fresh, locally grown produce while staying connected to the land, the farmers who grow your food, and the agricultural community right here in Chester, New Jersey.
From Our Fields: What We’re Harvesting This Fall
Late October is a wonderful time to explore the flavors and variety of fall vegetables. Our harvest includes nutritious root vegetables, leafy greens, versatile brassicas, and winter squash in a range of shapes, colors, and flavors.
Root vegetables: Carrots and beets bring natural sweetness, vibrant color, and versatility to fall meals. Roast them with olive oil and fresh herbs, add them to soups and stews, or grate raw carrots into salads and slaws.
Hearty fall greens: Kale and collards are excellent additions to cooler-weather cooking. Stir chopped greens into bean soup, sauté them with garlic, or add kale to a warm grain bowl with roasted vegetables.
Colorful cabbage: Red and green cabbage add crunch, color, and plenty of possibilities to your recipes. Shred them into a crisp slaw, roast wedges until caramelized, or simmer cabbage with apples and onions for a comforting side dish.
Broccoli and cauliflower: These versatile vegetables are easy to incorporate into everyday meals. Roast broccoli with garlic and lemon, make creamy cauliflower soup, or try roasted purple or orange cauliflower for a colorful twist on a familiar favorite.
Kohlrabi: With its crisp texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor, kohlrabi is worth a taste if you haven’t tried it. Peel and slice it for a crunchy snack, shred it into slaw, or cut it into sticks and roast until tender.
Pumpkins and winter squash: Fall wouldn’t be complete without these seasonal favorites. Explore acorn, spaghetti, kabocha, honeynut, butternut, and delicata squash, each offering its own texture and flavor for both savory and sweet dishes. Freeze some to have on hand for winter breads and cakes or soups and stews.
Harvest availability changes throughout the season, so visit our farm markets to see what’s fresh and discover what’s currently available.
What’s Cooking? Easy Fall Meal Inspiration
Fresh produce doesn’t need complicated preparation to make a memorable meal. Here are a few ways to bring the harvest into your kitchen.
- Sheet-pan roasted vegetables: Toss carrots, beets, broccoli, and cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Roast until tender and serve alongside chicken, pork, or your favorite plant-based protein.
- Stuffed acorn squash: Roast halved acorn squash and fill with wild rice, sautéed kale, onions, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans for a satisfying autumn dinner.
- Creamy winter squash soup: Simmer butternut or honeynut squash with onions, garlic, vegetable broth, and warming spices. Blend until smooth and finish with a splash of cream or coconut milk.
- Roasted delicata squash: Slice delicata squash into half-moons, toss with olive oil, and roast until golden. Its edible skin makes preparation especially easy. Finish with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of Parmesan.
- Warm kale and white bean soup: Combine chopped kale, white beans, carrots, onions, garlic, and broth for a nourishing one-pot meal.
- Cabbage and carrot slaw: Shred red and green cabbage with carrots and toss with an apple-cider vinaigrette. Serve as a fresh side dish or add to sandwiches and grain bowls.
- A colorful cauliflower side: Roast white, purple, or orange cauliflower with olive oil, cumin, and paprika. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes, or your favorite protein.
These simple recipes make it easier to use what’s fresh, reduce food waste, and bring more variety to your family’s meals.
Why Eat in Season and Buy Local?
Eating seasonally means choosing fruits and vegetables that are naturally available at different times of the year. It encourages variety in your diet and gives you the chance to enjoy produce at its peak harvest time.
Buying locally also brings you closer to the source of your food. You can ask questions, learn about growing practices, discover unfamiliar vegetables, and better understand the work that goes into producing the food you bring home. Your purchases help support local farmers, preserve agricultural land, and strengthen the communities that depend on farming.
At Alstede Farms, we’re proud to grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables on our family farm in Chester, New Jersey. We believe that knowing your farmer makes the experience of eating fresh even more meaningful.
Find Fresh, Local Produce at Alstede Farms
We make it convenient to shop for fresh produce and locally sourced favorites at locations throughout the region. Whether you’re planning a weekend visit or picking up ingredients for dinner, there are several ways to find Alstede Farms products.
- Alstede Farms in Chester, NJ: Visit our main farm and farm store at 1 Alstede Farms Lane, open year-round.
- Alstede Fresh at Lindeken Farms in Wharton/Jefferson: Our year-round farm store offers fresh produce and additional local favorites.
- Alstede Fresh at Chester/Mendham: Stop by our seasonal farm stand on Route 24 for convenient access to farm-fresh products.
- Alstede Fresh at Bridgewater: Visit our seasonal farm stand on Route 202/206 for another convenient way to shop locally.
We also participate in nearly 20 farmers’ markets across New Jersey, bringing fresh produce and other farm favorites closer to the communities we serve. Check our farmers market schedule and locations before visiting, as seasonal schedules and availability may vary.
For more details about where to shop, visit our Ways to Eat Fresh guide.
Enjoy the Harvest All Season with Our Freshly Inspired CSA
Want to make locally grown produce part of your routine? Our Freshly Inspired CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program offers a convenient way to enjoy the harvest directly from our farm.
CSA members receive a box of farm-grown fruits and vegetables on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule, with produce grown and picked specifically for their shares. You can choose a share size that suits your household and customize the contents each week through our online CSAware platform.
A CSA membership also introduces you to the changing harvest throughout the growing season, helping you discover new ingredients, plan meals around what’s fresh, and build a closer connection to the farm that grows your food.
Fall is a great time to look ahead to next year’s harvest. Pre-season enrollment is an excellent opportunity to explore membership options and plan for the year ahead. Visit our Freshly Inspired CSA page to learn more and enroll.
Stay Connected to Your Food and Your Farmer
From roasted root vegetables and hearty soups to colorful winter squash dishes, the fall harvest offers countless ways to enjoy fresh, local ingredients. Every visit to a farm market, every farmers market purchase, and every CSA box helps connect your kitchen to the people and land behind your food.
We invite you to visit Alstede Farms, explore what’s available, and bring home something fresh for your next meal. Thank you for supporting local agriculture and making Alstede Farms part of your table.
