I spent last weekend in Ocean City, which is in the southern region of the Jersey Shore. I've been going there for nearly my whole life and to me, the place is synonymous with the beach (obvs),
Mack and Mancos pizza (white with tomato and broccoli, please!),
Kohrs Bros custard (a twist cone),
Johnson's Caramel Corn (warm, and only the chunks) and
Shrivers Salt Water Taffy (a company that's been on the boardwalk for over 100 years that makes the best chocolate and coconut taffy). My family also takes full advantage of the fresh local produce from further inland, like blueberries (they are the best!), corn and tomatoes, but generally speaking, the town is more known for it's boardwalk fare than anything else foodwise.
Until now.
There is a family about three blocks from us who started growing their own corn about a year or two ago along side their house. The first time I saw it, I was floored—they are growing corn? Here? Right by the sidewalk?! They can do that?!—and have been slightly obsessed with their yard ever since. I mean of course they
can do this, and people have been growing their own food forever, but this is just not something I ever would have expected to see in a yard at the Jersey shore. Which makes me realize, in a very tangible way, that local food is no longer a trend. It's how we're really living.
When I took these images, the family wasn't home, so I haven't had a chance to get their story yet, but I do know that they have two rows of what I'm assuming is sweet corn. And it appears that they've staggered the planting so that the harvest doesn't all come in at once. I am curious how they decided to grow this particular crop, and what the challenges are with it—but mostly I just want to know who they are so that we can be friends!
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I spent last weekend in Ocean City, which is in the southern region of the Jersey Shore. I've been going there for nearly my whole life and to me, the place is synonymous with the beach (obvs), Mack and Mancos pizza (white with tomato and broccoli, please!), Kohrs Bros custard (a twist cone), Johnson's Caramel Corn (warm, and only the chunks) and Shrivers Salt Water Taffy (a company that's been on the boardwalk for over 100 years that makes the best chocolate and coconut taffy). My family also takes full advantage of the fresh local produce from further inland, like blueberries (they are the best!), corn and tomatoes, but generally speaking, the town is more known for it's boardwalk fare than anything else foodwise.
Until now.
There is a family about three blocks from us who started growing their own corn about a year or two ago along side their house. The first time I saw it, I was floored—they are growing corn? Here? Right by the sidewalk?! They can do that?!—and have been slightly obsessed with their yard ever since. I mean of course they can do this, and people have been growing their own food forever, but this is just not something I ever would have expected to see in a yard at the Jersey shore. Which makes me realize, in a very tangible way, that local food is no longer a trend. It's how we're really living.
When I took these images, the family wasn't home, so I haven't had a chance to get their story yet, but I do know that they have two rows of what I'm assuming is sweet corn. And it appears that they've staggered the planting so that the harvest doesn't all come in at once. I am curious how they decided to grow this particular crop, and what the challenges are with it—but mostly I just want to know who they are so that we can be friends!
