Category Archives: Food Products made in New Jersey

Day Three Hundred and Seventy-Three My new tourism project “Smile! You’re Visiting New Jersey” January 1st, 2026

My new logo for this blog project:

My logo for “Smile! You’re Visiting New Jersey!” created my very creative nephew, Artist Kyle McFarlane

I have found that the way we market the State of New Jersey boring. Most of the tourism books created by the state tourism board and the local county tourism boards just don’t capture all the wonderful things to do and see in the State of New Jersey. From our quirky beach communities to our unique small downtown based towns, each section of the state is so different.

When most tourists think of New Jersey, they think of the opening scene of “The Soprano’s”, with the glimpses of Newark Bay and the skyline of lower Manhattan or the more urban sections of the state that have their share of problems. What we miss about our great state is that every part of the state has so much to offer. We even run into the paradox of North and South Jersey, where part of our state roots for New York teams and the other for Philadelphia teams and never the two should meet (except over the summer when I was in Cape May when Philly played the Mets to a very mixed crowd of fans).

We range from big cities, university towns and commuter townships to historical small towns and Revolutionary War era villages that rival anything in Vermont or New Hampshire with their town squares and “Greens” to the 18th century architecture with signs that read “Washington Slept here”. Don’t write off communities such as Newark or Paterson, which have a host of great things to do and experience. We have so much to offer.

So from this point, I have created this site to mirror the work I am doing on blog “MywalkinManhattan.com, which is walking every inch of the Island of Manhattan and surrounding parts of New York City, to creating this site to do the same with every corner of the State of New Jersey.

I have recategorized all my New Jersey based blogs from museums and cultural sites to festivals and special events that I have experienced and walking tours that I have enjoyed that I want to share with readers. This also includes great restaurants, delis and bakeries that dot our great state. If you have not been to New Jersey then you are missing a lot.

So join me as we explore the great State of New Jersey and say “Smile! You’re Visiting New Jersey!”

I thought this was an interesting video to describe the state. I hope you enjoy it.

RH Farm 500 US 46 Hackettstown, NJ 07840

RH Farm

500 US 46

Hackettstown, NJ 07840

(908) 414-5662

https://www.facebook.com/serendipity665/

https://www.instagram.com/rhfarms_/?hl=en

Open: Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm/Monday-Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm (Seasonal)

My review on TripAdvisor:

RH Farm at 500 US 46

The front of the farm right before Halloween

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The sign welcoming you to the farm

I was out exploring the Route 46 corridor several years ago from Budd Lake to the Delaware Water Gap and I visited a series of small farm stands along the way. RH Farm at 590 US 46 was one of the standouts that I visited .

It was not just the selection of fresh produce I saw on each of my visits in both in the Spring and Fall, but it was the selection of the variety of goods there was to purchase and the way they were displayed.

There was also a nice selection of freshly baked goods, arts and crafts items and plants and flowers all beautifully displayed like a boutique.

The inside of the farm

The selection of pumpkins in the Fall

I love the way they decorate the farm for each holiday. They decorated not just the selling space but other parts of the farm as well like the grounds and the barn area.

The display of holiday crafts and pumpkins

The holiday display of pumpkins and flowers

The Halloween decorations

They have a wonderful selection of pumpkins and gourds for the Halloween and Thanksgiving season.

The pumpkin display

Even their barn which looks like it is falling down looks picturesque. The property has such a unique feel to it.

The outside grounds

Both in the Spring and the Fall, the trip to both Budd Lake and the Delaware Water Gap are a real treat. What beautiful views.

The beautiful foliage in the Fall of 2025 by Budd Lake

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The sun blazing in the Fall of 2025

The sun simmering on the lake at Budd Lake

The foliage by the lake

The views of the surrounding community in the Fall of 2025

Visiting the farm in the Spring:

Before I left Budd Lake I stopped at RH Farm stand, a small farmstand at 500 Route 46 West. I would spend most of my day exploring various farmstands along to way to see the selection and prices of the items. For the most part, everyone was charging New York City farmers market prices for produce. Some stand were charging $6.99 a pound for peaches and $12.00 for a small pie. I guess many of these people were hoping people from Manhattan were coming out for the day. I did find some decent prices but for the most part most of the stands were pretty expensive.

The entrance of RH Farms

RH Farm Farm Stand at 500 Route 46 West

This picturesque little farm stand has been in business since 2012 (I would have thought much longer) and offers an array of produce, gourmet products and flowers. I just thought it looked really nice. The prices are a little high though. Still quality does have a price tag to it.

The entrance of RH Farm Stand

The inside of RH Farms Farm Stand

The inside of RH Farms

The beautiful flower arrangement at RH Farms

The peaches and produce at RH Farms

4th of July display in Summer of 2024

4th of July display in the Summer of 2024. Uncle Sam looks on

Christmas display in the Summer of 2024

The plant display in the Summer of 2024

Their little cat welcome me with a couple of charming rubs to my legs.

History of the Farm:

(from the farm website)

RH Farms LLC is a local family-run Farm that has been producing delicious fresh products since 2012. We strive to make the most of everything the great outdoors has to offer. Our products are fresh from the field, so you can be sure you are buying the best quality produce. Come visit us with your family for a day of fun at RH Farms LLC.

We’re dedicated to providing a traditional farm experience to everyone in The Northern New Jersey area. Our crops, flowers and home furnishings bring visitors closer to nature while providing a memorable experience. We pride ourselves on our advanced farming methods so we can protect the environment while providing the community with only the freshest food. Contact us to learn more about our goals and missions.

Day Three Hundred and Fifty-Two Walking the International Fancy Food Show June 29th-July 1st, 2025

Entering the Summer Fancy Food Show on Sunday morning on the first day of the show

https://www.specialtyfood.com/fancy-food-shows/summer/

Walking the aisles on the first day of the show is a lot of travel. The main floor of the show is almost three football fields long and there are so many vendors to stop and see that I have learned to pace myself.

You can not stop and eat every cookie, cracker and piece of cheese at every booth. I try to see that the vendor is offering a unique looking product and then I stop and take notes. If I really like the products, then I will take the literature.

If I really thought the product was innovative or tasted really good then I asked for a sample on the last day and took a picture of the booth.

The Italian Pavilion was one of the most popular at the show in 2025

The show didn’t seem as busy as it was in the past. The first day of the show, I could walk down every aisle without bumping into anyone. It also seemed to be more of a college and non-industrial crowd.

They would hover around the popular booths like the pizza and ice cream booths and then chomp away at the food. Even the vendors know not to waste their time. The issues is that you never know who you are dealing with and when you may see them again in the future. So you have to be very careful not to alienate anyone at these shows because today’s college student is tomorrow’s food executive.

The Italian Pavilion was one of most visited sections of the show

https://www.specialtyfood.com/visit-the-italian-pavilion-to-experience-the-art-of-taste-at-the-2025-summer-fancy-food-show/

As I walked the show, there were certain vendors that just stood out. I was really impressed by the innovation from the foreign pavilions especially those in the South Korean, Italian and Vietnamese Pavilions with their colorful packaging, innovative logos and wonderful tasting products. I was very impressed with what was being made abroad.

There were many smaller American food manufacturers that I thought were really innovative as well. There were all sorts of drinks, spicy snacks and baked goods that I thought had a lot of potential for a mass market audience.

So for the next three days I sampled and snacked my way through the long aisles of the show. This show didn’t have the same number of vendors as previous years, noting that I finished walking the show in three days with plenty of time for another trip down the aisles to revisit certain vendors.

Much of the lower part of the second building was used as theater space for lectures and talks which I had not seen in previous years. Still there was a lot of innovation in the show and I wanted to point out the products that I thought stood out in the three days I was at the show.

Day One: Visiting the vendors and pavilions on the first floor

The Italian Pavilion:

The Italian Pavilion this year offered so many wonderful products from pasta to sauces and spices that there was a lot to choose from. There were so many vendors selling those types of products that they got lost in the shuffle. Where the products shined and stood out was in the Snack and Beverage category.

The first interesting product I tasted was Protein chips

These crispy chips were packed with flavor and had a nice snap to them. What made them stand out to me was not just the intensity of the flavors but the creativity of the packaging. I got to sample both the Paprika and the Salt & Vinegar and loved the flavors.

The Bonta Lucane Chips were excellent

http://www.bontalucane.com/?lang=en

These crispy chips had a nice crunchy taste and a light hint of spices and olive oil. These chips are the perfect snack with a glass of wine or to start a meal with cheeses.

Bergotto Sodas were one of the standouts in both in the Italian Pavilion and in the Fancy Food Show

The Bergotto sodas were one of the standout beverages of the show. They were packed with fruity flavors that were refreshing and I loved the packaging. The sodas were really refreshing on this extremely hot day. I think they will do very well in the American market.

The I Marcoritti Italian Grissini products

These tiny breadsticks from Italy, called ‘Grissini bites, are really addictive and you can not stop crunching your way through these cheese and pizza tasting snacks. These cheesy little bites were very addictive.

The Italian Pavilion had many standout items and was one of the biggest contributors to the show this year. I loved their packaging and their representatives could not have been nicer.

The South Korean Pavilion:

South Korean Pavilion with its colorful and tasty snacks, candies and sodas. Their selection of noodle based dishes and spices again are a standard in many companies from here and abroad.

https://www.specialtyfood.com/news-media/news-features/association-press-releases/korea-pops-seafood-soars-and-more-top-trends-from-2025-summer-food-show-according-to-the-specialt/

Where the South Koreans stood out was in snacks and beverages. Outside of the French, the South Koreans had some of the most unique and creative packaging at the show. The flavors of their products burst with flavors of fruits and spices. I had to take my time to taste products later on that I would see in Asian markets in Bergen County, NJ.

The Poppi brand from South Korea

https://drinkpoppi.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqJw9ywCkecyM0-bw7gol1WmL9xf3SZCVm2_8SurUzpiHroLxQp

This delicious line of sodas had tiny gelatin pearls at the bottom of them and came in so many wonderful flavors. The drinks were so refreshing after a long day of walking around and you have to shake the bottom of the can to get the pearls out and it is worth it.

The milk sodas Latte Pop were surprisingly sweet and refreshing and did not taste like a milk based product. They tasted like a fizzy version of Strawberry or Banana milk.

https://www.gulfood.com/exhibitors/tulip-international-inc

https://www.tulipint.com/about-us

Badasori New Fish Pop chips from the South Korea Pavilion had an interesting flavor

https://sunhae.tradekorea.com/main.do

https://sunhae.gobizkorea.com/mini/site/productList.do

These interesting snack chips called “New Fish Pop” had an intense and interesting flavor. I found out that these are made with Alaskan Pollack and had no flour in them. The Honey Butter and the Chili flavors were delicious and I thought a pretty original product.

The Lemon curd ice cream from Bold Spoon really stood out amongst the ice cream I sampled that first day. The fresh ingredients and the creamy consistency stood out amongst the vendors trying to recreate the same flavors

https://www.boldspooncreamery.com/

These delicious flavors were dense and creamy and were the best ice creams that I tasted in the show. What stood out to me was that you could really taste the lemon and cream in every bite.

The Women’s Owned Companies Pavilion:

There were many ‘women owned and run’ businesses being showcased at the show. One of the products in the Women’s Owned set of booths on the lower level was the ‘Cinnamom’, cinnamon bun products. These sweet, chewy and decadent desserts were the brainchild of the mother/daughter team who own the company. It was the owners grandmother who had come up with the recipe for these sweet and rich desserts.

The ‘Cinnamom’ cinnamon bun products

https://www.instagram.com/cinnamombakery/?hl=en

Video on the product

The ‘Cinnamom’ baked products were some of the best new items at the show that tasted

My favorites were the buttery regular cinnamon rolls and the ones topped with a thick butter cream icing. I had to go back all three days at the show just to try each of their flavors. These rich desserts deserved a lot of attention.

OMG Pretzel Snacks

https://omgpretzels.com/shop/?srsltid=AfmBOop6HuRsZVdSg6dgBcBjlTeeSrYK4i6PRi5lQEAs_aEns9nNe8C6

The pretzel snacks from OMG were Oh My God! These tasty little pretzel bites are excellent. They are crisp and crunchy and full of flavor. The two that stood out to me were the Salty Butterscotch and the Buffalo flavors and I enjoyed crunching on them.

The first day of the show was a trial of sampling and tasting and as usual I did not pace myself the way I should have. Too many flavors and consistencies plus add in the bad humidity outside for all three days for the show made me stuffed and tired but in a good way.

Five Boro Block Party on the first day of the show:

After the first day of the show, the Specialty Food Association sponsored the Five Boro Block Party again with free food trucks and costumed characters walking around. It was so hot and humid the first two days of the show, I did not know how people were walking around with jacket and tie let alone in costume. The woman who was our Statue of Liberty character lasted about twenty minutes in her costume before she had to go back inside.

The sign for the Five Boro Block Party outside the Javis Center after the first day of the show

All the vendors, merchants, industry people and buyers at the Five Boro Block Party

The actor who played the Statue of Liberty lasted about a half hour out in this heat in that costume

Still she had a lot of fun entertaining everyone on stilts

They had a nice assortment of food trucks to choose from and the food was really good but I was not hungry. I had covered the whole first floor and part of the second floor that morning and afternoon. While the traffic was a little lighter than it had been in the last two years, it took a lot of time to try and sample some of the newer vendors and I had completely lost my appetite. The site of food was not very appealing but I still wanted to see what the trucks were offering. Thank God it was just light bites.

Food Truck Catering Company made a Chicken Adobo that looked interesting until I realized it was thigh meat.

I was not a big fan of chicken thighs but the spices on this dish were fantastic

The Glazed and Confused Food Truck had the best doughnuts

The Fried Powered Doughnuts were delicious

I only lasted at the block party for about a half hour before I went home. The heat was so unbearable and so many of the exhibitors were in jacket or jacket and tie in that heat, I was not sure how they lasted.

I was full and exhausted and just wanted to get home and go through my notes from the first day, plus I had class the next morning and then had to run back in for the second day of the show so it was would a busy next two days. I just wanted to relax after all that walking and sampling. I took some good notes and found some excellent vendors who had wonderful product.

The Second Day of the Show:

The second day of the show I got there late after my morning class and was able to cover the whole lower level of the show.

Pop Daddy popcorn display

https://popdaddysnacks.com/

These crispy little snacks I have tried in the past and I thin have a really crispy texture and some interesting flavors to choose from.

Cork’s Gourmet Popcorn

https://corkspopcorn.com/

Cork’s Gourmet Popcorn was one of the best popcorns that I tasted at the show. Not only was the popcorn well spiced and flavored. The Sweet Thai Chili and the Buffalo Ranch were two interesting flavors. The company uses a type of popcorn that is really fluffy and you do not see small kernals.

The Soup Dumplings from Nom Wah

https://www.nomwah.com/

The Soup Dumplings at the Nom Wah booth I waited around for several times during the show and it was well worth the wait. These juicy and succulent dumplings were one of the best items I tasted at the show and made me want to go down to the restaurant ( but alas they STILL do not accept a Visa or Mastercard). The quality of these dumplings are excellent and the company has very high standards.

PGI Soups tasted homemade

PGI Soups

I sampled several of the soups from PGI Foods and I could not tell the difference between these and homemade soups. The quality and taste were amazing. The woman who worked the booth encouraged me to ‘try them all’. The New England Clam Chowder was rich and creamy with lots of clams in them. The Broccoli Cheddar Soup had a rich and sharp flavor and the Lobster Bisque was so well spiced. A definite winner for any restaurant not wanting to make them from scratch.

Krispy Calamari snacks are a real surprise

The Krispy Calamari snack was one of the best snacks that I tasted at the show and was one of the most unusual. These chewy and highly flavored snacks I thought was one of the best cross-over snacks I had seen at the show. It is easy to devour the Original and Spicy Cajun and I had to visit the booth more than once to ‘try them’.

Korean Rice Snacks from Lotte

https://www.lotte.co.kr/global/en/business/compDetail.do?compCd=L104

Another favorite snack of mine from the South Korean Pavilion (I am telling you they had the most flavorful snacks at the show). These crispy little circles of rice flour and honey mixed with some spicy flavors made the perfect snack. These highly addictive snacks had such a sweet and savory taste to them. The people working the booth saw that I liked them so much they gave me several bags to take home and sample. I loved these snacks!

I took the samples home and tried them on my own and I think they have huge potential

Assr Corn Dogs

https://www.tradeindia.com/assr-foods-ltd-8225578/

I loved this product that was more of cheese on stick then a traditional corn dog. These pops had a crispy coated that was mixed with different spices. These were being fried constantly as everyone wanted to sample them. I loved the stringy consistency and the delightful flavors they had.

The Pollack Flavored Chips from Lotte Foods

I kept going back to the South Korean Pavilion to try more of their sweet and savory snacks. These were O-ING, which were Pollack flavored fish snacks. These highly spiced snacks were a big hit with me and I am not a big fish lover. These spicy snacks are the perfect item when you want a quick snack with a soda or general snacking. The people at the booth gave me a couple of different flavors to take home and try.

These were light and spicy and had a nice crunch to them

I had sampled many different types of cookies through the show that soft, hard and some all natural. I found that cookies or any baked product that does not have flour, sugar, butter and eggs just have not flavor or consistency to them.

The cookies from Fancy Pants Cookies really stood out as a crispy, crunchy product sweet product that would be popular at any age. I love their packaging as well.

Fancy Pants Cookies

https://fancypantsbakery.com/

The Fancy Pants cookies were small, crisp cookies that had a nice crunch to them. The cookies have such a nice taste to them. These tiny cookies are packed with flavor and have a nice bite to them. I was happy trying each flavor that they gave me a few bags to sample at home. The Birthday Cake flavor is hands down the best flavor.

The sample I brought home with me were the Birthday Cake flavor

Of the American beverage companies that I tried at the show, Harney & Sons Tea is a fan favorite of mine since I went to a sampling at the Cornell Club years ago (the owner is a Cornell Alumnus-Go Red!). I love these infused all natural teas.

Harney and Sons Tea drinks

https://www.harney.com/

The were closing down for the evening and they gave me a few bottles to take home. I was not too keen on the Rose flavored but the original and Orange Mango flavored were delicious. I have always loved their products when I visit the upscale bakeries and cafes in Manhattan.

Last Day of the Show:

On my last day of the show, I got in late because of early morning classes and wanted to collect samples so that I could try things at home. By 2:30pm, vendors were literally throwing samples in my canvas bag like I was going trick or treating. No one wants to take these home with them or back to the office. I really appreciated the samples that the vendors gave because it gave me the opportunity to taste and nibble on things on my own time.

These are some of the products that I highly recommend:

The Real Veggie Brussel sprouts from Woodridge Snacks were delicious when I sampled them

https://woodridgesnacks.com/

I am not a big fan of Brussel Sprouts but my mind and opinion on them was changed when the representative from Woodridge Snacks gave me a few bags of his product to try at home. I had been impressed by the flavors. These crunchy little snacks are different from others that I had tried at the show. These were made a real whole Brussel sprout leaves and a cheesy spicy flavoring to them. I was surprised and delighted by them.

These savory little snacks have such flavor packed into these crunchy treats

Another series of snacks I tried on my own were the brown rice puff snacks from Morihaku Confectioney LTD. These crunchy puffs were a nice alternative to the other puffy snacks that I have tried in the past. I got to try the three flavors Mild Curry, Grilled Corn and Yuzu Salt Koji when I got home.

The Brown Rice Puffs by Morihaku Confectioney LTD. from the Japan Pavilion

The Savoysmiths Kettlechips with Somerset Cheddar and Shallots are excellent

These potato chips were wonderful. The representative from the company at the show gave me a big bag of the Somerset Cheddar and Shallot flavors. These were crisp, savory and packed with flavor. These thick kettle chips are what the English would call ‘crisps’. That gave them their crisp bit.

Another popcorn that I always enjoy sampling at the show and have some of the most mellow representatives are Fisher’s Popcorn, a beach favorite. They have shops near my mother’s house in Delaware and I love their fresh popcorn. I always have to nudge them for samples after the show and they are always happy to oblige because I love their product so much.

The Fisher’s Popcorn with Caramel and Old Bay Seasoning are excellent

https://www.fishers-popcorn.com/

Their popcorn is excellent

Hands down, their Caramel Old Bay seasoning popcorn is the best flavor. Sweet and savory with every bite and has the best taste to it. You will go through several handfuls with one of the bigger bags.

Heart Beats from the Peek Freens Company are these sweet little Elephant ears

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peek_Freans

These tiny little sweet and crisp cookie were like eating tiny Elephant Ear pastries. Their sugary top was caramelized and I crunched my way through the whole bag. This is the perfect snack for kids for their lunch boxes. Delightful and sweet!

The last product that I took home with me was the Rotten brand of candies. This sweet and puckery candies had the best packaging and display at the show. I thought these would be

Rotten Candy Gummies and Worms had some of the most unique packaging

https://eatrotten.com/

Not only did I love the packing and display of this product but the taste was great. Sweet and tart with every bite and my favorite one were the Sour Gummy Cruncheez. These candy coated with sprinkles jellies have a double sweetness to them and a crunchy exterior that is colorful and fun. These are the perfect candy to market to museums like the Children’s Museum of New York and the American Museum of Natural History. Any place that kids could get their hand on them.

The sprinkler coated gummies have a nice sweet and sour pucker flavor to them

I loved these puckery little candies and I loved the creative packaging.

The worms had a same sweet consistency

These are pictures of some of the food items that I sampled at the show.

Sampling a Shrimp sandwich in the Japanese Pavilion

The savory Chinese pie with ground pork and a type of non-dairy cheese

I thought it was a very successful food show with wonderful items, a lot of creative new vendors and a lot of trusted old ones with quality products and innovative packaging. There are many items that I think will do well in the American market and I don’t think many of the foreign vendors should underestimate the American customer and what they will eat.

There is a lot that I hope to see on the shelves in the next year!

The Hain Celestial Group Inc./Garden Veggie Straws Division

221 River Street

Hoboken, NJ 07030

1-800-913-6637

Garden Veggie Straws are a delicious, crunchy and flavorful snack

Yum!

Day Three Hundred Twenty-Nine: Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. presents “Promoting Bergen County Farms: Visiting Old Schraalenburgh Farm and Farm Stand in Closter, NJ” December 12th, 2024

In my live classes, I open my consulting company, “Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.”, for business and the whole class bands together and we have one big project. In the era of post-COVID and online learning, I was lucky that I was able to teach one of the live classes on the Bergen Community College, Paramus Campus. It was such a pleasure welcoming students back to campus with live lectures and conversing with them.

The Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. corporate logo of the six trees

Contact Us

In the past, I have created these projects under the Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. banner, the main consulting company, the Orion Malls banner, a Mall design company and the Buscomonzefi.com banner, my Tech Division. Each business does its best to be creative, forward thinking and have a thought producing presentations. I also challenge the students to top on another in their presentations and build on what they have seen others do in the past.

Professor Justin Watrel, CEO & Co-Founder of Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc.

I had done a blog promoting the farms (what is left of them) in Bergen County and thought this might be an interesting subject to research further. Farms are destination not just for walking around but for shopping, dining and for entertaining.

I chose Old Schraalenburgh Farm because of the beauty of the farm during the various seasons, the quality of the food and dining options and the location of the farm in comparison from the other larger farms like Alba and Demarest, who have bigger options such as apple picking and hayrides.

Old Schraalenburgh and Farm Stand at 110 Schraalenburgh Road in Closter, NJ:

https://www.abramdemareehomestead.org/the-farm

https://www.facebook.com/abramdemareehome/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46367-d5269898-Reviews-The_Farm_Stand-Closter_New_Jersey.html?m=69573

My review on LittleShoponMainStreet@Wordpress.com:

I talked with their manager one day after class and he seemed intrigued by the idea of new promotions for the farm stand and restaurant. So I put the proposal together, presented the project to the students and then I arranged the Team Field Trip and then we visited as a class.

The Proposal for the project “The Farms of Bergen County, NJ: Visiting Old Schraalenburgh Farm and Farm Stand”:

On a sunny October afternoon, we spent class time touring the farm with the manager of the farm. It was the first time some of the students had had a field trip like this before for a business project.

Our Team visit to the farm in early October

Our host and partner in the project, Manager of the farm Nick Griepenburg, explaining the workings of the farm

Explaining the growing season at the farm and the honeybee business

Visiting the honeybee hives and the honey business on the farm that supplies fresh honey to baked items and for sale in jars on the farm

Visiting the chicken coops which supply eggs for baked goods and fresh eggs sold in the farm store

The Teams feeding the chickens on the farm and hearing about how they supply items sold on the farm

The Team on the Farm

The Team at the end of the tour

After the tour, we went took our Team picture for the Paramus Team working with the farm. This helps the Student Consultants create their own memories of the project and is part of their resume building.

Our group shot at the farm

After the tour, I took the Student Consultants to lunch at Pompilio’s Pizzeria at 223 Westwood Avenue in Downtown Westwood, NJ for a pizza lunch and time for them to get to know each other. These are always successful meals and gives everyone a chance to talk.

Pompilio’s Pizzeria & Restaurant at 223 Westwood Avenue in Westwood, NJ

https://www.pompiliospizzeria.com/

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46923-d4643410-Reviews-Pompilio_s_Pizzeria_Restaurant-Westwood_New_Jersey.html?m=69573

Team Two having lunch together and creating their game plan for the project

Team Three enjoying a pizza lunch together

This is how we create Team Building and getting the Student Consultants to get to know one another. It is an important part of the project. We break bread with one another and it is how we start the Team project. It was a nice afternoon over good food and conversation and how we are going to market this wonderful farm to foreign and domestic visitors.

Now four Teams will compete with one another to create a Digital Marketing Campaign, Special Events and promoting their wonderful bakery, restaurant, ice cream and flower businesses. Each Team will create a new logo, a commercial for the farm and develop three holiday events to bring families to the farm.

What was good about the project is that is that I hope it helps build their bakery, jelly and ice cream businesses as well.

Their ‘cottage’ businesses during Valentine’s Day

The homemade ice cream business

The homemade jelly business

One event is “Spring in the Air”, will promote the flower gardens and the floral business. They will create an event entitled “The Bunny Visits” with an Easter Egg Hunt on the farm with candy souvenirs. Another event is “The Spirits of Halloween”, for families looking for Fall events like Hay Rides, Corn Mazes and a Haunted Barn event. They will create a special Halloween menu from the Farm’s restaurant list for visitors. It will also promote the pumpkin and apple business.

The last event in development for the Teams is a winter event entitled “Mr. and Mrs. Snowball Arrive”, a secular event enjoyed by all families. This event will open the holiday season on the farm.

After the tour was over, the students spent the next five weeks creating their game plans and putting their creativity to good use developing commercials and shooting them on the farm, formulating logos to rebrand the farm and figuring out how to bring more traffic to the farm.

The student presented the project to myself and to Nick, the manager of the farm who helped me judge the presentations. It really was a great afternoon of new ideas and new ways of looking at the business.

The Corporate Website for the Farm Division of the Paramus Team:

https://bergeccoparcconsultingfirmcom.wordpress.com/

The Presentation of “Visiting the Farms of Bergen County”:

The presentation is done in various languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Albanian, Korean, and Persian.

The PowerPoint Presentation for the Presentation:

The Farm Commercial for Team One:

See PowerPoint Presentation

The Farm Commercial for Team Two:

https://www.youtubeeducation.com/watch?v=VKzaIIcvNWo

The Farm Commercial for Team Three:

See PowerPoint Presentation

The Farm Commercial for Team Four:

See PowerPoint Presentation

The Holiday Dinner Project (Quiz Four):

For Quiz Four, I developed the Holiday project to build comrade and prepare the students for their formal presentation. The students are requested by Corporate to create a Holiday menu, an invitation and a holiday greeting in English and Spanish. They have forty-five minutes to create all this and it is always fun to watch how it all comes together.

The PowerPoint presentation on the Holiday Project:

The video on the Holiday Project:

The Presentation Day December 11th, 2024:

I have to admit I was a little nervous about the Presentation to the Farm that morning. Nick , the manager of the farm showed up on time as well as several parents and friends of the students showed up to watch as well. It ended up being a very fine Presentation with not too many hiccups and I was very proud of the students for all their hard work on the project. Since much of the work was done ahead of time, there was time to fine tune the project before the Presentation and that made a difference.

What I liked about the Presentation was the at the Introduction was done in English and Arabic with my Introduction in English and Spanish. About six languages were spoken during the Presentation and I saw some students confidence rise when they spoke in their native tongue. This gave the Presentation a more International appeal and I hope for that when people watch these videos all over the world in the future.

Me with my SVP of Operations Moamen Abdallah and President Gianna Cantatore after the presentation

The Corporate shot of me with the Paramus Farm Team after the Presentation

What I liked about the projects that this Team created is that they are so workable and can be adapted quickly with not a lot of expenses. Since the farm has all the products the Teams used either to raise money or use as refreshments, its a win win for the farm.

I found Nick, the Manager of the farm, to be very open to the student’s suggestions and it gave him many new ways of looking at the farm. After the Presentation was over, there was time for a Question & Answer session where Nick made some really good points. The students did an excellent job creating menus for the restaurant, interesting ideas on promoting the ice cream, bakery and honey businesses and general merchandising and packaging ideas to promote all the wonderful merchandise sold at the farm. It really was an afternoon of creative Marketing and all of this was done in five weeks.

What was the best part of this project was that I felt we made a real contribution in promoting this wonderful farm for domestic and foreign tourism and hope it has an impact in the farm’s future.

Now you have to go and try their farm burger!

Yum!

The Farm during the Christmas holidays after the project was over December 2024:

The outside of the farm decorated for Christmas

The decorations were very festive

The outside of the farm at the holidays

The inside of the Farm Stand Restaurant during the holidays

The delicious looking holiday pies at the farm stand

The farm is a lot of fun any time of the year.

Goodie Girl Birthday Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Goodie Girl logo

The delicious cookies from Goodie Girl Bakery