About

Pocket Farms is dedicated to raising awareness about New Jersey’s great agricultural tradition. Our goal is to raise awareness of NJ’s small family-owned farms — The Pocket Farms and Roadside Stands that dot the NJ landscape.

In a time of increased demand for local, sustainable and organic products, New Jersey can play a vital role in the food systems of the New York and Philadelphia metro areas. Just as it has for well over two hundred years.

If you’d like to guest post on a topic on New Jersey agriculture, urban farms, market gardens, fisheries, local foods or local markets; email us at pocketfarms@gmail.com

Or follow on Twitter @PocketFarmsNJ

Pocket Farms is dedicated to raising awareness about New Jersey’s great agricultural tradition. Our goal is to raise awareness of NJ’s small family-owned farms — The Pocket Farms and Roadside Stands that dot the NJ landscape. In a time of increased demand for local, sustainable and organic products, New Jersey can play a vital role in the food systems of the New York and Philadelphia metro areas. Just as it has for well over two hundred years. If you’d like to guest post on a topic on New Jersey agriculture, fisheries, local foods or local markets; email us at pocketfarms@gmail.com

pocketfarms@gmail.com

Jack Harris

http://www.pocketfarms.wordpress.com

1

Who’s Behind Pocket Farms?

Pocket Farms is edited and published by Jack Harris. Jack has a long-standing interest in agriculture and environmental issues and has always wanted to own an Apple Orchard.

He helped create the Wreck Pond Watershed Preservation Coalition which saved the old Jimmy Byrne’s site alongside Wreck Pond from development. The site is now preserved as a wildlife habitat with access for walking, fishing, and boating. During his time in Minneapolis, Jack became a member of the Linden Hills Co-op and served on the Board of Directors.

A decade in Minnesota acquainted Jack with some of the great leaders in food politics and sustainable agriculture.

Growing up in Rahway, he learned the location of every Roadside Stand between Rahway and the Watchung Mountains via countless hours of running and biking. With Rahway Park and the Rahway River in his backyard he became intensely familiar with open space and open waters in one of the most densely populated areas in the country. Luckily, he only glows a few times a year from his time spent in and around the Rahway River as a kid.

But on a serious note, the Rahway River Association has done a wonderful job cleaning up the River and in raising awareness of this great little river.

Jack currently lives in coastal Monmouth County where he returned after working in New Orleans as Louisiana Comunications Director for Repower America.

He was an Eagleton Fellow at Rutgers Eagelton Institute of Politics and is a graduate student in communication specializing in organizational and political communication. Jack did his fellowship placement at the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Please feel free to suggest topics and offer contributions in your areas of interest or expertise.

Contributors

Jesse Dean

A grandson of farmers, Jesse was born and raised in Montana. He moved to New Jersey at the age of 19 in search of work opportunities, to escape the boredom of rural living and to be near New York City. Although his parents didn’t maintain a farm, they raised chickens (for eggs and meat). Jesse named each rooster and hen and fed his “pet” chickens every day, which is why he’d stay in his bedroom and refuse to speak to his parents on slaughter day. With his pet’s eggs, Jesse prepared his first omelet at age 4 and prepared an entire meal (including dessert) for his family at age 7. After working in sales and finance, Jesse earned a Bachelors degree in Sociology from Columbia University in 2008. Currently he’s the Director of Marketing & Communications at ReServe, a national nonprofit. He just joined the Sunset View Farm CSA and is looking forward to using ingredients from the farm to cook up a storm.

Editors Note: The site is dedicated to my grandfather, Raymond Garthwaite, who first introduced me to the highways and byways of New Jersey and who handed down to me his love of the Jersey Shore.

.