Craft Beer To Be Sold At County Farmers Market In Moorestown

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Craft beer will be served in Moorestown this weekend as part of Burlington County Farmers Market’s opening weekend, county officials announced. The farmers market opens for the 2021 season on Saturday at the Burlington County Agricultural Center on Centerton Road in Moorestown.

It will then run 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday at a renovated barn on the site through October. It always features a wide variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables, cheeses, meats, flowers, plants and baked goods, along with an assortment of handmade crafts.

Craft beer will be available for the first time, under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in February that allows the New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control to issue special seasonal permits to New Jersey breweries or wineries to sell their products at farm markets.

It comes at a time when Moorestown is considering allowing craft breweries to open in the township. Read more here: Breweries May Be Coming To Moorestown; Liquor Licenses To Be Sold

Marlton-based Zed’s Beer will sell on Opening Day and on the first Saturday market of each month. Burlington City-based Third State Brewing will sell at markets on the 4th Saturday each month.

Beer sales will be for off-site consumption, though overage adults will be permitted to try a limited number of samples at the market, officials said.

“It’s a nice addition to what was already one of the most popular and well-attended farmers markets in our region,” Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson said. “Breweries like Zed’s and Third State are important small businesses in two great communities, so we’re pleased to offer them this opportunity to gain additional exposure and sales.”

There will also live entertainment from area musicians on each day of the market. Moorestown-based band Opus Soul is slated to perform on Opening Day.

“Our farmers markets were always a big attraction, but last year we saw just how important they could be for our residents living through a pandemic,” Burlington County Commissioner Linda Hynes, liaison to the Department of Resource Conservation and Parks, said. “The markets provided a place for residents to come and shop for fresh, locally-grown produce, foods and crafts in a safe, open-air environment, and we’re thrilled to welcome folks back for a new season. We expect it will be the best one yet.”

Although capacity limits surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have been relaxed in recent months, customers and vendors will still be required to wear face masks or face coverings when attending the market, officials said.

The Farmers Market is one of the chief attractions at the Agricultural Center, a 68-acre former dairy farm on the Moorestown-Mount Laurel border that the county preserved in 2005.

A portion of the property continues to be leased for farming, and the site also features community gardens and demonstration gardens, field plots maintained by the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service and a commercial kitchen.

“Burlington County’s support for farming and agriculture is well-known. We are home to New Jersey’s first preserved farm, and we are among the top 10 in the nation for acres of farmland preserved,” Hopson said. “The Agricultural Center reflects our farming heritage and tradition, as well as our ongoing commitment to keep agriculture alive and vibrant in our county.”