By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN – A new farm stand featuring vegetables, fruit, flowers and honey has opened on West Front Street. Its owner, Andy Capelli, has roots in the landscape supply and nursery business in Middletown.
Capelli, 52, of Middletown has owned and operated Capelli’s Landscape Supply and Nursery on Kanes Lane for 30 years and wanted “to spread out.” In December, he bought the 10 acres of Front Street land that was farmed by the Caruso family years ago. It is located at 1537 W. Front Street, between Everett Road and Middletown-Lincroft Road.
“I would like to continue the farming on it, versus development coming in,” Capelli said.
In May, he planted seeds and put in plants on about five of the acres. By July, he was ready to sell at the farm stand.
Now, Capelli is selling homegrown green bell peppers, jalapeños, Jersey tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplants and zucchini, along with fresh-cut sunflowers and zinnias.
“We’re chemical-free,” Capelli said. “Ever ybody’s very conscious of what they’re putting in their bodies nowadays. They want the best.”
Capelli also has watermelons, nectarines, peaches, sweet corn and white and red potatoes grown at other local farms.
“Everything we bring in is Jersey-grown,” said Capelli, whose workers include his three children: Marisa, 21; Elise, 19; and Andrew, 17.
In the fall, Capelli plans to have pumpkins, mums, corn- stalks and hay bales – “All of the fall décor,” he said. He also hopes to have farm wagon rides.
Through Halloween, the farm stand will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then, he will look toward Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“I want to make it really community-oriented, a traditional thing,” Capelli said.
Capelli Farms also sells at the Middletown farmers market, held at the train station on Church Street. Capelli will be there again Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MIDDLETOWN – A new farm stand featuring vegetables, fruit, flowers and honey has opened on West Front Street. Its owner, Andy Capelli, has roots in the landscape supply and nursery business in Middletown.
Capelli, 52, of Middletown has owned and operated Capelli’s Landscape Supply and Nursery on Kanes Lane for 30 years and wanted “to spread out.” In December, he bought the 10 acres of Front Street land that was farmed by the Caruso family years ago. It is located at 1537 W. Front Street, between Everett Road and Middletown-Lincroft Road.
“I would like to continue the farming on it, versus development coming in,” Capelli said.
In May, he planted seeds and put in plants on about five of the acres. By July, he was ready to sell at the farm stand.
Now, Capelli is selling homegrown green bell peppers, jalapeños, Jersey tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplants and zucchini, along with fresh-cut sunflowers and zinnias.
“We’re chemical-free,” Capelli said. “Ever ybody’s very conscious of what they’re putting in their bodies nowadays. They want the best.”
Capelli also has watermelons, nectarines, peaches, sweet corn and white and red potatoes grown at other local farms.
“Everything we bring in is Jersey-grown,” said Capelli, whose workers include his three children: Marisa, 21; Elise, 19; and Andrew, 17.In the fall, Capelli plans to have pumpkins, mums, corn- stalks and hay bales – “All of the fall décor,” he said. He also hopes to have farm wagon rides.
Through Halloween, the farm stand will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Then, he will look toward Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“I want to make it really community-oriented, a traditional thing,” Capelli said.
Capelli Farms also sells at the Middletown farmers market, held at the train station on Church Street. Capelli will be there again Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
On a recent day, business was steady at the farm stand. “We average about five new people a day, which is good,” Capelli said.
Diane Lusardi, 57, noticed the new farm stand and stopped in on a recent day to buy eggplant, tomatoes and corn. “Looked beautiful, prices good and a very nice man,” said Lusardi, of Capelli.
Diane Lusardi, 57, noticed the new farm stand and stopped in on a recent day to buy eggplant, tomatoes and corn. “Looked beautiful, prices good and a very nice man,” said Lusardi, of Capelli.
Township resident Jill Baldassano, 44, stopped with her daughter, Hannah, 3, and her sister, Sonya Dickerson, 45, of New York City. Baldassano said her family passes Capelli Farms every morning and “we were waiting” for the farm stand to open. They bought tomatoes, corn, honey and peaches. “Everything looks great,” Dickerson said.
“We always try to buy local because it tastes better,” Baldassano said. “The tomatoes are always better in New Jersey.”
A challenge has been keeping the deer from eating his crops, Capelli said. So, he fenced in his garden area, the deer now meeting resistance. “I should have taken a picture, there were four of them by the fence, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’” Capelli said.
Township resident Mary Mahoney, 62, who lives near the farm stand, stopped for the first time. She bought tomatoes and sweet corn. “Obviously, I love homegrown and fresh produce,” Mahoney said. “I like to support my neighbors. I pretty much could buy everything.”
Next year, Capelli Farms is looking to farm another two or three acres, bringing the property under plow to seven to eight acres, and adding greenhouses for bedding plants such as begonias, petunias and impatiens and hanging baskets of annual flowers. Capelli also is working on opening a local gourmet farm stand with baked goods at another undisclosed site.
“We’re excited about working with the community,” Capelli said. “One of the things we’re striving for is perfection. We want you to keep coming back.”
As Lusardi was leaving Capelli Farms, she told Capelli, “I wish you all the best and I hope you do very well.”
“We always try to buy local because it tastes better,” Baldassano said. “The tomatoes are always better in New Jersey.”
A challenge has been keeping the deer from eating his crops, Capelli said. So, he fenced in his garden area, the deer now meeting resistance. “I should have taken a picture, there were four of them by the fence, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’” Capelli said.
Township resident Mary Mahoney, 62, who lives near the farm stand, stopped for the first time. She bought tomatoes and sweet corn. “Obviously, I love homegrown and fresh produce,” Mahoney said. “I like to support my neighbors. I pretty much could buy everything.”
Next year, Capelli Farms is looking to farm another two or three acres, bringing the property under plow to seven to eight acres, and adding greenhouses for bedding plants such as begonias, petunias and impatiens and hanging baskets of annual flowers. Capelli also is working on opening a local gourmet farm stand with baked goods at another undisclosed site.
“We’re excited about working with the community,” Capelli said. “One of the things we’re striving for is perfection. We want you to keep coming back.”
As Lusardi was leaving Capelli Farms, she told Capelli, “I wish you all the best and I hope you do very well.”
“Good luck with everything,” Mahoney said. “I’ll be back.”
