Farmers Market Buzzing With Local Honey, Produce and More

New this year at the : local honey, right from Pine Hill.

Becky and Bill Gatz started as backyard hobbyists and now, three years later, their company High Trail Honey sells local wildflower honey, as well as homemade natural soaps.

In their Pine Hill yard, Becky and Bill have four bee hives and bushels of fresh herbs including lavender, rosemary, sage and lemon grass.

“We have collected 10 gallons of honey so far this year and expect to get another three to four gallons,” Becky said.

The honey, which is a pale yellow, will grow darker as the season progresses. Later in the summer, the Gatzes will stop harvesting the honey and leave the remainder for the bees.

And the honey is well, perfectly sweet (I taste-tested extensively!). The perfect topping for vanilla ice cream (Bill’s favorite), oatmeal, toast and tea.

“Drizzle it on something warm, like corn bread, so it can melt right into your food,” said Bill.

Jars of honey start at $6. Natural soaps in lavender, honey, rosemary, sage or lemon grass are $6.

Also at the farmers market this week: the first-round of fresh Jersey peaches. Fresh-picked corn is in its second week and is selling like hot cakes. Get there early to grab corn (50 cents an ear last weekend); by 10 a.m., corn was sold out everywhere. ($4 for about six tomatoes) are starting to pop up—perfect to drizzle with olive oil and fresh basil ($1/bunch).

The is every Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Gloucester Township-Blackwood Rotary Public Library parking lot.

Save the date for July 30 for “Ask the Mayor." will be at the farmers market from 10 to 11:30 a.m. ready to take the public’s questions.