Pick-Your-Own Produce at Bader Farm (31 Photos, Video)

Vine-ripened Jersey tomatoes, plump eggplants, and five alarm peppers are just a few of the fresh produce items there for the picking at Bader Farm on Changebridge Road in Pine Brook.

Bader Farm is one of the oldest working farms left in Montville Township.  New for this year, the owners, Jean and Ivan Bader, have opened the back fields and orchard to customers wanting to pick their own produce. 

The pick-your-own option not only provides one with fresh-picked produce, but it allows one a brief look into the inner workings of farm life.  While walking the fields of vines heavy with juicy red tomatoes, festive green and orange peppers, and portly purple eggplants, one might witness bees and butterflies pollinating plants, farm workers loading the pickup with bushels of tomatoes for market in Patterson, or the Bader's mixing all natural, nutrient rich, compost.

 "It's a perfect family event," said Jean Bader.  "Sure, you can buy your produce at the grocery store, but you don't know what you are getting.  You don't know where it came from.  Here it's natural.  No waxes, no pesticides."

The 4.9 acre farm, along with an additional 15 acres they rent on Changbridge Road, is worked by the Bader Family, Ivan, Jean and their two sons.  They also employ two farm workers who have lived and worked on the property, year-round, for many years.

"We're trying to get as green as possible," she said.  "This is our second year using Bio Bugs, good bugs, to remove bad bugs.  The bugs are great.  It's a pesticide-free system and we've got a great crop."

"By using Bio Bugs we don't need to spray with insecticides," said Jean and Ivan's son, Sean. "Which, in the long-run, makes the product a lot healthier to eat for the customer."

Founded in 1892, Bader Farm stands as a testament to local farming and its history.  Every inch of the property is utilized with crops, an orchard, a hand-dug irrigation pond, a farm stand, and greenhouses growing fall produce.  Lining the drive ways and lawns are milk cans and kettles, remnants of farming past, acting as decorative containers, bursting with flowers.  The fields and farm stand are manned by this farming family.

"Pick-your-own is something new this year," said Sean.  "Instead of going 20, 40, 60 minutes, however far it is, to one of those Pennsylvania farms, you can come right to your back yard.  It's just like your own backyard.  Five minutes.  You come out here, you've got pickles.  You've got tomatoes, peppers, whatever you want."

The new pick-your-own option, combined with the Bader's new Bio Bug, green farming initiative, gives families and individuals a new way to experience this Montville Township staple.

Besides fields of fresh vegetables, Bader Farm's orchard, with more than 180 fruit trees, is open for apple picking.

"We don't spray them," said Jean about the apple trees, "so you're not eating pesticides."

For those who don't wish to pick their own, Bader Farm still has a fully-stocked farm stand next to their ample parking area.  In addition to produce grown on the Bader property, the farm stand also features local honey, peaches, and farm fresh jams and spreads.

Bader Farm is located at 290 Changebridge Road in Pine Brook.   In order to insure healthy eating opportunities for all people, Bader Farm participates in all government sponsored food and nutrition programs.   Bader Farm produce is sold by the pound.

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