New location for revived Parsippany farm market

William Westhoven , William Westhoven | Morristown Daily Record

Show Caption Hide Caption CSA opens in Parsippany A century-old business is partnering with Parsippany to bring the concept of community-supported agriculture to Morris County’s largest municipality. IPHONE VIDEO BY WILLIAM WESTHOVEN JULY 1, 2016

PARSIPPANY - Following unsuccessful attempts in recent years to establish a municipal farmer's market, the township is partnering with one of its oldest family businesses to bring back retail sales of seasonal, Jersey-fresh fruits and vegetables to where they arguably began in 1913.

"My great-grandfather started the company 104 years ago this year, and it began as a roadside farmer's market in the same spot," said Tyler Cerbo, a fourth-generation operator of Cerbo's Greenhouse and Nursery on Littleton Road.

Expanding over the years to include trees, shrubs, greenhouse flowers and a retail store — businesses that have fallen off in recent years — Cerbo's took another step forward into the past last year with the establishment of a community-supported agriculture program.

The CSA is still adding members, who buy shares into their farming operation and collect "dividends" in the form of weekly seasonal produce deliveries.

Now, Cerbo's has recruited several farming vendors, many of whom supply other markets in Morris County, to set up tents and tables in the parking lot from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday, beginning this week and continuing through Oct. 28.

Like the CSA, the Mayor's Wellness Campaign is backing the market, and Mayor James Barberio is ready to dig into a fresh supply of tomatoes, zucchini and asparagus.

The Parsippany market is making a comeback this year after going idle in 2016 following failed efforts that first took place on Friday afternoons in the Municipal Building parking lot before moving to Lake Hiawatha.

"I've known the Cerbo family my whole life and we're proud to have it here," Barberio said. "We had the farmer's market in certain areas and it wasn't doing well. So we thought the best place to have it would be where? And we came up with Cerbo's."

The family owners are happy to partner with the township once again.

"Produce is always something we were a part of, but we went away from it a little bit," Tyler Cerbo explained. "About 10 years ago, my brother Anthony and I got back into produce, and started doing that up at our nursery in Sussex County, then brought it down here a couple of years later."

The market, like others in the area, will offer a wider array of products for people to browse and select each weekend without the upfront investment required by the CSA.

Vendors will include Alstede Farms (assorted produce, baked goods, honey); Paolo's Kitchen (ready-made Italian meals made with local-source ingredients); Gourmet Fruit and Nut (dried fruits, nuts, pickles, olives); Green Valley Farms (local meats, Ice cream); Bakers Bounty (breads and baked goods with all local-sourced ingredients including flour); and Let It Grow Farms (jarred goods (Jelly, jam, salsa, sauce) salads, greens.

"I'm excited to be a part of it," said Kurt Alstede of Alstede Farms in Chester Township, one of New Jersey's biggest farm and agri-tourism operations.

Alstede will participate in the new Parsippany Farmer's Market as a vendor. "Parsippany holds a special place in my heart as I lived there for some time and attended both Northvail and Central Middle schools," Alstede said.

"We've got a lot of great vendors," Cerbo said. "The whole idea is to help out the guys who are local, vendors who we've known in our line of work for a long time. They thought it made sense to have a farmer's market here."

"I think the location is a lot better," Alstede said. "People can get right in and out."

The Cerbo retail operation, meanwhile, remains open, giving the Parsippany farmer's market an added level of shopping opportunities for customers that few other seasonal outdoor markets can offer.

"It's a good fit," Cerbo said.

Cerbo's is located at 440 Littleton Road between the Route 80/route 202 interchange and Parsippany Road. For more information, visit www.cerbogreenhouse.com.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.