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Gardening Workshop Series

Beginning gardening workshops to help get your garden on …

Gardening? Yup … It’s cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes.
Gardening? Uh huh! It’s a place to find yourself when you need to lose yourself.
Gardening? Absulutely, because in spring, at the end of the day you should smell like dirt.
Gardening? The recipe is one part soil, two parts water, & three parts wishful thinking!

Let us help you learn!

Although gardening can be as simple or as complex as you make it, truth is, gardening can be overwhelming for the beginner. Join us for our beginner gardening workshops and see how easy gardening & growing can really be! Our goal is to help you garden & grow with confidence and success!

3 weeks, 4 AWESOME gardening workshops for all ages …

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Gardening School … $29.99 per person

SATURDAY, MAY 4 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Join us as we learn how to prepare your garden & start planting. topics will include understanding soils, soil fertility & amendments, bed preparation, direct seeding, transplanting, and watering. We’ll also explore best practices for maintaining a healthy garden once it is growing, talk about crop rotations, succession planting, weeding, and will look at some of the tools you can use to make gardening tasks more efficient. This introductory class is a great place to start if you are new to gardening or need to develop a little greener thumb. This is the most popular of our beginning gardening workshops!

Participants will receive our Gardening School Handbook, three 4-packs of cole crop transplants, and a $10 Von Thun’s greenhouse gift certificate that can be used to purchase additional transplants.

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Kids Make-A-Planter Workshop … $14.99 per person

SATURDAY, MAY 11 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Kids of all ages are welcome to join us for this hands-on workshop to design & create their own beautiful springtime flowering planter! If you’re planning to make a colorful planter to use as a special Mother’s Day gift be sure to stay a little longer & make a Mother’s Day card too!

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*NEW FOR 2024* Intro to Annuals Workshop … $9.99 per person

SATURDAY, MAY 18 | 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Learn all about the beautiful flowering annuals that are so commonly used for spring & summer flower beds, planters, & hanging baskets. Learn their sunlight & water requirements, growth habits, & color availability. This short course is designed to set you up for success & gardening enjoyment. Attend this class in conjunction with the porch planter workshop (10 a.m. the same day!) or as a stand alone class.

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Design a Porch Planter Workshop … $29.99 per person

SATURDAY, MAY 18 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Envious of those pretty porch planters you saw so frequently last summer? Join us to make your own! We’ll supply the pot, soil, and plants. You do the rest! Be sure to come with a perceived design and color scheme in mind, as you’ll have lots of flower colors, textures, & varieties to choose from!

Let’s Party!

Party Time at Von Thun’s!

Thank you for choosing our farm as the venue for your birthday party, family reunion, gender reveal, baby shower – whatever the celebration, we’re happy to have you! The farm is such a special place and we promise to do everything we can to make your date as memorable and fun as possible. Please see below for FAQ’s for families who have already booked with us or are thinking about booking with us. We have two farm locations, each with slightly different offerings. See below for the correct address for each – you wouldn’t want your guests to end up at the wrong farm and miss the party!

South Brunswick (Middlesex County)
519 Ridge Road
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852

Parties available on Strawberry Festival Weekend (early June) and weekends mid-September thru October

Washington (Warren County)
438 Route 57 West
Washington, NJ 07882

Parties available on weekends beginning Strawberry Festival Weekend, June thru October

What’s included?

In general, all of our birthday party packages include 2-hour use of one of our designated party areas in the shade, picnic tables for your group, 2 folding tables for food and gifts, and all-day access to our general admission Activity Area. Depending on if you visit in the spring (both locations), Summer (Washington only), or Fall (both locations) you can add on things like berry picking, the New Jersey Sunflower Trail, and apple and pumpkin picking.  Please select the location closest to you above for specific offerings.

How many tables will I get & what size tablecloths do I need?

We have picnic benches with seating attached at both of our farm locations. The tables in South Brunswick are larger & we offer one table per 8-10 guests. The tables in Washington are a little smaller & we offer one table per 6-8 guests. All parties zones also have one folding table for food & one for gifts. The plastic rectangular dollar store table cloths fit perfectly!

Can I see the venue prior to the date of my party?

Although we can show you the party area, the party zone & party tents are not put up until just prior to our party season. The photos we share on our website best display the party zone area that you will have for your party.

Do you offer rain dates?

We do not formally schedule rain dates. Should you get rained our and need to reschedule your party, we can guarantee a limited number of picnic tables in an alternate area for your group. Most likely, our party areas will not be available for rain dates.

How many people can I invite?

You can invite as many friends & family members as you’d like! Our base birthday party package includes 20 people and rental of the designated party area for two hours (birthday child is FREE!). You will need to pay the group admission price for every additional guest attending ($1 off regular admission price).

Who should I include on my invite list?

Kids age 2 and under are free. All others, excluding the birthday child are considered guests  & should be counted as so.

Can I bring my own food?

YES! We do have some food vendors on the farm but their stands get very busy and we highly recommend bringing your own food. Pizza, sandwiches, and salads tend to go over really well. You can also bring a cake or desert that we’d be happy to store for you in our cooler if space allows. Absolutely NO ALCOHOL at the farm.

If you give us a week’s worth of notice, we are usually able to provide your group with homemade apple cider donuts, kettle corn, or apple cider. Please send this request to cindy@vonthunfarms.com.

When can I come set up my party area?

Our party areas are heavily utilized, especially during the fall. You are able to arrive a half hour before your party time to set up your area and bring in any food or supplies you may have brought. If you arrive earlier than a half hour before your party start time we cannot guarantee access to your party area. 

Can I decorate the party area? And how early can I arrive to do so?

Absolutely! Although the party tent will be decorated with corn stalks, you are certainly welcome to add, within reason, decorations as you wish. You are permitted to bring balloons as decorations but all balloons MUST leave with you after your party. Please do not let the balloons go or leave them behind, as we have had deflated balloons get in with our barnyard animals which poses a major risk to their health and safety. Party hosts can have access to their party zone a half hour before the party is scheduled to start.

When do I give you a final head count?

We don’t need to know the exact number of guests you’ll be having, we just need to know how many folks you anticipate will be attending. You can email us if the number of guests greatly differs from what you initially listed on your party reservation form. We ask that you give us a guest list when you arrive at the farm so we know which guests will be attending your party rather than someone else’s. You will be charged for the final number of guests that attend your party.

Where do I go when I arrive at the farm?

When you arrive you can pull your car in the blocked off area near the farm market… just tell the parker that you are there to host a party. If you stop in the farm market one of our staff will connect you with our party attendants. Once you are unloaded, you will be asked to park in our main parking area. Please provide us with an updated guest list when you arrive. Have young kids that are not getting a wristband (not old enough to participate in the days activities) in one column, & all other guests in another. This will help our party attendant keep track of which party guests are yours & which guests may belong to another party. We often have multiple parties happening simultaneously.

Where should my guests go when they arrive at the farm?

Your guests should park in the general parking area and walk past the general admission entrance, continuing towards the farm market, where our party attendant will be with the wristbands your guests will need for admission.

Will there be staff available to help me with set up/ clean up?

Our party attendants will meet you at the farm market and show you to your party area. They will do their best to ensure there are 1 – 2 wagons available for your use to cart your supplies but they will not be able to bring your supplies to your tent area due to heavy party volume. You will be responsible for throwing away all party supplies in garbage cans and bags that are provided for you and our staff will grab them from your tent at the conclusion of the two hours.

Our party attendants will be the ones to check in your guests and track how many attend your party. We do not provide any of our staff to stay with your party or to organize any activities.

How will my party be structured?

You can structure your party however you choose! Most party hosts choose to spend their party time in the tent just socializing and enjoying food & cake. Most groups choose to do a hayride together too. It’s tough to get a whole group together to do much more than that. The activity area closes at 5pm so after an earlier party you & your guests are welcome to stay and do some activities on a more individual basis.

Can I do a special hayride with just my group?

Due to high demand, we are not able to promise a private hayride exclusively to your group. If your group would like to do a hayride, please approach our hayride attendant and they will let the folks waiting in line on the 1st hayride. The next one that comes around can be used for your group. Please note this may not be possible on our busiest Festival PLUS weekends in the fall.

Are pony rides & face painting available for parties?

Both pony rides & face painting can be booked the day of your party, directly with the vendor providing the services. Reservations are not taken for either.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Our pony ride vendor stopped offering pony rides & we have not been able to find a replacement, so no pony rides available again this season. We do have a face painter that joins us on most fall weekends.

WASHINGTON: Pony rides & face painting are available most fall weekends, although not all. We suggest you email us for availability.

How should payment be made?

At the conclusion of your 2 hour party rental, we request that a member of the group come to the farm market office to pay the balance of the party before enjoying the rest of the farm. Our preferred party payment methods are cash or check. Payments made with a debit or credit card will incur a 4% convenience fee.

Who should I contact if I have questions leading up to my party?

First, PLEASE look at the party pages for either the South Brunswick or Washington locations. These pages have a ton of information including pricing, timing, and what’s included listed on there. If you still have questions after visiting these pages, please email cindy@vonthunfarms.com with your list of questions and she’ll get back to you as soon as she can. Please note that we often do NOT check our emails from Friday – Sunday due to heavy volume at the farm so if you have last minute questions, please call the farm markets vs. emailing.

13 Reasons to Join a CSA

Aah … the thought of fresh picked, local produce. You’ll have to agree, there’s nothing better than the Jersey Fresh season!

As a local CSA program, also known as a local crop share program, VonThun’s CSA promises that fresh, homegrown deliciousness we all love. VonThun’s makes it easy to know your farmers and your food.

Spring is right around the corner, and with it comes the long-awaited promise of fresh greens, mouthwatering veggies, and fragrant herbs to break the long winter months of store bought produce. As a result, community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms across the country and consumers alike are now seeking one another in what we call CSA sign-up season. Therefore, there are choices to be made … Commit to a CSA Crop Share through a local farmer? Shop at a local farmers market? Grow your own? Or just continue shopping at the local super market?

There are no right and wrong answers here, as families and lifestyle play a large role in where your food will come from. CSAs are not for everyone, as they are a big commitment for both members and farmers. Want more CSA information? Check out our Washington, NJ based CSA Program details or the details of our South Brunswick, NJ based CSA Program.

Here’s 13 great reasons to consider joining our CSA Crop Share Program:

  1.  Enjoy 14-20 weeks (our Middlesex Co. program is a 20 week program; our Warren Co. program is 14 weeks) of the freshest vegetables you can imagine all season. And don’t worry, there’s flexible share options so you can relax and enjoy vacation!
  2. Receive 8-12 farm fresh vegetables each week in our full and half shares, a basket full of your farm favorites, as well as an occasional new crop to try! Receive 4-6 fresh picked vegetables in our personal share, perfect for smaller households or just to try out CSA. Take a look at our CSA share size comparison so you can see just how much you’ll get.
  3. Produce grown in a way you can trust! We grow responsibly … we’ve been raising our families on these same crops, grown on the same land, for over 100 years.
  4. Fresh tastes better! Weather permitting, the crops in your weekly veggie basket are picked the same day you pick them up. Our vegetables are harvested when ripe and are available to you right away … they’re super fresh and taste amazing!
  5. You’ll receive weekly recipes and guidance on how to prepare, use, and enjoy those crops found in your share. We love hearing how kids that never liked vegetables have started eating them once they tried fresh, local ones!
  6. Cut the number of miles it takes your food to get from field to fork! It’s no surprise that fresher food contains more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Do you know WHEN your food was harvested? Or how long it took to get to the store? And waited in storage? And was out on display? And took, overall, to get to your table?!
  7. CSAs provide an opportunity to break out of eating ruts and old habits. And they encourage commitment to eating fresh, eating healthy, and eating local, all season long!
  8. Know your farmer, know your food. Develop a relationship of trust with those that are growing your food. Think about it … not many people have that opportunity. We love CSA because it gives us a chance to get to know those folks that we’re growing for!
  9. Convenient pick up times and locations. We have a handful of local host sites that you can pick your veggie basket up at each week. Or, if you prefer, pick up at the farm … chat with our friendly knowledgeable staff, browse the farm market, and see just where your food is grown. Bring the kids too and visit with the farm animals!
  10. Additional farm shares are available … homegrown, all-natural pasture raised beef, farm fresh eggs, and Jersey Fresh fruit. CSA members have the option to add one, or all of these additional crop shares!
  11. Try new, fun crops! Although veggie baskets are packed mostly with farm favorites (lettuce, tomatoes, sweet corn,, etc.), we occasionally throw in a few fun things for you to try (kohlrabi, leeks, etc). Don’t worry … there’s a swap table (at our farm  pick up locations only) each week that allows you to swap out any veggies that make you say ick!
  12. Free access to our pick-your-own fields. CSA members are not required to purchase a picking pass to pick berries or other crops throughout the year as the general public does – just pay for what you pick.
  13. Save 10% on your farm market purchases all summer! Our CSA members receive a VonThun’s cloth shopping bag, which when used in the farm market, enables you to instant farm savings!

CSA … Fresh. Local. Healthy.
Is CSA for you? If your answer is yes, SIGN UP NOW!