Sustainability Home and Abroad

Entrance to Abma's Farm in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

Enrolled in a study abroad program this past fall, I was not able to visit the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers Market with the rest of my Sustainability Marketing 421 classmates.  Upon arrival back in the United States, I took a trip over to Abma’s Farm Market and Greenhouse in my hometown Wyckoff, New Jersey to talk with a member of the family owned business about sustainability efforts and their supply chain.  I was also able to experience the famous farmers market in Freiburg, Germany located right outside the Freiburger Münster, a captivating Gothic cathedral located right outside the Black Forest.

Abma’s Farm

Produce inside the market at Abma's Farm in
Wyckoff, New Jersey

            Abma’s Farm is a family run farm that has been open for over eighty years now.  I spoke to one family member named Jim during my visit, who explained how the farm has been passed down for four generations to date.  The thirty acre farm and market provides fresh produce, poultry, eggs, baked goods, and homemade goods that ensure a homey atmosphere for consumers year-round.  While their farm has been operating since the 1790s, the family has managed to preserve the buildings and Dutch-style barn in their original state.  The preservation of these buildings and barn create an atmosphere that makes you want to hangout and explore Abma’s Farm and market all day.  While talking with Jim, I learned that the farm receives products from other areas of the United States.  During the cold months that come with living in New Jersey, produce is brought in from California farms.  While warm, the farmers at Abma’s plant small amounts of product each week so that crops can be picked on a daily basis.  Doing this provides consumers with a fresh product packed with nutrients.  Abma’s also provides high quality, fresh poultry and eggs by raising free-range chickens.  While talking to Jim, I found out that most of the meat sold in the market came from a facility down the street, located in Hawthorne, New Jersey.  The workers at Abma’s stressed buying local, in-season food because it is healthy, smart, and sensible.  When discussing sustainable practices being used at Abma’s, Jim mentioned that they do not use pesticides while growing fresh produce on their farms.

 Fun Fact: The farm owns 600 Rhode Island reds and 1,400 Leghorn chickens who provide high quality, all natural fresh eggs every morning with Omega 3’s.

Freiburg Farmer’s Market

            Walking through the Freiburg Farmer’s Market was a great experience for me as it was the first thing I saw upon arrival in Germany.  There were many different stands set up by different farmers where products ranged from produce and meats to wine and bratwursts.  Though my limited German language skills prevented me from having in depth conversations with German farmers about their sustainability practices and their supply chain, I did learn much about environmental sustainability in one of my courses on European Union Environmental Policy.  Freiburg is actually one of the global leaders in sustainability practices among cities in the world.  In relation to agriculture, Freiburg implemented a pesticide ban, ensuring that all farmer’s operate in an environmentally sustainable manner.  Another major policy in the European Union involves Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).  Unlike the United States, Europe operates using the precautionary principle, a term which basically means guilty until proven innocent.  Though GMOs are not scientifically proven to cause people harm, Europe recognizes the potential dangers, outlawing the production of GMO products within its borders.

Fun Fact: Freiburg is a city located in Germany that is viewed as a global leader in sustainability practices.

Fun Fact: Freiburg created its own Environmental Protection Agency in 1986.  Their globally recognized environmental efforts include a ban on pesticides, creation of waste management systems (color coded), creation of a smog and o-zone warning system, and creation of an environmentally friendly public transportation system.

Citizens of Freiburg, Germany enjoying the farmer's market near the Münster on a nice, warm Summer afternoon.

Please make sure to read about the experiences of the rest of my classmates and I on our blog as we travel to Costa Rica and reflect on our experiences afterwards,

You can follow our Twitter page here @BryantMKT421 as well as my own personal Twitter account @RonBURRgandy.

Ronald Wagner