Jersey Shore Views...

Who isn't looking for new ways to save money? Here in the Garden State (New Jersey), what better way to save some cash this summer than a vegetable and/or herb garden.  

While it's still a little early to get vegetable plants in the ground here at the Jersey Shore, it's not too early to prepare.

For example, this year I'm planting tomatoes (if you haven't tasted a Jersey Tomato you don't know what you're missing), oregano, basil and maybe some peppers.  

The first step in starting your garden is choosing an appropriate size and site. Here's a graph to help determine what will grow best in the garden area you select.  You can also sketch out your garden and select the types of plants.

No matter what you grow, the most important consideration is the amount of sunlight. A successful vegetable garden should receive at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight daily, but more is better!  Some crops such as lettuce and cucumbers benefit from partial shade in the mid afternoon during the hot summer months.  But generally for most vegetables, the more sun, the better.
 
Also try to locate the garden away from trees and shrubs which not only block sun but rob the soil of moisture. Make sure the area has good drainage.  

After selecting a site for your garden, the next step is preparing the soil.  It's likely the sandy soil of the NJ Pinelands and the Jersey Shore will need some help to produce a great vegetable garden.  

There are many soil additives and fertilizers you can incorporate into you garden that will not pollute our wetlands, rivers and Barnegat Bay.  

Please keep in mind the delicate ecosystem of Ocean County, NJ when choosing fertilizers or pest repellents for you lawn and garden.  

This is when the Rutgers University Master Gardeners can help. The Master Gardeners of Ocean County,  for a small fee, will not only provide soil analysis but they can recommend eco friendly additives for your garden and lawn.  They even have information on birds and bugs that are garden friendly!  

Cool weather vegetables can be planted now, if you've prepared you garden plot.  Those include cabbage, peas, lettuce and spinach. 

If you're looking for a home with a great garden in southern Ocean County, give me a call or email me!

There’s another sign it's spring at the New Jersey Shore!  There’s only one week until the Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village, begins its season!  While open year round, the special programs begin in April!

The Tuckerton Seaport is located along the Tuckerton Creek and it brings the Jersey Shore's maritime history to life!

Through people, exhibits and hands on activities you can discover the Jersey Shore’s unique maritime heritage and the interaction between culture and nature from the NJ Pinelands to the Barnegat Bay.

Come on by and experience the Jersey Shore!

The Tuckerton Seaport kicks off its season with, ‘April Arts at the Seaport’.

It beings Friday, April 3^rd, with an opening reception from 7pm till 9pm.  The show runs through April 26^th.

It’s a celebration of creative expression which includes art, theater and music along with classes and demonstrations of South Jersey Folk Arts for both adults and children.

The Jersey Shore Folklife Center at the Tuckerton Seaport is one of the sponsors.

Check out the Tuckerton Seaport’s website for more programs and admission information. 

If you'd like to know about homes for sale in Tuckerton or the housing market in the Tuckerton/Little Egg Harbor area, give me a call!

Keller Williams
Atlantic Shore
Laura Giannotta
Homes for Sale at the Jersey Shore!
609-384-6121
Laura@JerseyShoreViews.com
www.JerseyShoreViews.com

Viking Village, located at 19^th& Bayview Avenue in Barnegat Light, NJ on Long Beach Island is one of the largest suppliers of fish and seafood on the Eastern Seaboard.   Each year millions of pounds of seafood are packed out over the commercial dock of Viking Village and shipped not only locally, but to many parts of the world.

The Scandinavians who immigrated here in the 1920s originally named it Independent Dock. It's said they chose the Barnegat Light area because it reminded them so much of their homeland.  They were fishermen.  Over the years, the catch has has changed but now the majority consists of scallops, tuna, swordfish, tilefish and different kinds of in-shore fish; weakfish, monkfish, blues, shad and dogfish.

The boats used by commercial fishermen out of Barnegat Light are long liners and inshore fishing-net boats.  Long liners use very long lines with a series of baited hooks.  Unlike the long liners, fishing net boats and scallopers return to port after a day's catch.  All boats are independently owned and use Viking Village for pack-out, marketing and sale of the catch.

Since new markets have opened up, now only 40 percent of the catch brought to Viking Village is shipped to the Fulton Fish Market in New York City. The remainder is shipped up and down the East Coast with a good amount going over seas. There are many local restaurants and seafood dealers that directly purchase Viking Village's products.

There are dock tours of Viking Village during the summer months, and plenty of shops in the Village to make a day of it.  If you're interested in charter boat fishing, the Long Beach Island season begins March 27^th with fishing for blues and sea bass on the Doris Mae IV.  

Tuesday, March 24^th is the 21^st Annual Diabetes Alert Day.  Tuesday is a one-day "wake-up" call.  Spread the word to ensure everyone in America public knows the serious threat that diabetes poses to life and health.

The American Diabetes Association encourages people to take the Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they, or their loved ones, are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Alert Day is observed on the fourth Tuesday of every March.

I have personal experience with diabetes, my Mom who passed away in December, 2007 suffered from Type 2 diabetes.  It runs in the family, my cousin passed away many years ago at the age of 37.  She was born with the disease and suffered throughout her short life.

So please urge everyone you know to take the brief test, available if you click here.

Remember, everyone should be aware of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight, under active (living a sedentary lifestyle), and over the age of 45 should consider themselves at risk for the disease.

Spread the Word!

With all the talk in Washington, DC and Trenton, NJ about our worsening economy, higher taxes, entitlements and government intervention, a few great quotes come to mind.

"In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other."  Voltaire

"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else."  Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

While I might not agree with the politics of the author's quotes in this blog, it does show that none of what's going on today is new, nor was it unforeseen or unexpected.

Perhaps what we need to realize now is that everything comes at a cost. This something we all must remember, whether it's REALTORS® asking the government for lower mortgage rates or tax incentives, or one of the other groups lining up before Congress asking for a piece of the pie or government intervention...

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
Barry Goldwater

Another trip to Baltimore is in my future.  There will soon be a bust of Frank Zappa near the harbor on Broadway in Fells Point!  The bust is a replica of the bust that stands in Vilnius, Lithuania and was presented to the City of Baltimore (Frank Zappa's birthplace) by Lithuanian Zappa fans last December.

For those of you not familiar with the music of Frank Zappa, there's sure to be something you'll love.  An influential musician and composer, he died in 1993 and was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.  

There is was written ["on what ever it is they write it on up there," from "Nanook Rubs It" on Apostrophe ('), 1974]  that "Frank Zappa was rock and roll's sharpest musical mind and most astute social critic.

"He was the most prolific composer of his age, and he bridged genres--rock, jazz, classical, avant-garde and even novelty music--with masterful ease."  

Here in the New York area his concerts, particularly those on Halloween are legendary!

He's also well known for his defense of free speech in testimony before Congress on Tipper Gore's 1980's proposal to voluntarily label records with explicit content, much like movies are rated.

The Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts say the exact location of the Zappa bust will be determined after local meetings.  So for me it's just another reason to visit Baltimore again, and a great tribute to an American icon and musical genius (IMHO)!

And now for your listening pleasure..."I Am the Slime"

In honor of St Patrick's Day, I'm reminded of an Irish tale...

It seems Mrs. Donovan was walking down the street in Dublin when she ran into Father Flaherty.  

The Father said, "Aren't you Mrs. Donovan and didn't I marry you and your husband two years ago?" 

She replied, “Aye, Father.”
 
Father Flaherty asked, “And have you any wee little ones yet?”
 
“No, not yet, Father,” Mrs Donovan answered.
 
Thinking for a moment, the Father said, “Well since I’m going to Rome next week, I’ll light a candle at the Vatican for you and your husband.”
 
“Oh, thank you, Father Flaherty,” the woman said, shaking his hand.
 
Off they went, traveling their separate ways.
 
Many years later, Mrs. Donovan and Father Flaherty met each other again.

The Father, remembering the candle,  asked, “Well now Mrs. Donovan, how are you these days?”
 
“Oh, very well Father.”

“And tell me," Father Flaherty asked, "have you any wee ones yet?”
 
“Three sets of twins and 4 singles, 10 in all,” Mrs. Donovan answered, sounding as tired as a woman with 10 children.

 
“Why that’s wonderful," Father Flaherty exclaimed.  "And how is your loving husband doing?”
 
Mrs. Donovan calmly replied,  “He’s gone to Rome to blow out your damn candle.”

Attention, Barnegat, NJ High School seniors and parents! 

There are nearly 100 local scholarships available for Barnegat High School seniors planning to attend 4 year college programs and there are also some scholarships available for seniors planning to attend trade schools and two year colleges.  

Not bad considering the Class of 2009 is only the second graduating class from the new High School, home of the Barnegat Bengals!  

Good luck to all Barnegat High School Scholarship applicants!  

Keller Williams
Atlantic Shore
Laura Giannotta
609-384-6121
Laura@JerseyShoreViews.com

Bring your acoustic instruments, and come on down to the Tuckerton Seaport Sunday, March 8th.  Since March weather at the Jersey Shore can be unpredictable, 'Pickin' On the Porch' is inside the Hunting Shanty at the Seaport.

Bill and Linda Salmons host this great event, part of the New Jersey Folklife Center.  

Come to pick, or come just to listen!  There will be music, songs and stories.  Top that off with a pot of soup beans on the fire and fresh homemade bread, it's a great afternoon.  

'Pickin On the Porch' begins at noon and runs til 5pm.  (Don't forget Daylight Savings Time!)

 

There are many reasons we love the month of March here at the Jersey Shore.  Among them, we're very close to beach badge season and that means summer's almost here. 

 But there's another reason, it's Girl Scout cookie season!

Unlike the days when I sold cookies door to door, we now have booth sales.  This way the girls have supervision to keep them safe.  Even better, you get your cookie on the spot!  If you're jonesing for Girls Scout cookies, here are the booth dates in Barnegat, Manahawkin, and Tuckerton!

Manahawkin, NJ Girls Scout Cookie Sales 

 Barnegat, NJ Girl Scout Cookie Sales 

 Tuckerton, NJ Girl Scout Cookie Sales 

Money raised through the cookie sale  helps underwrite the cost of programs and trips. Each box costs $3.50, with the cookie sales crumble is as follows: $1.84 for the council to provide programs to girls; 87 cents to the baker, and 67 cents to the troop selling cookies. The remaining 12 cents per box goes toward recognitions, financial aid and travel funds for the girls.

I've only pictured my favorite Girls Scout cookies, click here to meet all the cookies! 

Click here if you’d like more information on the Jersey Shore Girl Scout Council or if you’d like more Girl Scout Cookie Booth locations, click here!

 IT’S COOKIE TIME!

Keller Williams Atlantic Shore

Laura Giannotta 609-384-6121 

Laura@JerseyShoreView.com