MILLSTONE June 2018

Good Earth Nursery & Garden Center Buy Local for All Your Gardening Delights By Pam Teel Owners Alex and Jenna (Krug) Stein met during their undergraduate studies at the University of Rhode Island. After completing their studies, the two took an adventure on The Appalachian Trail, hiking from New Jersey to Maine to raise awareness and funds for the Matthew Krug Foundation. Shortly after that, they moved to California for Jenna to complete a Master’s degree in Marine Ecology. Meanwhile, Alex worked for the Los Angeles County Fire Department as a Forester. One of Alex’s responsibilities was to run a county native plant nursery. It was there that he learned about nursery management. Alex also completed a Master’s in Public Administration. After completing her thesis, Jenna worked for the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains. A large part of her work was dedicated to helping to conserve the endangered steel- head trout population that spawns in the southern California coastal creeks as well as restore native wildlife habitat to the area. While they enjoyed living in California, the two always imagined that they would move back to their home state of New Jersey. Alex was from East Brunswick and Jenna fromMillstone Township. When Alex saw the listing for the Nursery in late 2013, it was the beginning of their next chapter, their family business. They re-established the Good Earth Nursery in June 2014. Since then, Jenna has given birth to a baby girl. The nursery specializes in healthy and hearty annual and perennial plants, and lots of them! You can purchase vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets, shrubs, trees, eight different varieties of apples, peaches and pear trees, raspberry and blueberry plants, house plants, seeds, organic produce, irises, tropical plants and more. Alex can customize any planter or hanging basket for you. He can also make centerpieces and help draw and design a landscape plan for your home, including using deer resistant plants. The Nursery is number one in hands on service. Misty, one of their three cats, will enthusiastically greet you as you enter the large barn where you will not only find more plants, but specialty ones like succulent plants and plants for terrariums. At the rear of the barn is a greenhouse filled with more plants and vegetables. Also, in the barn you will find tools, organic fertilizers, soils, organic pesticides, mulch, and other gardening accessories. There is a gift shop in the barn that sells local vendors products. You can purchase local homemade soaps, local honey, local wooden bowls, local handmade signs, dried lavender from a local lavender farm, and so much more. Jenna also makes homemade lip balm, bath bombs and candles. From bird feeders to birdhouses, hose attachments to garden tools, you have to come and see the selection for yourself. Alex noted that without help from both sets of parents, he and Jenna wouldn’t be where they are today! The nursery is open seven days from 9-6 pm. It is conveniently located at 257 Route 539 in Cream Ridge. Stop by and browse and help support your local Businesses!!!! Visit them at: GoodEarthNJ.com or call -cell- 908 -307- 3211/ office 609- 758-7500

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The Millstone Times

June 2018