Things to do in Somerset County – nj.com – nj.com

A fall day on a farm

In Hillsborough, Fall Harvest Days are happening at the 1,200-acre Norz Hill Farm (120 South Branch Road, Hillsborough | 908.371.2697). The seasonal event, which runs through Nov. 7, offers oodles of autumn activities for visitors to enjoy.

For those interested in a farm tour, hay wagons take guests from the farm stand area to the farm where visits with cows, miniature donkeys, horses, alpaca, sheep, chickens, goats, pigs, bunnies and emus are allowed. Then, wagons will take visitors to the pumpkin patch where more than 60 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash are available for the picking. In addition, there is a corn maze and a Kids’ Corner featuring the Kids Bale Maze and Corn Boxes.

At the Farm Market, folks can purchase Halloween and fall crafts, Indian corn, straw bales and corn stalks. Also for sale are jams/jellies, pies, breads and cider donuts. Here, purchase Norz Farm-raised beef, pork and eggs and a variety of apples and apple cider.

For those more interested in Halloween than harvest, consider Norz’ Scare Farm, which has three haunted attractions including the Creepy Clown Hollow and Paranoia (haunted walking trails) and The Slay Ride, a haunted hayride. Scare Farm is open throughout the month of October on Friday, Saturday and some Sunday nights.

For walking, hiking, exploring and learning about stewardship

James Buchanan Duke, who made his fortune in tobacco and hydroelectric power, transformed well more than 2,000 acres of farm and woodlands in Hillsborough into the bucolic landscape known as Duke Farms (1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough | 908.722.3700). Duke’s daughter, Doris, who had a strong interest in conservation and horticulture, inherited the property after her father’s death in 1925.

It was the wish of Doris Duke, who died in 1993, that Duke Farms should “serve to protect wildlife as well as be used for agriculture, horticulture and research.”

So, in 2012 Duke Farms opened to the public with a mission to “be a leader in environmental stewardship and to inspire visitors to become informed stewards of the land.”

At Duke Farms, more than 1,000 acres is open to visitors to explore native species, walk, bike, take a class to learn about conservation.

A revolutionary look at local history

A National and New Jersey historic site, the Jacobus Vanderveer House and Museum (3055 River Road, Bedminster | 908.396.6053) offers a glimpse of 18th century Dutch-Colonial life through the Vanderveer and Knox families.

The oldest part of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, which was constructed in the early 1770s by Jacobus Vanderveer Sr., is typical of the Dutch frame houses that dotted the local landscape before the American Revolution.

Upon his death in 1776, Jacobus Vanderveer left the 560-acre tract of land on which this house is situated to his son, Jacobus (Junior), who was an active member of the Somerset County Militia during the Revolutionary War and helped supply the Continental Army.

This historic house also served as headquarters for Gen. Henry Knox during the winter of 1778-79. The structure is the only surviving building associated with America’s first military academy, the Pluckemin Artillery Cantonment. The academy is considered the forerunner of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where Knox would serve as commander. Fort Knox is also named for the Revolutionary War general.

History buffs and educators should know that the building is open for private group tours and school tours.

Beautiful blooms

Who doesn’t love the beautiful blossoms that the fragrant peony produces?

Kathleen Gagan, owner of Peony’s Envy (34 Autumn Hill Road, Bernardsville | peony@peonysenvy.com), certainly loves the flower. This linguist and international corporate communications consultant “turned lady farmer” who has studied horticulture at the Barnes Foundation and writes and lectures on peonies nationwide, grows peonies because of their “resilience, deer-resistance and beauty.”

At Peony’s Envy, Gagan offers the opportunity to shop for herbaceous, intersectional, tree, woodland categories of the flower.

Peony’s Envy is a nursery and display garden with an extensive collection of peonies. The nursery and display garden — laid out over seven acres with trails that meander throughout the peony collections — are to the public for the spring planting and bloom season and again in the fall for bare root sales.

This fall, Peony’s Envy is open for plant sales Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 13. Shop hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For those who’d rather make their purchases online or via catalog, those are options, too. There is jewelry, garden tools, soaps, aprons, calendars and more.

Downtown Somerville is what a downtown should be. There are wonderful shops, restaurants and services. Here, there is a street strictly for pedestrians and there is plenty of activities.

When compiling a list of the best small towns for the ultimate fall day trip, nj.com’s Pete Genovese wrote: “If you haven’t visited Somerville in the past 10 or so years, you may not recognize the place. New apartments, stores, restaurants and a pedestrian mall (Division Street) have turned the once-sleepy county seat into a thriving commercial center.”

The Downtown Somerville calendar is chock full of events — come here for movies, music, art, car shows, seasonal activities and more.

Coming soon is the “Somerville Spooktacular,” set for Oct. 29. The community event — presented by Somerville Recreation, Downtown Somerville Alliance, Empower Somerset and the Pioneer Family Success Center – will feature music, activities and entertainment at Division Street, Main Street, Borough Hall and the Courthouse Lawn. Children can collect candy at the Trunk or Treat and a free screening of “Hocus Pocus” will take place on the Courthouse Lawn. The event will be held rain or shine from 3 to 6 p.m.

One award-winning bistro

In the heart of downtown Somerville sits Verve (18 E Main St., Somerville | 908.707.8655), where French bistro fare and craft cocktails are king.

The proprietors write on their website, “Our provincial country style is grounded with slow cooked flavors, presenting a creatively prepared dish for every palette. To enhance your experience, we offer carefully selected Bistro Wines from our cellar, European and Domestic Beers.”

Verve has received repeated applause from nj.com’s Pete Genovese. On Genovese’s list of “The 50 dishes you need to eat in N.J. in 2020, Verve placed ninth with its steamed little neck clams. Verve also won nj.com’s 2019 N.J.’s best bar showdown, and that’s no small feat. Verve, Genovese wrote, “is the town’s nerve center, the place in which judges, prosecutors and just plain folk gather for cocktails.”

Customers can relax at Verve’s Landmark Bar, where the first drink was served in Somerville after Prohibition; The Red Room; The Soho-inspired 1933 Room; The Main Dining Room or the Pallet Patio.

A place for picnics and playing

The 685-acre Colonial Park (156 Mettlers Road, Franklin Township | 908.722.1200, ext. 5008) offers a variety of activities for visitors to enjoy.

The park — with frontage on the Delaware and Raritan Canal as well as the Millstone River – sports recreational facilities, horticultural displays and natural areas spaced between broad lawns and ponds.

Colonial Park includes the 18-hole Spooky Brook Golf Course, picnic areas and the Morgan Pellowski playground with barrier-free equipment. There is a 1.4 mile fitness parcourse for walkers, joggers and bicyclists laid out along a paved path.

Three ponds in the park are stocked by the NJ State Division of Fish, Game, and Wildlife and a softball field is available by reservation to leagues, tournaments and those looking for a pick-up game. For those looking for some solitude, there is the Lois Howe Nature Trail, where trails lead visitors into areas with varied plant and animal life.

In winter, supervised ice skating and cross-country skiing are offered when weather permits.

An equestrian experience

There are about 42,500 horses in New Jersey … “more horses per square mile than any other state,” according to the State of New Jersey. And, Somerset County, home to the United States Equestrian Team, certainly has a rich horse history.

The Mars Essex Horse Trials (Moorland Farm, 50 Route 202, Far Hills | 908.234.9115), a pre-Olympic-qualifying event held at the United States Equestrian Team headquarters until 1998, was conceived in the 1960s as a competition for young riders.

In 1968, the first Essex Horse Trials was held at Hoopstick Farm in Bedminster. The inaugural event was held in the fall of that year and two levels of competition were offered, Training and Preliminary, in a one-day horse trials format.

The event grew throughout the 1970s and 1980s, attracting competitors from around the world. The competition, which expanded to a three-day format, moved to the USET headquarters in Gladstone and the Essex Horse Trials became an international event with competitors vying for U.S. Team positions at both the Olympic Games and World Championships.

After a 19-year hiatus — the original event ended in 1998 — the Essex Horse Trials returned in June 2017.

The event, which moved to the 230-acre Moorland Farm, includes two days of competition for Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels, with long-range plans to expand upper-level divisions.

An equestrian triathlon, eventing combines dressage, cross-country and show jumping.

So, if you’re a spectator who might enjoy tailgating and other festivities or an avid equestrian, this is an annual event you should consider attending.

For sipping hard cider

Simply stated, Burnt Mills Cider Co. (3540 Route 206, Bedminster | 908.781.6000) is an awesome place to spend an autumn afternoon. Guests are welcome to sip crafted-on-site ciders in a relaxed atmosphere, indoors or outside.

The indoors 1,000-square-foot tasting room features a bar, TVs and tables. The oak paneling on the walls and the wood furniture in this space were made from trees that were harvested during construction.

Outdoors, there are picnic tables around a fire pit. The outdoor space — open spring through fall – offers guests an opportunity to play cornhole, make s’mores, or simply take in some sunshine.

At the Burnt Mills Cider Co., there is a focus on creating “a premium local hard cider for the underserved state of New Jersey.” The “core belief” here “is that high quality ingredients and processes yield a better product.”

At the Bedminster cidery, named for the section of town with “an impressive bit of Revolutionary-era history,” guests can try ciders such as sour cherry, jersey blue, pineapple, dry sparkling, semi dry, ginger, hops, hibiscus rose, fall spice, and immune booster.

Parades and festivals

In Somerset County, there are all sorts of parades and festivals — some held for decades, others relatively new. A sampling includes an annual parade that honors the memory of hometown hero and a festival that celebrates Chinese culture in the Somerset County community.

Every year since 1981, residents line the streets of Raritan to honor World War II hero John Basilone. Basilone, a Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The parade annually honors his memory. This year, more than 100 units marched in the parade, which was held on Sept. 19. Raritan is also home to the John Basilone statue.

Chinese New Year | Bridgewater Commons

Like most shopping malls, Bridgewater Commons (400 Commons Way, Bridgewater | 908.218.0001) welcomes children to visit with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But this mall also invites folks to celebrate holidays such as Chinese New Year.

Last February, the mall rang in Lunar New Year treating shoppers to a traditional lion dance, in which performers imitated the animal’s movements to offer good luck and fortune. The New York Chinese Freemasons Athletic Club were on hand to provide the colorful performance in celebration of the Year of the Ox, thought to bring career advancement, success in business, prosperity and wellness for all zodiac signs. The family-friendly performance was followed by photos with the lions.

Also in 2021, together with the nonprofit Pride Center of New Jersey, the mall celebrated June’s LGBTQ+ Pride Month unveiling “Let the Love Flow,” a giant mural, symbolizing pride and acceptance. For more information on mall events, click here.

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Ed Murray may be reached at emurray@njadvancemedia.com.

Linda O’Brien may be reached at LOBRIEN@njadvancemedia.com.