(TRENTON) – The New Jersey Department of Agriculture today announced Christy Gamber of Millville as the overall winner of the 2023 #JerseyFreshApples social media photo contest.

The winning photo featured a shot of Gamber's husband, Ryan, pulling a wagon with daughter Ella and son Jackson into the orchard at Hill Creek Farms in Mullica Hill in Gloucester County. The #JerseyFreshApples grand prize is a $250 gift card that Christy and her family can use at Duffield’s Farm Market in Sewell, Gloucester County.

“The fall season is a wonderful time of year to spend time with family outdoors and in an agricultural setting,” Gamber said. “The pick-your-own experience provides an opportunity to teach our children about where food comes from and the importance of supporting farmers and the essential produce they grow each year. I am honored and humbled that my picture was chosen as the winner.”

The Department partnered with the New Jersey Apple Industry Advisory Council to encourage pick-your-own apple farm visitors to submit photographs showing their appreciation of  New Jersey apple orchards by sharing images of New Jersey farmers, farms, markets or produce with the hashtag #JerseyFreshApples. The contest began Sept. 6 and lasted until Oct. 31 as photos were submitted though Facebook and Instagram. A weekly winner was selected and received a $50 gift card to their Jersey Fresh market of choice. Winners were announced on the Jersey Fresh Facebook and Instagram pages each week. The grand prize winner was chosen by voting on the eight weekly winners via the contest web page.

“We were pleased to partner with the Apple Council to promote and highlight the many wonderful pick-your-own apple locations throughout the state,” Assistant Secretary of Agriculture Joe Atchison III said. “Congratulations to Christy as well as each of our weekly winners for bringing more attention to our hard-working farmers who grow the best produce anywhere.”

More information about Jersey Fresh, including which crops are in season and where they are available, can be found at findjerseyfresh.com

Established in 1984 by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the Jersey Fresh logo was designed to inform consumers which fruits and vegetables were grown in the Garden State. The Jersey Fresh logo guarantees the produce was grown in New Jersey. The state grows more than 100 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

###

To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA and @JerseyFreshNJDA.