Pequannock July 2023

Welcome to Sweet Summertime!

of the great outdoors. Stroll through our beautiful town and soak up the charm as the church bells ring and the sun kisses your skin. Be sure to check out the Pompton Valley Rail Trail whether you walk, run or bike. Enjoy nature, listen to the birds and look for deer along the way. Garden, plant one or enjoy the fruits of your neighbors! Pequannock has a bounty of farm-fresh goodies right around the corner and literally at your fingertips. Karen Kinnane’s “Get Fresh!” article is a resource for all of us to enjoy this summer and beyond.

I hope you love our new magazine as much as I do. What a privilege it has been to learn and share all about our community. This month we celebrate a local artist, our championship high school baseball team, a hometown pro hockey player and more!

Pequannock & Pompton Plains MAGAZINE

Editor & Publisher

Donna Fillweber

Art Director

Sue Park

Copy Editor

Nancy Fass

Writers

Greg Dabice

Karen Kinnane

Angela Teta Kohle

Rich Luttenberger

Debbie Walsh

Andy Watson

Photographer

Dan Piccoli

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman

Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO

Mark Dowden

VP, Group Publisher, Regional

Thomas Flannery

VP, Content Strategy

Maria Regan

Creative Director

Kijoo Kim

Sunny days are ahead with plenty of fun for everyone. I have so many fond memories raising my children here in town, and I feel like a kid again as I enjoy life as an empty nester, too.

In this issue, we feature Pequannock Valley Park, one of the best, hidden gems in town—an oasis for children and families. Be sure to take time to relax and enjoy a day at “the lake!” Pick up a book from one of our Little Free Library locations along the way and make time for you.

July is the perfect month to take advantage

I am so thankful for you and all our contributors and advertisers. We’re overjoyed with the reception and positive response to our June debut issue which is for and about you.

What was your favorite piece? Do you have a story idea or something you’d like to see or suggest? Be sure to stay in the know and like and follow us on all social media platforms

@pequannockmagazine.

Kind regards,

Donna Fillweber Publisher

Advertising Services Director

Jacquelynn Fischer

Operations Director

Catherine Rosario

Production Designer

Chris Ferrante

Print Production Manager

Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate

Griff Dowden

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN PICCOLI

Around Town

HELP BUILD NEWBRIDGE SERVICES’ FUTURE

RUNNING ON EMPTY

Did you know that Pequannock Township has a food pantry that serves more than 100 foodinsecure households? As we approach the middle of summer, the pantry’s shelves are nearly bare. Please consider making a food contribution (there are many needs, including condiments, canned goods, coffee, cereal, paper products and more) or a financial donation. Drop-offs are at Friendship Hall, 525-529 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, or contact the food pantry at 973-835-1145 or peqtwspfoodpantry@yahoo.com.

SCHOOL’S OUT!

Drivers: Please be mindful of pedestrians and cyclists who have the right of way. This means to safely stop and let them pass. Town intersections with the new Pompton Valley Rail Trail, especially at Alexander Avenue and Jackson Avenue, require particular attention. Let’s make it a great— and safe—summer, all around Pequannock Township!

During NewBridge Services’  60th anniversary, the nonprofit is offering commemorative bricks  for purchase. The bricks will be installed as a walkway at a new campus on Newark-Pompton Turnpike in Pompton Plains. NewBridge is relocating its headquarters to a site that includes its adult psychiatric day care program and the Evans Place apartments. Through counseling, housing and education, NewBridge tackles some of society’s toughest issues, including mental illness, substance use, isolation and homelessness. Order at www.polarengraving.com/ newbridgeservices.

FREE SUMMER READING

Little Free Library is a nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Its mission is to help build community, inspire readers and expand book access through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Library book-exchange boxes. There are several right here in town, including one at the First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains. To learn more about the organization, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.

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2. FIND OUT HOW MUCH YOUR HOME IS WORTH.

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3. PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT INTO YOUR REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS.

We’ll gladly answer your questions about the real estate market and assist you every step of the way.

LIZ LUBANSKY

Fired Up

How one Pompton Plains resident is combining two passions

BY DEBBIE WALSH

Whether life imitates art or art imitates life is a subject long debated by renowned philosophers and poets. Local sculptor and potter Liz Lubansky feels the connection between the two whenever she picks up a piece of clay.

Lubansky, whose maiden name is Vogel, is a Pompton Plains native. She attended local schools through her sophomore year of high school. A family move took her to Tennessee, where she finished her secondary education. Afterward, she went to college in Delaware. All the while she kept in touch with a boy named Brett Lubansky, whom she met at her church youth group back in New Jersey when she was 15.

They married, and when it came to picking the perfect place to call home, they selected Pompton Plains. Their property included a backyard horse barn, which they converted into a pottery studio. The couple has two children, aged 4 and 9 months, and another on the way. Lubansky more recently earned a master’s in mental health counseling and art therapy and envisions a marriage between her pottery skills and art therapy.

A sampling of Lubansky’s work is displayed on her website, www.weareclaystudios.com. Her pieces are featured at a half dozen shops in New Jersey and the Washington, D.C. area, including Mayernik Kitchen on Newark-Pompton Turnpike.

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What do you like about living in Pompton Plains?

We just love it here. It has such a community feel. People in our neighborhood are so friendly and very kind. There are so many town events geared to people of all ages. It’s perfect for a young family.

How and when did you discover your passion for sculpting and making pottery?

I went to the University of Delaware and started as a nutrition major. It was very science-based, and I didn’t take to it. So, my parents encouraged me to just take a course or two in something that interested me. I took a painting class and a ceramics class, and it was the ceramics class that I fell in love with, and it just took off from there. At first, I laughed when my professor suggested I major in ceramics. Who does that? Well, I did. I received a bachelor of arts degree with a focus in ceramics.

Where do you draw inspiration from for your pieces?

Often, I’m inspired by something I see in nature or an event in my life. Sometimes I like to just play around. The experimentation can lead to a piece I enjoy and keep working on. But sometimes I start things and it doesn’t go anywhere. It’s like I’m just not feeling it. That’s the nature of it.

Why do you like sculpting and creating pottery?

I feel like there is a lot of parallel between the human experience and the experience with clay. There’s a lot of process to it. You start off with this sort of unformed piece, and then it goes through a series of processes until it becomes a finished work. It has to be tested. It has to be refined. It might have a piece you have to alter. I really enjoy that process. I think it really is a metaphor for the human experience. I enjoy the tactile nature as well. I love the touch and feel of it. Your hands are directly on the clay as opposed to, let’s say, painting. Most of the time you’re working with a paintbrush, so there’s something between you and your medium.

Do you offer classes in your studio?

I do a lot of workshops. Sometimes they’re for a small group like a bachelorette party or a shower. I’ve also done summer camps. People love the small group workshops. It’s very communal. When you’re engaging in a creative activity, you have to separate yourself from your phone, social media or whatever. You separate from stressors and allow yourself to engage in the present moment. When you’re at the wheel, you can’t touch your phone. You’re using both hands and you are using both the left and right side of your brain, which is a cool thing. It’s a fun experience, even if you try it one time.

Debbie Walsh has 30 years of experience writing for various newspapers and, more recently, as a ghost blogger.

Potter Liz Lubansky recently earned a master’s in mental health counseling and art therapy and envisions a marriage between her pottery skills and art therapy.

Panthers Win It All!

PTHS boys’ baseball team grinds out conference and state championships.

BY RICH LUTTENBERGER

Baseball is a game of statistics, probably more than any other sport. But two things cannot be quantified—grit and chemistry. For the Pequannock Township High School baseball team, this resilience and togetherness led it to a historic season.

But it wasn’t an easy trip. The Panthers had to play 31 games in 68 days. They also overcame deficits in three of their last four tournament games.

Head coach Jon McBurney, who played on Pequannock’s 1992 sectional championship team, points to an early game at Madison where he first noticed the mettle in his boys. Down 7-1 after the first inning on Madison’s senior night, McBurney, in his seventh year as head coach, heard chatter in his dugout; guys saying that they weren’t going to sit back and just give up. He used this moment to coach up his team. “You can’t win the game in the first inning, but you can lose it,” he told them. “Mentally, you can check yourself out, and you’re done.”

The Panthers fought back with five runs in the next inning en route to a 12-10 victory. It was a turning point for the team.

That grit was coupled with great team chemistry,

which started with the leadership of the captains, seniors Zach Laubach, Joe Sabbath and John Vanaria. “My captains really led,” McBurney says.

Sabbath was especially effective, pitching to an 11-0 record with 119 strikeouts, which McBurney said was tops in the state. The University of Rhode Island-bound righty was also a key player at shortstop, leading the team in hits (41) and home runs (4).

In winning the Group 1 State Championship, the Panthers (26-5) finished the season ranked 20th in New Jersey, and they also had the most wins in school history. They captured their third group crown and won their conference championship. They were talented and their roster was deep, but toughness and togetherness made the difference.

People say that you can’t measure grit or chemistry. The 2023 Pequannock Township High School baseball team will disagree. For them, it resulted in a trophy and a lifetime of memories.

Above: The Pequannock Township High School baseball team celebrates its Group 1 State Championship.

Left: Junior outfielder Ryan Foley was one of several offensive weapons for Pequannock, accounting for 28 RBI this season.

Rich Luttenberger is a 17-year Pequannock resident. He is a longtime teacher at Morris Knolls High School and a writer for Gridiron Heroics, a national football blog.

Get Fresh!

Pequannock is chock-full of hidden places to buy vegetables, flowers and more— straight from the source.

BY KAREN KINNANE

There’s no need to leave town to find the freshest produce and other food items—including honey and free-range-chicken eggs—along with locally grown plants and cut flowers. Enjoy (and save!) this handy guide to area farms and farm stands.

Slingerland Farmhouse

At the corner of Boulevard and Jacksonville Road, Barry Block and Karen Kinnane sell a wide variety of potted hostas (shadeloving perennials), which are grown right on the property. They also sell “mystery” daylilies, dug fresh while you watch. The daylilies are a “mystery” because you won’t know their color—pink, white, orange, fuchsia, lilac, purple or a combination— unless they are in bloom.

Block raises tomatoes, sweet peppers, zucchini, basil and cucumbers and sells the extras because, as he says, “Everything seems to come in at once!” He also sells bouquets of lilacs and peonies when they are in season.

Block and Kinnane use methods Ruth

Stout describes in “The No-Work Garden Book,” so everything here is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

Block’s small farm stand consists of a round, umbrella-shaded picnic table with baskets of whatever is for sale that day and a box for payments on the honor system. Occasionally, you will find an antique farm tool or garden sculpture for sale, too. Potted hostas fill a red wagon and old wheelbarrows.

Van Vugt Greenhouses

Located at 144 Jacksonville Road, this family-owned business offers a variety of produce and plants as well as bouquets of fresh flowers and fresh eggs from pastured (free-range) hens. The farm stand opened in

1998 and has undergone two expansions to keep up with the demand for fresh, seasonal food and bouquets of cut flowers. Van Vugt Greenhouses is closed on Sundays.

R&L Greenhouses

The flower borders around Lanie Bednarski’s house at 220 Jacksonville Road are sure to inspire you. Luckily, the family sells flowering annuals and hardy mums here, as it has been doing for 35 years, so you can gussy up the beds around your own home. Bednarski introduced and sells a new plant called “sunpatiens” that resembles a flamboyant New Guinea hybrid impatiens but is designed for full sun. R&L Greenhouses is closed on Sundays.

Karen Kinnane (pictured) and Barry Block sell homegrown potted hostas and fresh produce at the corner of Boulevard and Jacksonville Road.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN PICCOLI

Dan Collins’ Farm Stand

At 50 Third St. in Pequannock, Dan Collins grows tomatoes and peppers and sells them from a card table out front when they’re in season. When he was getting ready to retire, his wife asked him, “What will you do with all your free time?” He told her, “I think I’ll sell tomatoes.” It was July, and as an experiment Collins put out a wheelbarrow with a few brown bags of tomatoes, a hand-lettered cardboard sign and an old cigar box for money. By the end of that day, he had sold his surplus tomatoes, and a new career was born! Since retiring, Collins has been selling fresh local produce to people who detour down his quiet street for tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and hot peppers. He raises all his own plants from seed and sells the extra plants to other gardeners in the spring. Collins is 97 years old and still works his garden with assistance from his son.

Twins Hobbee

If you’re looking for local honey— including raspberry honey—visit

5 Winfield St. in Pompton Plains. There you’ll find Twins Hobbee honey, which was started by twins Tod and Mitzy Vanderwekke. Their stand, which operates on the honor system, also offers fresh vegetables in season.

Van Wingerden Farms and Greenhouse

At the corner of Farm Road and Jacksonville Road, you’ll find Van Wingerden Farms and Greenhouse, which offers seasonal annuals. Spring and summer bring a lavish selection of beautiful, healthy flowering and vegetable plants. In autumn, you’ll find chrysanthemums, decorative kale, cabbages and broom corn, followed by poinsettias at Christmastime. Van Wingerden Farms is closed on Sundays.

Suzbee’s Local Organic Honey

Susan and John Visco sell their own honey and homemade jams (including pineapple, strawberry, three-berry and mango) at 43 Second St. in Pequannock. The shop operates on the honor system—serve yourself and pay on the front porch. Hives fill the Viscos’ backyard, and the Viscos have a large number of hives on another tract of land in town. The Viscos have been beekeepers for five years. It was John’s brother-in-law who suggested they get into the bee business, and Susan loved the idea so much that they bought their first hives, queens and bees almost immediately.

Richie and Mary Wilever’s Christmas Tree Farm

Last but by no means least, here’s one to remember come December: Richie and Mary Wilever’s Christmas tree farm, located at 176 Sunset Road. Just look for the fence made of antique rototillers, the “tin man” sitting on the big red farm tractor and the honeybee honey sign made from an old propane canister. Pick out a Christmas tree you love, and Richie will cut it while you wait.

Karen Kinnane and Barry Block have been selling hostas, daylilies and fresh produce from the Slingerland Farmhouse at the corner of Jacksonville Road and Boulevard since 1975.

Seven Decades of Summer Memories

Popular since its humble start, PV Park brings joy to families throughout the community.

Many local families treasure Pequannock Valley Park for its pristine manmade lake and the chance to make lasting memories of summer days at the beach.

BY GREG DABICE

Pequannock Valley Park in Pompton Plains—PV Park to locals—is the crown jewel of the community’s park system during the summer. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, many local families treasure the park’s pristine manmade lake and beach as the go-to spot to swim, relax and make precious memories. The park is host to many events, including Pequannock Piranhas swim meets, food truck festivals, beach parties, movie nights, car shows, the Polar Plunge and the Pequannock Sprint Triathlon.

But how did this local gem come to be?

In the early 1950s, Pequannock Township was presented with a unique situation, which led to a plan—one that changed the landscape of the community for generations to come.

A local developer approached the township for permission to excavate a remote area of the community and use the fill for nearby construction. The contractor was granted permission under one condition: When he completed his work, he would transfer ownership of the land to the township.

In 1953, the newly acquired land officially became the swimming lake and recreation area known as Pequannock Valley Park.

Within its first year, the park established 665 family plan memberships, with an average daily attendance of 575. By August 1956, this number had grown to an impressive daily attendance of 1,028, and PV Park has been a staple recreational spot in the community ever since.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN PICCOLI

Polishing a Jewel

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the people of Pequannock Township further transformed the former gravel pit into a treasured and regularly enjoyed community recreation area. Determination and hard volunteer work from local groups and citizens helped clear parking and playground areas, patch rutfilled access roads and add amenities such as picnic tables, benches, swings, slides and seesaws.

But these major accomplishments were just the beginning. As the township

continued to grow and evolve, so did its park program. For the 1976 season, PV Park was slated for an innovative and extensive improvement program. The township engaged the services of Pandullo Quirk Associates to bring this major modernization and renovation project to life and, over the next few years, vastly improve conditions and facilities.

The swim pit, once filled with stagnant water, was revitalized with a freshwater, spring-fed system that used newly installed chlorinators. Construction of a spillway ensured constant

of water.

Improvements to the swimming area included swim lanes and platforms for competitions as well as lighting for night events.

The beach was reshaped to provide a longer, erosion-resistant slope. Parking facilities were enlarged and paved. The access road was moved away from the recreation area to improve safety, especially for children. And the accommodating services building was completely rebuilt to house restrooms, changing rooms, showers, a lifeguard locker room, a first-aid room and storage space.

movement

Clockwise from top left: Paulie the Polar Bear and the Polar Plungers; costume contest at the Polar Plunge; sand sculpture for Jaws by the Lake.

Photos courtesy of Greg Dabice.

Recalling the Park’s Past

But the real history of PV Park is in the treasured memories of those who have enjoyed it over the years. Stories and warm recollections about the park seem almost as numerous as grains of sand on its beach. These reminiscences from residents who have enjoyed the park over the years are typical:

“My aunt owned the property that borders the lake opposite the beaches. (There are now businesses where her house was.) One day, my cousin decided to release all his turtles—including a snapping turtle— into the lake. Sometimes I hear stories that there is an old snapper living on the other side of the lake. I smile a little, wondering if it might be my cousin’s. That little turtle incident goes back about 60 years!” – Deborah Chiswell Parry

“I remember people jumping the fence or passing a badge to someone through it; shuffleboard; the merry-go-round that went too fast and made you sick; the crazy seesaw that you didn’t want to be the last off of because you would slam onto the ground; great diving boards; the ice cream truck!” – Colleen Kindlon

“In the late ’60s to early ’70s, the parking lot was a field. We would ride our bikes and then jump the gully/creek to get to the beach. The manager would get mad and chase us for our badges. Very few families had pools, so the beach would be very crowded, and each lifeguard stand was staffed and ready. We all took swimming lessons, and the goals were to swim to the raft and jump off the big diving board. Many great family memories at PV Park!” – Barbara Davis

Pequannock Valley Park continues to make new memories every day and hopefully will keep doing so for many years. If you haven’t already joined, what are you waiting for?

Greg Dabice is a longtime active member of the Pequannock community. He is currently president of the Chamber of Commerce, vice chair of the Economic Development Committee and a member of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

In the early 1950s, Pequannock Township was presented with a unique situation, which led to a plan— one that changed the landscape of the community for generations to come.

Historic photos courtesy of Pequannock Parks & Recreation. Jonathan and Tom Rudge on the beach courtesy of Jonathan Rudge.

Ice in His Veins

Local rink standout Cole Maier is heading to Germany to continue his hockey career.

BY DEBBIE WALSH

While some youngsters were learning to tie their shoes at the tender age of 5, Pequannock’s Cole Maier was learning to lace up his ice skates. He’s been skating ever since and is now taking his talents to the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the German Ice Hockey League.

Maier’s first team hockey experience was with the Pequannock Golden Panthers at Mennen Arena. Like many kids in town, he was exposed to a variety of sports and played soccer, basketball and baseball, with his Little League team earning a state title along the way. He swam with the Pequannock Piranhas in the summer.

“It was nice growing up in a smaller town,” Maier says. “You could ride your bike anywhere. It was just fun playing sports with all your buddies from when we were 8 years old to high school.”

A Family of Athletes

Now 28, Maier comes from a solid sports pedigree. His father, Bill, and uncles were stand-out basketball players at Pequannock Township High School (PTHS). His mother, Madeline, a physical education teacher at Hillview Elementary School, was a hoops star at PTHS. But young Maier felt he didn’t inherit

the basketball gene and worked instead to excel at hockey.

Becoming a hockey professional almost seemed predestined: Maier was born on June 24, 1995—the day the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup for the first time. They won again in 2000 and 2003, and Maier became an avid fan, his first team jersey emblazoned with Scott Niedermayer’s name.

“They were such a good team when I was growing up,” says Maier, “with Scott Stevens, Brian Gionta and Martin Brodeur—just fun teams to watch.”

School and Beyond

For high school, Maier first went to Don Bosco Prep, which is a member of the Gordon Conference, considered the elite New Jersey hockey league. There, he faced players such as Johnny Gaudreau, who went on to play for the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, and Kenny Agostino, who played for several NHL teams and is now with Russia’s Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.

Maier decided to focus his athletics and devoted himself more fully to his strongest and favorite sport, though he still managed to squeeze in track after hockey season

ended. “I like hockey because it’s an allaround fast and physical sport,” he says.

But Maier left Bosco for the Taft School in Connecticut, known for stellar academics and sports programs. That school encourages students to play a sport each season, so Maier added soccer to his schedule.

After high school, Maier played for the Nanaimo Clippers of the British Columbia Hockey League, a junior-development league, then played for Union College. Maier’s favorite college hockey moments include several exciting playoff runs and a Mayor’s Cup overtime victory in which

he scored the winning goal.

Following his NCAA career, Maier joined the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, the foremost development league for the NHL. In his top season of 2021–2022, he scored 17 goals and tallied 37 points (including assists) in 68 games, garnering him the team’s MVP award.

Maier enjoyed his time in Canada. “We shared everything with the Winnipeg Jets, so all our facilities were NHL, which was nice,” he says. “People in Canada are really into hockey. It’s a whole different animal up there.”

Cole Maier, center, with his parents Bill and Madeline Maier.

A New Chapter

After playing in a development league for several years, Maier felt the time was right for a change, and he signed a one-year deal with the Ice Tigers. The German league plays fewer games and requires less travel—appealing from a lifestyle standpoint. Maier has spent significant time away from home since he was 16 but is happy not to start his latest adventure alone: His girlfriend, Laura, is going with him.

When not on the ice, Maier, a surfing enthusiast, heads down to the Jersey Shore, where he hangs 10 whenever he can—often a challenge given his rigorous off-season training schedule. Not all his hockey coaches knew about this hobby, but his college coach approved because it promoted leg strength, balance and overall conditioning. “I went to Sea Girt recently and like Long Beach Island, which is a favorite spot,” he says.

Maier doesn’t know what post-hockey life will bring. His college major in managerial economics could lead to a career in finance. He is not ruling anything out for when it’s time to hang up his skates, especially at the shore. “Surfing is super fun,” he says. “I wish I could do more of it—and I guess I’ll be able to after hockey.”

Debbie Walsh has 30 years of experience writing for newspapers and, more recently, as a ghost blogger. A semiretired sports mom, she enjoys dining out with friends, reading and playing golf.

“I like hockey because it’s an all-around fast and physical sport.”

– Cole Maier

Who Runs This Town?

Pequannock offers amazing roads and trails for runners of all levels.

BY ANDY WATSON

When you think of Pequannock Township, what comes to mind? Is it the nice neighborhoods and good schools? Or maybe it is the small-town feel, despite being only 20 miles from New York City. What initially drew my family to town was something different—the great running.

I used to drive 15 minutes just to run here. Pequannock offers something for runners of all abilities. Whether you are training for a marathon or just want to get (or stay) in shape, you can do it all here.

Over the years, I have run thousands of miles in Pequannock. Here are some of the routes I enjoy most.

The Flats

Most of Pequannock is in a beautiful valley, or what some call “the flats.” There are many runs that you can do in the flats, but I enjoy running a loop using West Parkway, The Boulevard, Newark-Pompton Turnpike or the new Rail Trail. Popular cross streets include Mountain Avenue, Sunset Road, Jacksonville Road and Duncan Avenue. A typical loop can range in distance from three to six miles. If you are looking to add distance, you can easily do so by incorporating a neighborhood, such as Greenview or the Village, into your loop.

If you are using the newly paved Rail Trail, the distance from Newark-Pompton Turnpike to Woodland Place on the trail is just under two miles and there are several locations along the way to enter the trail. I enjoy exiting at PV Park and taking a loop around Woodland Park for added scenery—and distance!

Mountain Avenue/ Mountainside Park

If you are looking to add some elevation into your running, Pequannock has that, too! For my longer runs, I always try to add Mountain Avenue into my route. A run in the flats to the Mountainside Park trailhead will get you about 375 feet in elevation gain. If you do an out-and-back from Greenview Park to Mountainside Park trailhead, that is about six miles. If you are feeling particularly daring, you can make it a 10-mile run with 1,000 feet in elevation gain by running the Mountainside Park powerline trail all the way down to Route 23.

Andy Watson and his wife, Kristin, moved to Pequannock in 2017. They and their three kids enjoy everything about the town, especially the parks. You can find their kids swimming at PV Park most days during the summer.

Andy Watson, seen here with his family and at the New York City Marathon, has run thousands of miles in Pequannock over the years.

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The Power of Herbs

Mayernik Kitchen connects time-honored herbal remedies to the modern world.

BY ANGELA TETA KOHLE

Mayernik Kitchen, owned by Shannon and Matt Mayernik, was formerly an onlineonly business. In December 2020, the couple opened a brick-and-mortar store in Pompton Plains. Shannon is an herbalist and plant medicine maker, while Matt is an expert on growing vegetables and medicinal herbs. They formulate more than 75 herbal products in their commercial kitchen, sourcing the ingredients from their gardens in North Haledon and Sussex. “From seed to product is what we are all about,” says Shannon.

Whether you already use herbal remedies or you don’t even know what a modern-day apothecary is, Mayernik Kitchen is the place for

you. Shannon is friendly, knowledgeable and always eager to explain the benefits of using herb-based products.

“These days more and more people are seeking out nontraditional ways to help navigate their health issues or to live healthier lifestyles in general,” says Shannon, “and that’s where we come in.” Mayernik Kitchen is also a wonderful place to stop by for gifts, including jewelry, candles and pottery, as well as a huge variety of self-care items.

Their business extends far beyond the storefront. Shannon and Matt offer classes (visit mayernikkitchen.com) on how to make jams, tinctures and even herbal cocktails. In

addition, they offer fermenting workshops, medicinal plant courses, farm-to-table cooking classes and much more. Shannon and Matt are committed to giving back to their community and enjoy providing these educational opportunities.

The Mayerniks have a very active social media presence on Instagram and Facebook— follow them @mayernikkitchen to learn more. Via their website, www.mayernikkitchen.com, they offer a weekly newsletter where they share photos and stories about their gardens, harvests and medicines.

Angela Teta Kohle, retired after 35 years of teaching, lives in Pequannock. She enjoys volunteering at her church, traveling, baking and working for the family business.

Together with her husband, Matt, herbalist Shannon Mayernik owns Mayernik Kitchen in Pompton Plains. The duo offers more than 75 herbal products designed to help people navigate health issues and live healthier lifestyles.

Winning Smile

Ten-year-old Sam Clements was all smiles after his Silver Sluggers team, led by coach Kevin Inglis, won its recent Pequannock Township Little League championship game. Photo by Sam’s mom, Danielle Clements.

TRANSFORMING

LIVES BY TRANSFORMING LIVING SPACES