South Jersey is the reason New Jersey is known as “The Garden State” (more than 25 percent of New Jersey farms are in Salem County alone) and we love our hoagies (not subs) and pork roll (not Taylor ham). Here are more signs you know you’re from South Jersey…
- Philadelphia is “the City”—not New York. We spend much time debating which bridge to take over the Delaware River to get to the City —the Walt Whitman or the Ben Franklin.
LEEZA HERNANDEZ - It’s pork roll (not Taylor Ham) and you eat it with melted cheese on a bagel or roll. Preferably from Wawa or Heritages. Not with “salt-pepper-ketchup” or whatever you people in North Jersey do. Pork roll is already salty enough and far too delicious to need ketchup.
- We root for Philadelphia sports teams— Eagles, Phillies and Flyers. So the Devils have “New Jersey” in the title. Whatever. We bleed green, red and orange. The Phillie Phanatic comes to our community events. Gritty might steal our souls, it’s true, but he already stole our hearts. And Swoop says, “Go Birds!” Or he would if he could talk.
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / VLADONE / Wildwood - We do not “travel to the beach.” We “go downashore” to Brigantine, Ocean City, Wildwood and Cape May. We take back roads to get there. My back roads to Stone Harbor are: Route 55 south to Route 47 south, to Route 347 south to Courthouse Road. Now don’t steal my route and cause traffic!
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / EZUMEIMAGES - We have our favorite produce stands for summer peaches, blueberries, corn and tomatoes. Some of those stands are just a table set up in front of someone’s house with an honor box to pay. There is a blueberry festival in Hammonton each June.
BEACH PLUM FARM - Most of the farms in New Jersey are located here. We are the reason New Jersey is known as “The Garden State.” Over 25 percent of New Jersey farms are in Salem County alone.
- We went to Storybook Land on school field trips and now we take our kids to this awesome small amusement park first built in the 1950s. The theme is nursery rhymes and there is even an old woman in a shoe.
©ISTOCKPHOTO / KENKPHOTO / The Barnegat Lighthouse - We go camping or hiking in the state parks and forests of the Pine Barrens, and totally believe in the Jersey Devil. The Devil is probably who helped out the Russian in that episode of The Sopranos.
- We endured the hassle of the constant construction on I-295, I-76 and Route 42. What a headache that was! Oh wait. It is still ongoing and probably will never end.
- We put “jimmies” on our ice cream. What in the heck are “sprinkles?” That sounds like a craft project, not sugary deliciousness. Jimmie would agree.
- We have a favorite diner and prefer it to IHOP for breakfast. My favorite is the Colonial Diner in Woodbury.
—Kathryn Quigley is a mom of two and a freelance writer who lives in South Jersey.
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