Griggstown Quail Farm

In 1973, George Rude took up residence on Griggstown Quail Farm, then a two-acre plot on which he nourished a handful of quail. He purchased the farm outright in 1992, by which point the acreage had expanded to 75 and now housed thousands of pheasants, chickens, and ducks in addition to descendants of the original quail. The farm continues Rude’s concept today, letting poultry raised free of growth hormones, antibiotics, and mandatory gym class live cage free.

Inside a storefront on the farm’s lush grounds, chef Matthew Sytsema stays hard at work in the Griggstown Farm Market’s USDA-certified kitchen. Famed for its chicken pot pie, the shop’s ready-made eats also encompass desserts—from classic apple pie to strawberry-rhubarb pie—and handcrafted soups. Distributed by New York and New Jersey restaurants, seasonal farmers’ markets, and their primary purveyor, D’Artagnan Inc., their poultry also makes mouths water throughout their area.