It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Brayden Fort gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Clarksburg, NJ is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“I had a great experience with the agency, Always Best Care! I am attending college,”
“Roberto took care of my husband like he was a member of his family. He”
“The aide's were respectful, reliable and friendly and staff responds timely to calls and needs”
“Everyone was great. I’ve come a long way due to the help of your aides.”
“You have a GEM in Mrs. Terry. She is worth so much more than she”
“Very very helpful, I was desperate when I called and that same day I had”
“We had an exceptionally good experience with Always Best Care during my mother's illness. The”
“Thank you Jahima, Esther, Satta, Myra, Kelly & Susan. Carmen should be pleased. Keep up”
“Words cannot express how grateful my family and I am for the kindness, care, and”
“Gimbert & Carmen were very accommodating and knowledgeable with the needs of my father. They”
“You have been outstanding in caregiving and concern for us both. We cannot thank you”
“Gimbert and Carmen Fernandez are very knowledgeable in the area of elder care services and”
“My wife and I are eternally grateful to Always Best Care for the wonderful care”
“Your service was just what I needed. I would not hesitate to use your services”
“Mai was wonderful in every way. She gave great care to my father and also”
“ALWAYS BEST CARE, Princeton Junction is the place to call if you need help in”
“It was a pleasure meeting Carmen! I appreciate the time she spent with me -”
“My wife and I are eternally grateful to Always Best Care for the wonderful care”
“Angela was a very thorough, compassionate, and kind aide.”
“We very much appreciate your flexibility, attention, and care”
“I am a current client of this provider I hired Always Best Care for Mom Monday”
“I had a great experience with the agency, Always Best Care! I am attending college, and they always provided me an aide that is helpful, considerate, and hardworking. Thank you for always providing me with an aide like Ms. Colleta!!”
“Roberto took care of my husband like he was a member of his family. He was God sent; thank God for him”
“The aide's were respectful, reliable and friendly and staff responds timely to calls and needs”
“Everyone was great. I’ve come a long way due to the help of your aides. Thank you again!”
“You have a GEM in Mrs. Terry. She is worth so much more than she is paid! I miss her. Her help was timely, professional, and invaluable”
“Very very helpful, I was desperate when I called and that same day I had professional help. Tremendous your service”
“We had an exceptionally good experience with Always Best Care during my mother's illness. The management met with us and assigned caregivers almost immediately. As our needs evolved and increased, they were responsive and flexible. The caregivers were well-trained, kind, hard-working, and truly fine people whom we enjoyed having in the house.”
“Thank you Jahima, Esther, Satta, Myra, Kelly & Susan. Carmen should be pleased. Keep up the good work, and be safe!”
“Words cannot express how grateful my family and I am for the kindness, care, and concern that was shown for my husband by the Always Best Care staff. Thank you for the exceptional attention to his comfort, as well as the wonderful insights, strength, knowledge, and emotional support you showed our entire family. Watching someone you love make the transition out of this life is a really difficult thing, and your wisdom and comfort helped us navigate this challenging time. I will always be thankful for the service you provided for him. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent care provided to my husband by Ms. Marie Louisjean. We thank Ms. Louisjean for her incredible patience, tenderness, and attention to his needs. We thank her for being such a dedicated caregiver. God has given her a very special talent and He has blessed her with a compassionate heart. I could not have asked for a more passionate group of people. May God continue to bless the Always Best Care staff as you continue to care for people in need.”
“Gimbert & Carmen were very accommodating and knowledgeable with the needs of my father. They came out to his house and offered suggestions so that he would be able to get around with his walker easily. Their person took great care of my Dad. It is such a relief to my sister and I that we had someone stay with my Dad that was so reliable. I highly recommend them.”
“You have been outstanding in caregiving and concern for us both. We cannot thank you enough. Thanks for always being there for us in every way.”
“Gimbert and Carmen Fernandez are very knowledgeable in the area of elder care services and how best to provide workable care solutions for aging relatives. They are well informed on current issues and available options. I speak from my own experience here and strongly recommend then and their company to anyone in need of assistance in this area. They are compassionate and caring people which is critical in their business!”
“My wife and I are eternally grateful to Always Best Care for the wonderful care they provided for our Aunt and Uncle as they battled with diminishing health and mental conditions. Carmen and Gimbert were always available to us to answer questions and discuss aspects of care that was needed. Without their help the situations that we faced would have been so much worse. God Bless.”
“Your service was just what I needed. I would not hesitate to use your services in the future if needed. I would recommend you to anyone needing your help. Again, thank you for caring.”
“Mai was wonderful in every way. She gave great care to my father and also cared for me and my family.”
“ALWAYS BEST CARE, Princeton Junction is the place to call if you need help in caring for a loved one. We have a brother and his significant other who were living independently and when visiting them realized they had not been eating or keeping their home clean. Since we knew of Always Best Care and heard of their excellent reputation we contacted them. They immediately stepped in and assisted us in knowing what steps we needed to take. After taking both our brother and his significant other to the doctors and learning that they had the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease, we met with Carmen who helped us set up a plan. She suggested that we start with a few days a week of in home care so that we would know that they were eating. She provided us with excellent aids that not only helped prepare meals, but also interacted with our family members to encourage socialization. These few days increased to five days a week which left us with Saturday and Sunday to monitor their eating. While this was taking place, Carmen helped us find an Assisted Living Community where they could move. We visited several in the area and decided on one after consulting with Carmen. She and Gimbert were always available to take our calls if we had any questions. They helped us with finding someone to clean out the house and assisted us in relocating our bother and his significant other to their new home. We have recommended Always Best Care to several of our neighbors who have needed assistance with caring for loved ones. Carmen is on top of any situation that needs attention. Whether a person needs an aid for a week, a month or indefinitely she arranges the right person for the client’s needs. Always Best Care, Carmen and Gimbert, cared for our family members as if they were their own family. We would not have been able to care for our family members as well as the aids from Always Best Care.Hopefully we will not need the services of Always Best Care again, but if we do we know that they will be there to help us.”
“It was a pleasure meeting Carmen! I appreciate the time she spent with me - her knowledge/advice, genuine caring, and friendly personality. We're managing well and hopefully that continues and if needed, we know to call ABC.”
“My wife and I are eternally grateful to Always Best Care for the wonderful care they provided for our Aunt and Uncle as they battled with diminishing health and mental conditions. Carmen and Gimbert were always available to us to answer questions and discuss aspects of care that was needed. Without their help the situations that we faced would have been so much worse. God Bless.”
“Angela was a very thorough, compassionate, and kind aide.”
“We very much appreciate your flexibility, attention, and care”
“I am a current client of this provider I hired Always Best Care for Mom Monday through Friday. They are expensive, but that's the going rate, unfortunately. They were very reactive; I called them, and the next day, they were at the house doing the assessment to see what was exactly needed. However, there were two occasions where I called them and did not get a response back within 12 hours. On one occasion, I called them on a Friday afternoon, and they called me back on Saturday at 10:00. But, they're not bad. The person they recommended was wonderful. I don't have complaints about that.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Veterans Memorial Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local THE WONDER BAR STEAKHOUSE or visit Clarksburg Downtown Historic District, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Clarksburg, NJ, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Clarksburg, NJ understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Clarksburg, NJ 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
No Rosh Hashanah table is complete without honey.The holiday, which marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year, begins the evening of Sept. 29 and ends the evening of Oct. 1. It is both a time of rejoicing and of serious introspection.Challah bread and apple slices are dipped in honey to symbolize the blessing of a sweet New Year ahead.Besides its symbolic significance, honey has almost supernatural qualities: It has antioxidants that help fight illness and can quell seasonal allergies. Some slather honey ...
No Rosh Hashanah table is complete without honey.
The holiday, which marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year, begins the evening of Sept. 29 and ends the evening of Oct. 1. It is both a time of rejoicing and of serious introspection.
Challah bread and apple slices are dipped in honey to symbolize the blessing of a sweet New Year ahead.
Besides its symbolic significance, honey has almost supernatural qualities: It has antioxidants that help fight illness and can quell seasonal allergies. Some slather honey on wounds to help them heal; some swallow spoonfuls to soothe a sore throat. Or, you could simply drizzle it on top of cakes and into cups of tea for a bit of heady sweetness.
New Jersey has plenty of beekeepers extracting and selling honey, from larger producers who sell their honey at farmers markets and stores, to farmers, chefs, and casual backyard beekeepers, all of whom are legally able to bottle and sell their their honey, according to the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
Here's where to find delicious New Jersey honey for your Rosh Hashanah table.
Bee Shore Honey, Toms River
Bee Shore Honey is a small operation run by Ann and Bill MacCormack of Toms River. The MacCormacks are “just a couple of backyard beekeepers,” said Ann. The two have been beekeeping for three years and currently have 14 hives. They sell their all-natural raw honey at the Save Barnegat Bay EcoCenter, where the couple teaches educational sessions on honey bees in exchange for selling their honey and keeping a few hives around the ecocenter’s property.
Go: Head to the Save Barnegat Bay EcoCenter (117 Haines Road, Toms River; 732-830-3600, savebarnegatbay.org) to purchase their honey or message them on Facebook.
Cape May Honey Farm is serious about the health benefits of honey. It offers honey-infused soaps, lip balms, vinegars and more. But those won’t sweeten your challah or apple slices. The raw Cape May wildflower honey, collected from bees in hives around the Cape, will, as will the cinnamon-infused New Jersey clover honey.
Go: 135 Sunset Blvd., Cape May; 609-425-6434, capemayhoneyfarm.com.
“My hives make about 400 pounds of honey each season,” said Frank Brady, owner of the backyard business Dr. B’s Wild Honey. “That’s a lot of honey. I like it in my tea.” But Brady can’t possibly drink enough tea to polish off the honey yield from his five hives. So, he sells it. He became interested in beekeeping as a kid after visiting the Newark Museum where a few bee enthusiasts had set up an observation hive. A podiatrist by day, Brady sells his honey to patients and customers online.
Go: 470 Prospect Ave. Suite 104H, West Orange; 973-336-2787, drbswildhoney.com.
Mary and Ed Kosenski of E&M Gold have been beekeeping at their Tinton Falls home for 22 years. They’ve grown from owning one beehive to 100, and 10 years ago they converted their garage into a “Honey House” to extract and bottle all of that sweet, golden stuff.
We recommend E&M’s cranberry blossom honey, which the E&M Gold website says “tastes like fall.” It’s a raw honey made by bees munching on the nectar of cranberry blossoms, which gives it a slightly tart flavor. The Kosenskis recommend drizzling it over warm scones and muffins.
Go: 113 Hope Road, Tinton Falls; 732-542-6528, emgoldbeekeepers.com.
Fruitwood Orchards was initially a farm that had beehives simply to help pollinate its fruit trees. Soon other farmers started asking the Wright family, the owners of Fruitwood, to help set up hives in their own farms, and that became a lucrative business. Eventually, the Wrights developed a vast network that provided millions of bees to thousands of farms from New Jersey to Florida. The natural next step? Start collecting honey from the hives and selling it.
Fruitwood’s honey is pure and unfiltered, meaning it has all the natural enzymes, pollen, minerals and vitamins that honey is naturally packed with. It comes in a variety of flavors, including clover (light and sweet), buckwheat (pungent and malty) and – our favorite – South Jersey Pine Barren (sweet with an herbal aftertaste).
Go: 419 Elk Road, Monroeville; 856-881-7748, fruitwoodorchardshoney.com.
Joe Lelinho has devised a philanthropic business cycle with his company, Hilltop Honey. Hilltop hives reside up and down Route 287 at corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jersey City and the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. Lelinho supplies beekeeping equipment and a hive to companies who want one. Those company hives support the environment; the bees pollinate local flowers and crops, then make honey. Lelinho extracts the honey and bottles it for the company, which usually sells it to employees and donates the profits to charity.
Hilltop sells raw honey from Lelinho's personal hives — all he does is remove any debris from the honey. This retains the pollen in it, which when consumed eases the symptoms of those with seasonal allergies, says Lelinho. For something a bit different, try his Japanese bamboo honey, which has a rich dark color and flavor.
Go: Find Hilltop Honey at Earth, Wind and Flowers (96 River Road, East Hanover; 973-428-5008), Caldwell Marketplace (5 Park Ave., Caldwell; 862-702-3328) and Calandra’s Italian Village (234 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell; 973-226-8889), hilltophoneyllc.com.
Angelo and Anna Trapani, owners of Trapper’s Honey and third generation beekeepers, don’t promise consistency with their honey. It will taste faintly of whatever the bees were snacking on – most likely spring flowers early in the year, which produces light, sweet honey, and fall flowers later in the year, which yields darker honey that has a bolder depth of flavor. The Trapanis stick one hive in a blueberry patch. Those bees feast on the berries, causing the honey to have the slight flavor of blueberries.
Go: Order honey online; 609-259-0051, trappershoney.com.
Srini Raj's has been beekeeping for four years. His three backyard hives can produce anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds of honey per hive. So, as a hobby, he packages his honey up and sells it. His bees munch on the local flora, so much of what he sells is Jersey wildflower honey. Word of mouth and Facebook posts are how Tulasi Honey gains most of its customers.
Go: 4 N 3rd St., Park Ridge; 201-749-1849, tulasihoney.com.
Wayne Sommers has been renting out bees to pollinate farms for 20 years. He has more than 1,000 hives from Cape May all the way to New York, plus a few in Florida, which translates to about 10 different floral honeys, says Sommers. All of his honey is raw, meaning it hasn’t been pasteurized.
Though Zenjas Honey Farm’s online presence is scarce, you can get a jar at places like Emery’s Farm in New Egypt. Sommers says people also often swing by his house to grab a few jars – just give him a ring in advance so he can have them ready.
Go: Emery’s Farm is located at 346 Long Swamp Road, New Egypt. Sommers can be reached at 732-341-8529.
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Beach Plum Farm Honey: 140 Stevens St., West Cape May; 609-602-0128, beachplumfarmcapemay.com.
Ptak’s Apiary: 126 W. Westside Ave., Red Bank; 732-637-0944, facebook.com.
Uncle Gordon's Wild Honey: 1504 67th St., North Bergen; 201-861-4944, gordons-backyard-honey.business.site.
MILLSTONE – An historic structure that dates back to the 1800s has been given new life in Millstone Township.Restoration work has been completed at the Clarksburg Methodist Episcopal Church on Stagecoach Road in the Clarksburg section of the municipality. The church was established in 1844 and is the second oldest Methodist church building in Monmouth County. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.- Advertisement -The building, which no longer functions as a church, was purchased by the...
MILLSTONE – An historic structure that dates back to the 1800s has been given new life in Millstone Township.
Restoration work has been completed at the Clarksburg Methodist Episcopal Church on Stagecoach Road in the Clarksburg section of the municipality. The church was established in 1844 and is the second oldest Methodist church building in Monmouth County. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The building, which no longer functions as a church, was purchased by the township in the late 1990s and had been used as a location for municipal events and programs. Activities there were suspended after structural issues surfaced several years ago.
According to Township Committeewoman Nancy Grbelja and Pat Butch, the president of the Friends of Millstone Township Historic Registered Properties, issues with the former church have been known since 2010.
Butch cited a leaking roof and a sagging foundation that was caused by rotting wood as the primary issues with the building.
As reported by the Examiner in 2016, the roof was damaged by tropical storm Irene in 2011 and the foundation issues were the result of water leaking into the structure after the roof was damaged.
In December 2015, a $250,000 grant for development and structural repairs to the building was approved by the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders.
Butch thanked Doreen Polhemus, the former township historian and current church caretaker, for keeping and maintaining items from the church that had to be removed during the restoration work.
Grbelja cited Butch, Polhemus and Township Historian Joann Kelty for their work in preserving history and providing a historical education to Millstone’s children. She also praised the volunteers who make up the Friends.
“The volunteers who are part of the Friends have been invaluable,” Grbelja said. “They serve as a model to all other groups on how to get things done and their dedication and selflessness is unmatched.”
To celebrate the completion of the restoration work, the Friends of Millstone Township Historic Registered Properties and the Historic Preservation Committee hosted an open house at the building on June 3.
During the open house, guests had the opportunity to place messages into a time capsule which will be opened in 2069 on the 225th anniversary of the church and Millstone Township.
“I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of the team restoring this historic building,” Polhemus said. “This building stands as a testimony to our township’s history and will continue to serve the community well. Many volunteers stepped up to make this project a great success and because of all who stepped up, we are under budget.”
By Thomas K. RobbinsPresident Abraham Lincoln did not know his ancestors and dismissed questions about his ancestry saying, “I don’t know who my grandfather was, and am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.”Although he was not interested in learning about his forefathers, Miss Ida Tarbell certainly was.Ida Tarbell was a famous investigative journalist in the early 1900s who wrote best-selling books on various topics including Standard Oil, Napoleon Bonaparte and Abraham Lincoln.I...
By Thomas K. Robbins
President Abraham Lincoln did not know his ancestors and dismissed questions about his ancestry saying, “I don’t know who my grandfather was, and am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be.”
Although he was not interested in learning about his forefathers, Miss Ida Tarbell certainly was.
Ida Tarbell was a famous investigative journalist in the early 1900s who wrote best-selling books on various topics including Standard Oil, Napoleon Bonaparte and Abraham Lincoln.
It was while working on her book “In the Footsteps of the Lincolns” that she began her journey to discover the Lincolns of New Jersey.
Her research led her to Freehold in August 1922, searching for Richard Saltar, the President’s third great-grandfather whose daughter, Hannah, married Mordecai Lincoln. She had the notion the Saltars lived in Freehold, but was mistaken.
Tarbell checks the courthouse for any records on the Lincolns, but comes up empty. She proceeds to the library and that is a dead end, too.
However, the librarian directs her to the local newspaper offices which Tarbell visits and where she finds Maxim Applegate at the Inquirer offices, who tells Ida something she did not know – Mordecai and Hannah Lincoln had a child, a little girl buried at Covell’s Hill. This is news to Tarbell.
The next day she uses a taxi to drive out to Clarksburg (Millstone Township) looking for a church and graveyard Applegate described as being the site of Covell Hill.
At the top of a hill outside town, she spots white gravestones, but no church. With rain drizzling down and not dressed for tramping around in the bush, she makes her way up to the top of the hill.
There she finds graves that “… are grown up with high grass, poison ivy, huckleberries and all sorts of low stuff.”
From her notes it seems she is looking for Mordecai’s tombstone as well since she writes, “… Here are many old grave stones such as I never saw before, the natural red sand stones, as flat as they could get them but quite unworked, jagged and rough, no initials that I could find. If there is a M.L. anywhere, I did not find it or anything else that Applegate had promised, such as many tomb stones of Jemisons(sp).”
She leaves the cemetery and ends up at Mrs. Rue’s, sister to Mr. Joseph Holmes who claimed he was related to the Lincolns.
Mrs. Rue shows her a manuscript of the family genealogy where the inscription of Deborah Lincoln’s tombstone was documented. It read: Deborah Lincon, 3 years 4 months, 1720.
Tarbell returns to New Jersey on Aug. 14, traveling to Trenton to conduct research at the courthouse for land transfers related to the Lincolns.
Later that night back at the hotel, she reviewed her copy of J. Henry Lea’s “The Ancestry of Abraham Lincoln” and found a passage where Lea writes that Deborah Lincoln is buried in Allentown.
The next day, Tarbell takes a taxi to Allentown and visits a graveyard in the back of a house on Church Street.
Coming up empty, she asks if there is anyone in town who may know about the tombstone. The owner of the house says an old man down the street may know something.
Tarbell knocks on his door and describes the feeling of meeting him as “… same kind of feeling I have when looking for china I come upon a Loewstof (Lowestof) or see a real Windsor or find a factory that I know is a labor factory or an employer that I know realizes what human beings are … real things. I had found one, Charles Hutchinson, 25 years a store keeper in Freehold (Allentown), 29 years insurance and land office work.
“Through all this time he had been gathering information about Monmouth – its history and its settlers, putting it down in ledgers in a hand so precise and neat that it was like copper-plate – not an erasure, not a blot, not a crooked or hasty letter. Almost perfect type.”
Did Mr. Hutchinson know about Deborah Lincoln? Of course, and he informed Tarbell she was not buried in Allentown, but at Covell Hill about “… four or five miles from here … at the place in which I started.”
Hutchinson pulls out one of his books and shows Tarbell the same tombstone inscription Mrs. Rue had.
A month later they begin corresponding with each other and Hutchinson sends Tarbell a photograph of the tombstone she ended up using in her book.
Thomas K. Robbins is a resident of Havre de Grace, Md., and a descendant of the Robbins family of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Township area.
BRICK – A $235,920 contract has been awarded to Meco Inc. of Clarksburg, NJ for road improvements to the Burnt Tavern neighborhood of Siclar Estates.The major work to be completed includes roadway milling and resurfacing of Sweeney Avenue, Marbro Avenue, Conte Avenue, Jewel Avenue and Kuster Lane, said Mayor John G. Ducey during a recent Township Council meeting.Bid notices were supplied to 77 prospective bidders from the township bidder’s list, and eight submitted bids ranging from the low winning bid up to $336,49...
BRICK – A $235,920 contract has been awarded to Meco Inc. of Clarksburg, NJ for road improvements to the Burnt Tavern neighborhood of Siclar Estates.
The major work to be completed includes roadway milling and resurfacing of Sweeney Avenue, Marbro Avenue, Conte Avenue, Jewel Avenue and Kuster Lane, said Mayor John G. Ducey during a recent Township Council meeting.
Bid notices were supplied to 77 prospective bidders from the township bidder’s list, and eight submitted bids ranging from the low winning bid up to $336,490.
The governing body also passed a shared services resolution with BTMUA (Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority) for road resurfacing in Cedarwood Park, which is undergoing water main replacement.
“The policy that we started about seven years ago was, if a utility digs up our roads here in town, they’re responsible for the side-to-side repaving,” the mayor said.
“In the past they were only responsible for patching up the areas where they actually dug up, or maybe they had to do half of the road if it was a pipe, but then you have half the road nicely paved and the other half 30 years old,” he said.
So the roads that are being dug up for water main replacements will be paved side-to-side by the utility, but other roads in the neighborhood that are not impacted by the water main replacement and not getting paved at all will benefit by the shared services agreement.
BTMUA has a contract in place and the township will utilize that contract to expand the scope of roadway resurfacing for the entirety of Laurel Avenue, which connects Drum Point Road and Mantoloking Road.
Herbertsville Deli Demo
In other news, the governing body passed a resolution that authorizes the receipt of bids for the demolition of the structures and to secure the property of the former Herbertsville Deli at 430 Herbertsville Road.
“This resolution is the result of an order issued by our Township Property Maintenance Board,” Mayor Ducey said. “A hearing was held before the Board on February 23, 2022 with no action taken at all by the property owners to comply with the Board’s orders of fixing that place up.”
The Board has ordered the demolition of the unsafe structure and the placement of a lien to recoup all costs, he added.
And finally, Mayor Ducey noted that on the 10th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, one of the largest impacts the storm had on the township was financial. Brick still hasn’t recovered from the loss in $400,000,000 in tax ratables. The ratables base is still about $100,000,000 less than it was before the storm.
The loss in ratables combined with the debt service and expenditures the township continues to pay for as a result of the storm has placed an extra burden on the taxpayers, he said.
Homes were lost – some that had passed down from many generations – neighborhoods were totally wiped away, and a decade later recovery from the storm is still going on for many, which is very unfortunate, the mayor said.
“A decade later, we have a greater understanding of the burden that living in a coastal community brings, and a greater respect for the dynamic and changing power of the climate,” he said.
Mother Nature can “take it all back” again, so the township will continue to work with the planning and engineering departments to take appropriate mitigating actions and hope that a similar storm never happens again, Mayor Ducey said.
The next council meeting will be on Wednesday (not the usual Tuesday because of Election Day) November 9 at 7 p.m.
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) announced that it awarded the Russ Robson Scholarship, created in memory of the former AASP/NJ president, to Gavin Danitz of Compact Kars, Inc., in Clarksburg, N.J. The presentation of the award happened at AASP/NJ’s annual meeting at the Gran Centurions Banquet Hall in Clark, N.J.Related ArticlesRobson was president of AASP/NJ when the Garden State Automotive Federation transitioned to AASP/NJ and was well known in the industry for his dedication and tr...
The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) announced that it awarded the Russ Robson Scholarship, created in memory of the former AASP/NJ president, to Gavin Danitz of Compact Kars, Inc., in Clarksburg, N.J. The presentation of the award happened at AASP/NJ’s annual meeting at the Gran Centurions Banquet Hall in Clark, N.J.
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Robson was president of AASP/NJ when the Garden State Automotive Federation transitioned to AASP/NJ and was well known in the industry for his dedication and training of others. The scholarship award in his honor is presented to a promising young person working in a member shop. This year’s award was presented by Tom Elder, treasurer of AASP/NJ, and Robson’s wife, Luci.
“I was honored to present the vo-tech scholarship award honoring my late husband,” said Luci Robson. “I am proud that he was part of AASP/NJ, an organization which works for the betterment of the collision repair industry.”
Added Elder, “One of the things that Russ was very adamant about was trying to provide training for young people coming into our industry. He taught at a vocational school, and he would tell us, ‘We’re never going to get through this together unless we have trained help.’ Today, I can’t even begin to understand how we’re going to get enough people trained to help with those roles we need filled; between people leaving, retiring, moving on or finding they can make more money at McDonald’s than as skilled labor, it’s very difficult to attract young people to this industry. Russ had the right idea many years ago.
“Russ Robson was our friend, and in his memory, we give away the Russ Robson Award every year. This year hits close to home. My son Jeffrey is here with his son, Gavin – the recipient of this award. So, here we have three generations, and hopefully, Gavin will be involved in our business. Right now, he’s working in our business as a high school senior with excellent grades. This is a very prestigious award, and Gavin, you’ve very much earned this award. Congratulations!”
Danitz was presented with a plaque during the ceremony, and he will also receive scholarship funds to use toward his ongoing education and training in the collision repair industry.
“I’m enjoying my experience working at Compact Kars,” Danitz said. “I’ve been around cars basically my entire life, and I’ve always had a passion for it. I love the working environment, I love working on cars and I love solving problems. I want to continue to better myself, and I’m very honored to have the opportunity to win this award. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.”
For more information on AASP/NJ, visit aaspnj.org.
609-455-2886
