PEAPACK-GLADSTONE, NJ -- Take the international influence of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin trademark, a 100-year-old estate in central New Jersey, two young organic farmers from Vermont, and a culinary school -- and you get the beginnings of a farm-to-fork enterprise -- The Farm at Natirar. Sounds like something Alice Waters would embrace.
The World-Class Resort & Spa + Cooking & Wine Schools debut at the restored 1912 estate formerly owned by the King of Morocco who never spent one night there. Read full press release here.
We locals refer to this estate as the Kate Macy Ladd Convalescent Home. Natirar is Raritan spelled backwards after the Raritan River which runs through the property. Malcolm Forbes was instrumental in the sale of this landmark to the King of Morocco. A large portion of the undeveloped land is now Somerset County parkland. It's wonderful that this beautiful landscape is preserved open space with walking trails that are open to the public.
This is quite something for this beautiful part of the NJ countryside where Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had a country home and rode with the hunt on these very grounds. I used to ride my bike past Natirar in the early 1970s when I lived nearby. I am sure everyone involved is very worried about the economic conditions and the timing of this opening which is long overdue. Time will tell. Have a great weekend.