Unearth The Voyage
Cape May, New Jersey has no shortage of charming spots, but there is one place along Broadway that regulars have been quietly returning to for nearly three decades. It is a roadside farm market with a loyal following, a legendary key lime pie, and produce that has made more than a few visitors reroute their entire afternoon plans.
This is not a big-box grocery store or a trendy pop-up stand. It is a fourth-generation family farming operation with deep roots in Cape May County, and once you know about it, you will wonder how you ever spent a summer at the shore without stopping in.
The staff is friendly, the selection changes with the seasons, and the homemade baked goods alone are worth the detour. By the end of this article, you will have every reason to add this market to your Cape May must-visit list.
Where to Find This Cape May Classic
Right on the main stretch of Broadway in Cape May, New Jersey, Duckies Farm Market sits at 736 Broadway, Cape May, NJ 08204, and it is hard to miss once you know what you are looking for.
The market is open seven days a week from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, which makes it easy to fit into almost any vacation schedule, whether you are heading out for a morning beach run or wrapping up a day near the Cape May Lighthouse.
Parking is described by many visitors as plentiful and easy to navigate, which is a genuine relief in a town where summer traffic can make even simple errands feel like a project.
The market does close during the off-season, so if you are planning a fall or winter trip, it is worth checking ahead. For in-season visits, though, you can count on finding the doors open and the shelves stocked.
A Family Farm With Nearly 130 Years of History
The story behind Duckies Farm Market is not something you can replicate overnight. The family behind the market has been farming in Cape May County since 1895, making them one of the oldest continuously operating farm families in the region.
That is four generations of working the same land, learning what grows well, and passing that knowledge down through the family. A fifth generation is already involved in agriculture, currently employed by the USDA.
The Broadway market itself was opened as a second location to the original farm stand, which sits about eight miles north in West Cape May. The goal was to offer a wider variety of products beyond what the family farm alone could produce.
When a business has been running for nearly 28 years at one location and the family behind it has farmed the same county for over a century, that kind of track record speaks louder than any marketing campaign ever could.
The Key Lime Pie That Keeps People Coming Back
Ask almost anyone who has visited Duckies Farm Market what they remember most, and there is a very good chance the answer involves key lime pie. This is not a casual mention buried in a few reviews.
It comes up again and again, from visitors who drove past on a whim to regulars who have been stopping in for decades.
The pie has a following that borders on devotion. More than one person has described finishing an entire pie in a single sitting, which says something about how it is made.
It is the kind of dessert that earns its reputation not through novelty but through consistency. Every slice delivers the same result, which is exactly why people plan their Cape May trips around it.
If you are someone who normally skips dessert at a farm stand, this is the one exception worth making. A visit to Duckies without trying the key lime pie is a story with a missing chapter.
Rice Pudding That Converts Non-Believers
Not everyone walks into a farm market expecting to leave as a rice pudding convert, but Duckies Farm Market has a way of changing minds on that front. The rice pudding with raisins has earned its own loyal fan base separate from the key lime pie crowd.
One visitor admitted to not being a rice pudding person at all before trying it, and then came back the very next day to get another serving. That kind of turnaround does not happen with average food.
The texture is creamy without being heavy, and the raisins add just enough natural sweetness to balance the dish without overwhelming it. It is the sort of thing you eat slowly because you are not quite ready for it to be over.
For a market that is primarily known for fresh produce, the fact that the prepared foods hold their own so consistently is a real sign of quality. The rice pudding is not an afterthought here.
Fresh Produce That Reflects the Season
The produce selection at Duckies Farm Market changes with what is actually available and in season, which is exactly how a farm stand should operate. Cherry tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, nectarines, peaches, and bananas have all been mentioned by visitors as standout finds during their trips.
The strawberries in particular have drawn enthusiastic responses, with some visitors calling them among the best they have ever tried. The nectarines and peaches have gotten similar praise, with notes about ripeness and quality that set them apart from standard grocery store options.
Jersey-grown produce is clearly labeled when available, and the market has a firm policy of not misrepresenting the origin of what it sells. For items that cannot be grown locally, such as citrus fruits and bananas, the market simply offers them as-is without false claims.
That kind of honesty about sourcing is refreshing, and it reflects the values of a family that has built its reputation on transparency over nearly three decades of business.
Jams, Jellies, and Specialty Spreads Worth Stocking Up On
Beyond the produce and baked goods, Duckies Farm Market carries an impressive collection of specialty jams, jellies, relishes, dressings, and other shelf-stable treats that have become a shopping highlight for many visitors.
The variety is wide enough that even regular shoppers tend to find something new each visit. These items also make excellent small gifts, which is something more than a few visitors have noted when picking up jars to bring home to friends and family.
The selection leans into the kind of products you do not typically find at a chain grocery store. Unique flavor combinations, locally sourced ingredients, and small-batch production give these items a character that mass-produced alternatives simply cannot match.
If you are the type of traveler who likes to bring back something edible from every trip, the jam and jelly shelf at Duckies is a reliable source of inspiration. A jar of something interesting from Cape May makes for a far better souvenir than a refrigerator magnet.
A Childhood Memory Preserved in a Market Stand
Some places earn their reputation through novelty, and others earn it through consistency over decades. Duckies Farm Market falls firmly into the second category, and the proof shows up in the way longtime visitors talk about it.
For some Cape May regulars, stopping at Duckies is not just a shopping trip but a ritual that has been part of summer vacations since childhood. The market has been open long enough that some visitors who first came as kids now bring their own children.
That kind of multigenerational loyalty is not built through clever branding or seasonal promotions. It is built by showing up every season, keeping the quality consistent, and treating customers like people worth remembering.
The market’s owner has been known to respond to reviews with genuine warmth and personal investment, which gives you a sense of how much this place means to the people who run it. Duckies is not just a business.
It is a piece of Cape May’s identity.
Fall Visits Are a Whole Different Experience
Most people associate Duckies Farm Market with summer beach trips, but the fall season brings its own completely different lineup of reasons to stop in. Apples, pumpkins, and autumn-themed canned goods fill the shelves as the season shifts, turning the market into a harvest destination rather than just a summer staple.
The transition from summer berries and stone fruits to fall apples and squash happens naturally here because the market follows what is actually available rather than forcing a year-round sameness onto its shelves.
Canned goods, pickles, and preserves take on even more prominence during the fall months, giving shoppers a chance to stock up on items that will last well beyond the season.
If you have only ever visited during peak summer weeks, a fall trip to Duckies offers a genuinely different version of the same beloved market. The crowd is smaller, the pace is slower, and the product mix has a cozy, end-of-season quality that summer visits simply cannot replicate.
The Payment Policy You Should Know Before You Go
Here is the one piece of practical information that catches first-time visitors off guard: Duckies Farm Market does not accept credit cards. Payment is cash or Venmo only, and this is a firm policy rather than a temporary situation.
More than a few visitors have mentioned arriving without enough cash and scrambling to make it work. The good news is that knowing ahead of time makes the whole thing a non-issue.
Stop at an ATM before you head over, and you will have no problems at all.
The Venmo option does add some modern flexibility for those who prefer digital payments, so it is not a completely old-school cash-in-hand situation. Still, having physical cash on hand is the safest approach if you want a stress-free visit.
This is a small logistical note in an otherwise easy and enjoyable shopping experience. The market makes up for the payment limitation with everything else it offers, and most regulars have long since built the cash stop into their routine.
Honey, Cherries, and the Other Standouts Worth Trying
Beyond the headline items, Duckies Farm Market has a rotating cast of seasonal products that deserve attention on their own. Local honey is a regular part of the inventory, and fresh cherries have been called some of the best around by visitors who make a point of coming back specifically for them.
The cherries in particular have been described as plump and full of flavor, which is exactly what you want from a farm stand that is supposed to offer something better than the standard grocery store alternative.
Corn is another seasonal staple that the market is known for, and it draws strong opinions in both directions. The market itself has noted that it has many daily repeat customers who specifically seek out the corn during peak season.
Part of the fun of visiting Duckies is discovering what is at its peak on any given day. The selection shifts often enough that two visits a week apart can feel like two completely different shopping experiences.
Why This Market Has Earned Its Loyal Following
Nearly 28 years in business is not an accident. Duckies Farm Market has stayed relevant and well-loved in Cape May because it does the fundamentals well and does not try to be something it is not.
The market is a roadside stand with a focused selection, a family history that goes back generations, and a commitment to quality that shows up in everything from the produce bins to the pie case. That combination is harder to maintain than it looks.
Visitors return season after season not because the market is flashy or trendy but because it delivers a reliable, genuine experience that fits naturally into a Cape May trip. It is the kind of place that earns a permanent spot on the itinerary after just one visit.
Whether you are a first-timer who stumbled across it on the way back from the lighthouse or a decades-long regular who considers it a non-negotiable part of every summer, Duckies Farm Market rewards every visit with something worth coming back for.
