The tulips at Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge have become one of New Jersey's most photographed spots in the spring. Beyond the 8 million colorful tulips to take in, there are plenty of other things to keep you and your crew entertained during a visit. They include 20+ photo props, as many as 30 food trucks, farm animals, a feeding zoo, pony rides, a tractor-pulled hayride, Dutch souvenirs, a bakery, and a tulip planting museum.
So what goes into transforming the 300+ acre farm into a spring scene of rainbow tulips straight out of Holland? "You would think an event of this size would take an army, but in reality, there's less than 10 of us who work year-round to bring it all together," says Patrick Marini, Holland Ridge's creative manager.
Marini says bulbs are ordered during the summer for the following spring. "We make sure to only order the most colorful and most hardy varieties that will grow well out in the flower fields," he says. "As soon as sunflower season ends, we start planting the millions of tulip bulbs. Over the winter they grow roots and form flower buds, while we start planning out new photo props and improvements to the farm and event. We love that we have so many returning visitors who make our tulip event their yearly family tradition."
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