Salem County, NJ – To many outsiders, New Jersey is defined by busy highways, sprawling suburbs, boardwalks and the skylines of Newark and Jersey City. But a new video from RocaNews is challenging that perception by taking viewers deep into Salem County, a corner of the state where farms outnumber subdivisions and generations of families have worked the land for centuries.
The documentary-style tour introduces viewers to what host calls a side of New Jersey “few people associate with the Garden State,” featuring farms, country stores, western wear shops, quiet small towns and miles of open farmland. The video has drawn attention for describing the county as New Jersey’s version of the “Deep South.”
“We wanted to explore,” the narrator says after noting that while New Jersey is America’s most densely populated state, Salem County is its least populated county. According to the video, roughly 40 percent of the county is farmland producing tomatoes, corn, blueberries, beef and dairy products, reinforcing New Jersey’s nickname as the Garden State.
Families trace their roots back centuries
One of the first residents featured is Mitchell, whose family has farmed in Salem County for generations.
Asked how far back his family’s history in the county goes, Mitchell answered simply, “1692.”
He described growing up working on the family farm from an early age, picking tomatoes and caring for cows and chickens before he was a teenager. The interview highlights a lifestyle rarely associated with New Jersey, where agriculture remains a central part of everyday life.
Another longtime resident explained he started picking tomatoes when he was just six or seven years old.
“I hurt, but I go. Just keep going. Just don’t quit,” he said while reflecting on decades of physically demanding farm work and multiple surgeries over the years.
Rural life offers a different pace
Throughout the tour, residents describe a close-knit community where neighbors watch out for one another and life moves at a slower pace.
“It’s pretty quiet,” one woman said while explaining how neighbors quickly notice unusual activity in the area.
Another resident joked that his neighbor watches the surrounding farms through binoculars and keeps an eye on cattle preparing to give birth. He also recalled riding a pony several miles as a child simply to visit nearby communities, describing it as a way of life he didn’t fully appreciate until he was older.
The video also stops at Zane Western Apparel, a western clothing store that the host says feels completely out of place compared with most people’s image of New Jersey.
“This is not the kind of store you probably picture when you hear New Jersey,” the narrator says while browsing cowboy hats and western gear.
Small towns preserve local traditions
The documentary spends time in the borough of Alloway, where the hosts visit Bud’s Market, a family-owned business that has served the community for decades.
The current generation of owners said the goal has been to preserve the atmosphere built by previous generations.
“My grandmother’s store… she was running it for like 50 years,” one family member explained. “Trying to keep things the way they are here, trying to keep the community tight.”
Unlike many commercial corridors elsewhere in the state, the hosts note they found virtually no national chain stores or restaurants in Alloway, with locally owned businesses continuing to define the town’s character.
Residents also described the surrounding countryside as uncrowded and ideal for spending time outdoors, something they believe has become increasingly difficult in more developed parts of New Jersey.
Salem City tells a different story
While much of the documentary focuses on the county’s rural landscape, the hosts also traveled into Salem City, where interviews shifted toward economic challenges and urban decline.
The video notes Salem regularly ranks among New Jersey’s communities with high violent crime rates before interviewing residents about vacant buildings, shuttered businesses and population loss.
Residents pointed to the closure of longtime employers, including manufacturing facilities, as a major turning point for the city.
“It has a lot of people trying to make things better,” one resident said. “It has had a long period of time where there’ve been no jobs… they’re working on more all the time. But it’s slow.”
Another lifelong resident described the city’s downtown as filled with historic architecture but said a lack of investment has left many buildings vacant.
“The downtown is pretty… there are a lot of abandoned buildings. If they just fixed it up, this town would be totally different,” the resident said.
Others cited the loss of major employers, transportation challenges and limited housing opportunities as factors contributing to the city’s struggles.
County’s shoreline surprises visitors
The documentary concludes along Salem County’s Delaware Bay shoreline, where the hosts describe discovering another side of the county that many New Jersey residents may not realize exists.
Driving south through farmland, they eventually reached quiet waterfront communities where retirees and longtime residents enjoy peaceful beaches far removed from the crowded boardwalks typically associated with the Jersey Shore.
The hosts also observed what they described as an unusually high number of American flags displayed throughout the county, noting the area’s patriotic character compared with many other parts of the state.
The RocaNews documentary is available on YouTube and continues to attract viewers interested in exploring overlooked parts of New Jersey.
The creators regularly produce videos highlighting lesser-known communities across the United States, using interviews with local residents to tell stories about regions that often receive little national attention.
This article is based on the RocaNews YouTube documentary exploring Salem County, including interviews with residents, business owners and community members throughout the county. Quotes and descriptions are drawn directly from the video’s transcript.
