I grew up in what was called south central New Jersey. South and a bit west of Freehold in an area then known as Turkey Swamp (because there really was a swamp and now it's a county park) The area was fantastic farmland - I grew up on a farm -- my grandfather raised great tomatoes. We took our produce to market in the evenings to a graveled city block by the railroad track near the city of Neptune. All were referred to as "truck farms" and there were LOTS of them! That all disappeared or started disappearing by the time I got to 7th or 8th grade. When we weren't pulling weeds or picking tomatoes, we'd go to the beach at Mannasquan. Nothing I knew and loved of the land as a child has survived. The agriculture communities are gone.
It was a more relaxed life -- there was time for fireflies. What has taken its place are parking lots, malls, housing developments and bumper to bumper traffic. What IS left (thankfully) are still friendly people.
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