South Jersey farm ordered to temporarily stop drive-through tulip tour

A drive-through tulip tour in Swedesboro has been halted because prosecutors said it violates the state’s executive orders related to the coronavirus.

Dalton Farms was ordered to stop its “Tour of Tulips” on Sunday evening, the family-run farm said on its Facebook page. The tours were supposed to continue until at least Wednesday, according to its website.

“We have been clear — in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, events of any size cannot take place," the state Attorney General’s Office said Monday in a statement. “Some businesses can continue to accept online and pickup-only orders in accordance with the provisions set forth in the executive order that allows nurseries, garden centers, and farms that sell directly to customers to continue to operate.”

The farm’s owner said he declined to comment on the advice of his attorney.

» READ MORE: Summer harvest in a pandemic: Pa. farmers contend with a food surplus and a labor shortage

As the coronavirus shutdown leaves millions unemployed across the country, farmers remain essential workers. However, with restaurants and other dining facilities closed, they struggle with uncertainty.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf has asked the federal government to provide more details about financial assistance for farmers. In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy has not been as vocal in advocating for the needs of farmers, but has counted them among the essential workforce.

On March 30, Dalton Farms began the tours as a socially distanced version of its typical spring “Tulip Festival."

In a Facebook post announcing this year’s “opening day,” the owners of the Gloucester County farm noted they would not have any outside vendors or activities on the 99-acre property and would require customers to stay in their cars in accordance with “the current state and federal safety restrictions in regards to crowds and social gatherings.” The tours cost $20 per car.

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Some Dalton customers expressed frustration about the tours being stopped.

“People can still meander around Target for nonessential items, spreading germs and putting people at risk,” one woman wrote on Facebook. “But I can’t visit a tulip field within the confines of my own car with my family, spreading absolutely zero germs beyond my immediate family. Makes ZERO sense.”

The farm said on its Facebook page that refunds would be given to those who had purchased tickets through Wednesday.