Summer's Bounty, Activities Gearing Up, School Year Winding Down This Week.

With summer kicking off officially this week, area farm stands are open — and we'll take a look this week at some of the places in Basking Ridge and nearby you can go to enjoy fresh produce and farm products.

Bernards Township hosts a wide variety of farm and/or produce stands, from the English Farm in Liberty Corner — dating back to pre-Revolutionary War Days — to more recent arrivals. Patch will be taking a look this week at what's out there.

The Bernards Township Parks and Receation also has laid out its calendar for summer concerts, theater in the park and activities for local kids. Meanwhile, memberships still are available for the Pleasant Valley Pool and the Coakley-Russo Memorial Golf Course, also located off Valley Road in Bernards Township.

The township's own Trilogy Repertory Co. has announced is opening another summer season of Bernards Township’s “Plays in the Park” on July 11 at Pleasant Valley Park in Basking Ridge with Monty Python’s musical comedy "Spamalot."

“Spamalot,” directed by Jaye Barre of Basking Ridge, with musical direction by Lois Buesser of Boonton and choreography by Charlene Bitzus, tells a story of medieval knights and their exciting — and wackily entertaining — quests.

“Spamalot” will be presented at the outdoor amphitheater at Pleasant Valley Park, Valley Road (next to the Veterans Hospital at Lyons) at 8 p.m. on July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20.  Admission is free, although donations are gratefully accepted. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. For information, call 908-204-3003.

The season will continue on August 1 with Shakespeare’s drama “King Lear,” for which Trilogy will partner with Westfield’s Troupe of Friends.

Meanwhile, although the school year doesn't officially end in Bernards Township schools until June 26, the school system is wrapping up business.

Sign ups for The Senior Bash for graduating Ridge High School seniors start this Monday. Seniors are urged to see Ms. Sobine in the main office to sign up and pick up a permission slip. Participating seniors must sign up and turn in a permission slip by this Friday, June 21.

But for all other students at Ridge, there's still those quarterly tests looming between this week and next Monday, two days before school officially ends.

Quarterly assessments, which this school year replaced midterms and final exams, will begin on Tuesday and continue through the rest of this week and on Monday, June 24. 

The schedule for quarterly assessments is posted on the Bernards Township Schools website.