Life is a freshly away Michael Parisi.
World War II Army vet, who turns 102 in October. 6, told Post No. 1 key to longevity is marrying a good wife.
And the second necessity, according to the centenarian, is to breathe in the fresh air of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, a community he has called home for the past 60 years.
“The air is great compared to city air,” said Parisi, a great-grandfather of five from Stockton, NJ. “You don’t get gasoline and all that other junk there.
“You sit outside for an hour breathing in the fresh air,” added the widow, a professional accordion player and dancer, “and you’re a different person.”
And Paris, believed to be one of the county’s oldest residents, isn’t just blowing smoke.
Hunterdon’s transformative atmosphere, in fact, has given the rural region bragging rights as the fourth-best community for health outcomes in the nation, according to US News & World Report. It is an honor to play the circuit for producing low numbers of adults with poor health and high life expectancy rates.
The lush land — located just 65 miles south of Manhattan — also earned the No. 35 spot overall on the report’s list of Healthiest Communities 2024. The annual summary rates residential areas based on qualities such as population health, education, food and nutrition, and housing and environment.
Hunterdon County Commissioner Jeff Kuhl credits its evergreen environment for improving the quality of life for its 130,000 citizens, as well as its frequent visitors.
“We have people from different countries come here and say, ‘This can’t be New Jersey,'” he said of outsiders’ shock that the scenic space within the Garden State doesn’t mimic the hustle and bustle of NYC, nor the sliding chaos of table featured in series like “The Sopranos” or “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”.
“It’s a different world here,” said Kuhl, a sixth-generation landowner. “We have saved 38,000 hectares [of open space] and many of our farms are No. 1 in the state.
“My father called it ‘God’s Country.’
The county’s pride, its 579 Trail, is a trail on which towns and tourists are invited to explore the province’s agricultural wonders, including produce stands, livestock, wineries, breweries and many farm-to-table restaurants.
Karen DeMarco, director of the Department of Health, credits the prairies for holding an abundance of nutritious foods.
“Having access to farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, places to walk and exercise — that’s all part of staying healthy,” DeMarco said.
She added that the county also prioritizes maintaining waterways and removing hazardous materials as an effort to keep its settlements clean.
And to support the mental health of locals and visitors alike, the village boasts a number of senior centers, fitness clubs, hiking trails, antique shops, river towns and community engagement events such as the Corn, Tomato and Beer, which was celebrated. this past Saturday.
“[These are all] big draws for people coming from the city,” she said. “Being in a community like this … it’s very low stress.”
Brent Walker and Amy Serridge, owners of WoodsEdge Farm in Stockton, told The Post that worn-out Gothamites often flock to their 90-acre fields to enjoy rest and relaxation among their yaks, llamas and alpacas.
“We host events like Llama Lunch, An Alpaca Paint Party and ShearFest that bring people from near and far from New York City,” Serridge said.
She and Walker, natives of Hunterdon County and married high school sweethearts for 25 years, lovingly raised their animals to produce fiber for clothing and home goods. The farm, which has been in the Walker family for nearly five decades, also houses a large wedding venue where lovebirds with a taste for home decor can bond over rustic grandeur.
“We’ve had at least two couples who got married here,” Serridge said, “then bought homes in the neighborhood because they fell in love with this county.”
The lure of the welcoming forest captured the heart of Paris in 1964.
He and his late wife, Esther, moved to the county from Irvington, NJ, after family members tasked him with overseeing 100 acres of farmland.
With the help of his grandchildren, neighbors and caretakers, he still maintains a garden of goodies, growing tomatoes, peppers and potatoes.
“There’s a 3-mile trail that I walk twice a day — sometimes backwards,” said Parisi, who gets around on a walker these days.
And he’s looking forward to going out and celebrating his next birthday with friends from the community, and a big chocolate cake, this fall.
“My wish [for my 102nd birthday] it’s that at that age I’m having as good a time as I am now,” he said.
“I’ve had a wonderful life.”
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