Bellefonte Cut Flower Farm Celebrates Grand Opening with Happy Valley Agventures

The public can enjoy pick-your-own flower events at Rooted Farmstead’s new location, 138 Scott Ave., off Jacksonville Road in Bellefonte.

Owners Christie and Mark Holloway celebrated the grand opening of their cut flower farm with a ribbon cutting at noon on Saturday, May 14, during their Spring Market event, which featured food and beverage vendors, family activities and photo opportunities. More than 40 local artisans sold locally produced and hand-crafted products. Music was provided by Nothing Much and Daniel Sherwin.

Since 2019, Rooted Farmstead has been a member of Happy Valley Agventures, which promotes local farms and agriculture-related businesses and helps them connect with the public. Happy Valley Agventures is a collaboration between the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County and Happy Valley Adventure Bureau.

“Christie has a great vision for the farm,” said Lesley Kistner, the director of public affairs at Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. “She started five or six years ago with herbs, then changed to a cut flower business. They also restored an 1865 barn.

“Christie and Mark moved here from Philadelphia for job opportunities and bought a farm with no prior farming experience,” Kistner continued. “Their first farm in Hublersburg was hard for the public to find. The new farm is bigger, more accessible and visible from I-99. It has two acres of sunflowers plus dahlias and other flowers.”

Kistner said the Holloways will host annual spring and fall markets with vendors and offer activities like their Sip and Snip Workshops that include flowers and a choice of beverages.

“Happy Valley Agventures raises awareness to help ag businesses grow,” she said. “People want to know where their food comes from and see what it’s like to be on a farm. See, do, taste, enjoy. All of the locations are open to the public in some way.”

Kistner said there are about 64 destinations, mostly in Centre County, including the Centre County Farmland Trust, Centre County farm routes, the Ag Heritage Driving Tour, farmers markets and the Central Pennsylvania Tasting Trail for craft beverages.

To qualify, businesses must be agriculturally focused, open to the public in some capacity, offer an agriculture-related experience or sell product that is locally produced, grown or raised. They need to demonstrate significant interest in the development of agritourism and ag-related products that offer a visitor experience in Centre County.

“There are people who travel, who like to give back,” Kistner said. “They enjoy volunteer opportunities to help work on the farm, get involved and get their hands dirty.”

She said some businesses feature experiences. Nittany Meadow Farm offers goat yoga with sociable pygmy goats. People can sit with them or bottle feed them. Pole Cat Hollow Farm offers tours and has hosted Perseid Meteor Shower watches.

Kistner said, “Field to fork dining experiences include Pine Grove Hall, which sources 90 percent of their ingredients within 50 miles. RE Farm Cafe says, ‘You can see our farm from your table.’ The food you eat is raised or grown there.”

“I’ve seen a lot of interest in people wanting to sign up and learn more,” Kistner continued. “More are looking at a farm stay option. People want to be outdoors. They want an authentic experience and to know where their food comes from. It’s good to know what’s here and what’s available to them.”

Rooted Farmstead is among 28 farms and ag-related businesses that were recently awarded the first Happy Valley Agventures grants to help them improve visitor experiences.

For more about Rooted Farmstead, visit its Facebook page and website.

This story appears in the May 26-June 1, 2022 edition of The Centre County Gazette.