Sunflower Festival at Brooke County Farm Sure To Brighten Guests’ Weekend
Joselyn King Trending
The public gets the opportunity to pick their own sunflowers and wildflowers and observe one of the few large growing farms in the Ohio Valley this weekend.
The Freeland Farm near Wellsburg is hosting its second "Sunflower Festival" from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
The farm is located at 2522 Windy Hill Road just over the Brooke County line not far from the Wheeling-Ohio County Airport and about two miles past Windsor Heights. Visitors will pay $20 a carload for the chance to view operations at one of the few operating growing farms in the Ohio Valley.
The sunflowers are at their peak at this time. Freeland has crafted a maze through the sunflowers to give visitors an up close view, and they are also welcome to pick the sunflowers as well as some wildflowers also on the farm.
Chairs are placed within the fields of flowers to create photo opportunities.
The Freeland Farm store also will be open to sell eggs and produce gathered there, and there will be sunflower-shaped cookies available from the Little Brown Hen Bakery.
The farm is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owner Eric Freeland says his property consists of 10 acres, and that sunflowers are planted on one of those acres. The farm also produces strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes and three types of potatoes.
Freeland is seeking to get more into agri-tourism and do public events at his farm.
"There's no real agricultural place locally where people can go to see things being grown, or to talk to the farmer directly," he said.
He noted that during the COVID pandemic, people came out and discovered his farm as they sought locally produced food items.
"COVID made this farm," Freeland continued. "People were scared there wouldn't be food available in stores, and we were mobbed with people coming to pick berries.
"They told me it was nice to know there was a farm close by. We had people come from as far away as New Martinsville."
Visiting the farm gives the public the opportunity "to come see where things are grown," he added.
"We encourage people to bring a lunch with them, and come pick a spot for a picnic," Freeland said.