Local flower farm to host Fall Fest event

Kaitlyn Eichelberger, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
·3 min read

Sep. 29—Join the family owned historic Mayfield Farm Sunday for its first-ever Fall Fest, an opportunity to bring friends and family together for a day of seasonal festivities.

Since 2018, Kelly Ross and Zane Montgomery and their two sons have lived on their 21-acre farm after moving states when Ross found a local position as an oncologist. Upon relocating to West Virginia, the couple knew they wanted to purchase land, and thus sprouted the idea of a flower farm.

The Mayfield Farm property has a long history in Morgantown, said Ross. The property originated in the Mayfield family as a major fresh-food supplier to the area. The couple is proud to continue this legacy and steward a land rich with historical and agricultural value.

"It's been a lot of fun—I love it. It really is just so peaceful after coming from the city, " said Ross. "The first night we lived here, we whispered to each other because it was so quiet, we just weren't used to not having big city noise."

Mayfield Farm's first growing season was 2021, and after a couple years of supplying local florists with fresh flowers, selling in local stores and at events, and offering bouquets for all types of occasions, it was time for something new, something big—a fall festival.

"We're very proud of our farm and we want to show it off, but we also value our privacy, " said Ross. "So we decided that we would just open the farm up and invite people to get to experience what we get to experience all the time, which is just the beauty of our farm."

A highlight of Mayfield Farm is the commitment to sustainable practices. They follow organic best practices, are pesticide-free, avoid over-tilling the land and use renewable energy.

"I have always been very focused on the environment, and try to teach my kids that we want to leave the world a better place than we found it. We're trying to do our part as far as we can, " said Ross. "We try to use regenerative agricultural practices to manage our farm. If you're fighting against nature, you're just never going to win. So you've just got to work with her."

Fall Fest invites the community to spend a few hours at Mayfield Farm enjoying the various activities planned and products available. Explore the vibrant fields of blooming flowers and buzzing rows of Montgomery's hand-raised honey bees during farm and apiary tours. Take advantage of photo ops provided by the scenery and achieve that perfect fall Instagram post. Indulge in a variety of seasonal beverages and food including mead and honey tastings, hot apple cider and local food truck Hill and Hollow's various Appalachian comfort foods. Children's activities and games will also be available, including scavenger hunts.

Specialty pumpkins, dried flower wreaths, honey, sourdough bread from a Bruceton Mills farm and pick-your-own sunflowers are just a few farm goods that will be available for purchase during the event. West Virginia musicians Grace Campbell and Kaylee Boyce will perform during the event, adding to the cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

"Have some hot cider and walk around, take your pictures, see the flowers, hang out in our fields, listen to music, " said Ross. "Just have a good time."

If all goes well, the couple hopes that Fall Fest at Mayfield Farm will become an annual event, with ideas for a similar event held in the spring when the newly planted lavender has established itself in a couple years.

Tickets for Fall Fest can be purchased online at MayfieldFarmWV.com /shop /p /fall-festival-timeslot. Tickets are sold per car, with four different two-hour time slots available throughout the day. For more information, visit MayfieldFarmWV.com.

"I think [Fall Fest ] is going to be a really great way for people to experience what you think about when you think about fall, " said Ross. "I think this will be a really fun event for Morgantown."

TWEET @DominionPostWV