Strong Kickoff at Fall Festival Days

The first of Fall Festival Days at Chapel Hills Farm & Nursery drew hearty crowds of family fun-seekers and avid gardeners on Saturday, Sept. 18—a strong kickoff for the event which will continue for an additional six weekends.

Russell Berk, the nursery's owner, said that support for local farms and festivals is a growing trend. Berk, whose family started the operation in 1952,  attributed much of the festival's success last year to the recession. "During a tight economy people stay close to home and I expect the trend to continue," he said.

Between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., the nursery's parking lots swelled as families filed in to enjoy the numerous activities, including a petting zoo, pony rides, a hay bounce, a mini-hay maze and live county music, provided by Big Daddy Country. Although admission was free, rides were half price for the kickoff, or $1. For the remaining weekends, the price for rides will be $2.

Attendance grows each year, according to Don Cox, singer in Big Daddy Country. "People are in search of good family fun," he said.

May Ann Scarfo said that she and her family come to the festival because it's close to their Parkville home and offers a taste of country living and family entertainment at a reasonable price. "It's all about the kids," she said.

Aside from the clear weather, music, food and hay rides enjoyed by attendees, many also talked about their experiences in joining the ranks of first-time vegetable and herb growers.

Bringing her two children to the festival has become a family tradition, said Jen Burch of Perry Hall. They love the many activities and rides, but, Burch says, she now also enjoys the agricultural aspect since she began growing her own peppers and expanding her vegetable garden.

Likewise, Brian Poller of Perry Hall, who made a scarecrow with his family at the festival, said that he and his wife acheived mild success while growing tomatoes this year—their first attempt at home growing. "We will plant more vegetables in our garden next season," he said.

Increased agricutural interest is no surprise to Berk. "Our sales of vegetable seeds have increased five times what they were before the recession," he said. "What we have lost in bigger sales, we have more than gained in smaller sales."

Surveys taken by the National Gardening Association over the last couple of years confirm this trend, showing that 7 million more households in the United States plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs or berries. 

As a result, Berk said, business is booming.