Agritourism: Sussex farming in the 21st century

Agritourism in Sussex County is a term that didn't really exist a decade or so ago. That's certainly not the case today.

Large and small Sussex farmers are diversifying into areas that were not even on the radar screen 10 years ago. And leading the way are several multi-generational farm families that have farmed Sussex soil since the 1700s and 1800s.

Options from ice cream to you-pick fruit to goat yoga to special events and weddings venues are now part of farm life in Sussex County. And many farmers sell their produce at county farmers markets, and Sussex restaurants feature homegrown products on their menus.

The Frozen Farmer

The trend setter has to be The Frozen Farmer on the Evans Farm near Bridgeville. Owner Katey Evans has taken the concept of family farm and farm-to-table to a whole new level with her Frozen Farmer ice creams, sorbets and Froberts in more than 8,000 grocery stores nationwide, including Walmart and Giant Foods.

Katey and her products went nationwide after her appearance on season 11 of “Shark Tank”. Shark Lori Greiner was impressed by her products and presentation, and entered into a partnership. With her marketing and sales experience, Frozen Farmer products went from 100 stores to more than 8,000 in one year.

Kevin and Katey Evans' farm includes 3,000 acres of grain and produce, including watermelons and strawberries. The base of their operation is a farm market on Route 404.

Frozen Farmer treats are made from what the Evans call misfit fruit that would never make it to grocery shelves because of its appearance. However, the taste is still the same as perfect fruit.

Their goal is cut down on produce waste and create a more sustainable food system.

A variety of farm markets

Route 404 between Georgetown and Bridgeville is a farm market mecca, with Red Barn Farm, Elmer's, Evans Farm and T.S. Smith markets.

T.S. Smith Orchard Point Market is a longtime family farm market located along Route 13 near Bridgeville. The farm is one of the last remaining apple growers in the area, and it's the apple of the annual Apple-Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville. Over the years, the farm has planted more peach trees.

The orchards and farm have been growing fruits and vegetables since 1906. The Smiths have also experimented with different fruits that are not typically associated with this area over the years, including cherries. The market includes a kitchen providing lunch and breakfast, and much more.

Their events venue, in the midst of the orchard, was one of the first in the county.

Parson's Farms Produce near Dagsboro has grown from a roadside card table and umbrella in 1989 to a Sussex County destination. The fifth-generation farm contains 200 acres featuring a variety of crops, including you-pick strawberries, peaches, blueberries and pumpkins.

The market, located along Armory Road, offers a wide variety of produce and garden products, and a breakfast and lunch cafe. The hit of any visit is the farm's unique petting zoo, featuring Goat Mountain. Besides its goat community, other animals include Scottish Highland and Zebu cows. It’s the largest market of its kind in Sussex County.

Other produce farm markets include Brittingham’s in Milton, Fifer’s in Dewey Beach and Fresh Connection south of Milford.

Another farm family that has capitalized on its uniqueness is Nassau Valley Vineyards and Winery near Lewes. Owner Peggy Raley had to get a law passed just so she and her late father could plant grapes and operate a winery. That was 30 years ago, and the business has grown by leaps and bounds to include a Sunday farmers market, tours and tastings, art exhibits, entertainment and special events.

Other vineyards have opened recently including Salted Vines Vineyard and Winery near Frankford and Twin Branch Winery near Milton.

Magee Farms, located on Lighthouse Road near Selbyville, is another longtime family operation dating back to 1865. Magee runs farm markets in Lewes and Selbyville, and grows a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The farm also features a greenhouse operation for flowers, plants, herbs, succulents and vegetables. The farm's specialties are its strawberries, with you-pick offered in the spring. The farm also grows you-pick pumpkins.

Another great you-pick farm is right down the road. Bennett Orchards, a sixth-generation farm, offers you-pick blueberries, peaches and nectarines. The Bennett family is also a strong supporter of local farmers markets, with long lines for their peaches each summer.

Hopkins and Vanderwende's ice creams have a great following and have branched out to other venues to sell their ice cream.

The Hopkins have also turned the family farm into a wedding and events destination. Hopkins Heartland, on the family's fifth-generation farm, offers two wedding venues – The Covered Bridge for large weddings and Honey Bee for smaller events, and accommodations in a restored 200-year-old family farmhouse on Fisher Road outside Lewes. All of the Heartland venues have been repurposed from the original buildings used on the former dairy farm.

And there are markets throughout the county – too many to list – that mostly sell seasonal plants and flowers, such as Garden Shack Farm near Lewes, Pepper's Greenhouses near Milton, Bella Terra Landscapes and Garden Center near Ellendale, Hooked On Plants Garden Center near Harbeson, Wharton’s Garden Center near Rehoboth Beach, East Coast Garden Center near Long Neck, and Blessing Greenhouses and The Plant Place, south of Milford. One of the largest is Jeff's Greenhouse in Bethel.

The list is endless

And the list keeps growing. Ritter family farm off Beaver Dam Road near Lewes grows acres of sunflowers for people to enjoy and photograph. The farm also has a community of goats, and offers goat yoga and goat socials.

Lavender Fields at Warrington Manor off Cool Spring Road near Milton has a long and fascinating history dating back 300 years. The 1,000-acre farm was granted by patent by William Penn and eventually sold to the Warrington family, who operated it from 1770 to 1946.

Over the years, the farm included 3,400 peach trees as well as pear and apple orchards, grain and even sugar cane. It was also a milk-producing farm for the Brittingham family who owned Lewes Dairy.

The current owner, Marie Mayor, purchased the remaining 5 acres of the farm in 2002. The farm – now with 2,000 lavender plants – has become a popular destination.

Rieley Brothers Farm near Millsboro is one of a growing list of farmers who are offering farm-grown beef, pork and chicken products. Owned by John and Louann Rieley (whose 11 children have all helped on the farm), the farm offers beef and Berkshire pork.

Local markets are important

Over the past decade, farmers markets have provided an outlet for farmers to sell their products during the spring, summer and fall. It's opened up a new world for many farmers, including some small ones. Markets take place in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Greenwood, Laurel, Nassau Valley, Milford, Milton and Bethel.

Several farmers participate in the Community Supported Agriculture program whereby residents buy a share of farm production each growing season and in turn receive regular distributions of the farm's products.

Grains are still the top crops in the county, and poultry is a driving force in the economy, but the new trends are actually a return to the past when produce was the major farming product in the county.

Editor’s note: As illustrated in this column, there’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to agritourism in Sussex County. If we missed your farm or operation and wish to be included in the online edition, email ronm@capegazette.com.