Debora Garrett, President of the 42ND Annual Jackson’s Mill Jubilee is excited to announce that a “new” artisan will be displaying their wares at this year’s event. The Family Roots Farm will be bringing their West Virginia harvested and processed Pure MAPLE SYRUP products to this year’s Jubilee, Labor Day weekend.
Family Roots Farm is nestled in the hills, near Wellsburg in Brooke County, WV. Homesteaded by Henry Hervey in the 1770’s, the family farm has been passed down through the Hervey family for six generations. Britney Hervey Farris and her husband Charlie Farris established Family Roots Farm in 2012. With both coming from agricultural backgrounds they decided rather than getting part time jobs, they would instead plant an acre of sweet corn to sell at a road side stand. That acre of sweet corn has now grown into a full line of seasonal produce including a variety of tomatoes and peppers, potatoes, green beans, cucumbers, squashes and more, that they sell at the Brooke County Farmers Market.
The Hervey family has been producing Maple Syrup for over 15 years. Britney’s dad, Fred, began harvesting sugar water as a hobby. Starting out with a few buckets and a turkey cooker the operation has now grown to include an evaporator pan and a pipeline from the trees to the processor. (They still use buckets, too). Maple Season quickly became a family tradition that begins each February. From the tapping of the trees to the boiling and evaporation process, making Maple Syrup and Sugar is a labor intensive process which the Hervey-Farris’ family will demonstrate at the 2016 Jubilee.
According to Britney Hervey Farris, and I quote – “Last November at the International Maple Syrup Conference, we were awarded first place for our Maple Sugar. This has helped to put WV on the maple map. (We beat Canada and Vermont) We also recently won first place for our maple sugar and maple cream at the WV Maple Syrup Producers Association annual meeting. (2nd – Maple Dessert and 3rd Maple Syrup).”
Maple Syrup production is just one of many artisans and craftspersons who will be exhibiting and demonstrating how they make their products the “old fashioned way” at the Jackson’s Mill Jubilee, Labor Day Weekend, September 2, 3 4, 2016. Come on out and reconnect with your West Virginia Heritage.
Gates Open at Noon on Friday. Free Parking on the Jacksons Mill Airport, Free Shuttle Bus Service to the Jubilee Grounds. Free Golf Cart Rides Between Venues. Admission $5.00, (Children 3 and under admitted Free)