Raised in a Barn Farm recently rolled out a new tradition in its lineup of fall activities and events. Over Labor Day weekend, despite the onslaught of Tropical Storm Hermine, the Chocowinity farm hosted its inaugural Sunflower Festival, which saw much success with support from residents and visitors.

The festival, originally set for Friday through Sunday, ended up becoming a 2-day celebration on Sunday and Monday. However, the event saw a great response in attendance from the community, according to owner Jane Boahn.

A significant highlight of the Sunflower Festival was the opportunity to take tethered rides on hot air balloons, which a the first for Beaufort County, according to Boahn.

The festival launched the farm’s fall event schedule, particularly its Six Nights of Fright, which includes a corn maze, a haunted trail, vendors, live music and a variety of games and activities such as pumpkin carving.

Events like the Sunflower Festival not only bring the community together in a positive environment, but also provide family fun and entertainment for those in Beaufort County and beyond.

The new tradition that is the N.C. Sunflower Festival helps put Chocowinity, and in turn Beaufort County, on the map.

The farm, and its events, promote agritourism and contribute to the overall economy of the area. They also expose people to aspects of rural life that, for some, have been lost through the years, with increased technology and modernization. For example, many people, even in a rural area such as Beaufort County, have not had the opportunity to interact with farm animals such as chickens, pigs, ducks, geese and horses. Some have also not had the chance to actually visit a farm and see what it means to provide for oneself and live off the land.

Small farm businesses such as Raised in a Barn Farm promote the heritage and history of the area and expose younger generations to a disappearing way of life — one on which their community was built.