Mulberry Hills Farm opening for season, continues fundraiser with RMH Foundation

MOUNT CRAWFORD, Va. (WHSV) - Mulberry Hills Farm, a family owned business in Rockingham County has been growing pumpkins for 23 years, but the current drought conditions have produced a crop yield that co-owner Jeff Phillips said staff have never seen.

“We have four or five different patches that we grow and pull pumpkins from and bring in to sell here as well as the pick-your-own and some of those patches are absolutely zero yield, which I’ve never seen. Pumpkins usually are pretty tolerant to dry weather but there was just no way for them to set fruit,” Phillips said.

Mulberry Hills opens for the season on September 16 and despite the challenges, Phillips said there are still plenty of pumpkins for purchase, along with some new additions to the farm like an expanded area for animals like cows, goats and pigs, and a ‘coffee spot’.

The business is also partnering for a third year with the Sentara RMH foundation, selling t-shirts to highlight breast cancer awareness every weekend throughout the month of October. The proceeds from the sales will go toward programs for those battling the disease locally.

“We’re providing free mammograms for women in our community who can’t afford that critical screening as well as any other further diagnostic testing or treatment,” Sentara RMH Foundation director of annual giving Ben Craig said.

Mulberry Hills Farm is also matching the total raised from the shirt sales at the end of the season and donate that amount back to the Sentara RMH Foundation.

For more information on the upcoming season, visit Mulberry Hills’ website here.

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