Pick your own flowers year ’round at historic Farm at Clover Hill

It took the labors and a love of history of two Rockland residents to bring to life again the Farm at Clover Hill in Warren County’s Rockland Historic District, first with the restoration of a 240-year-old house into an elegant bed & breakfast and later this month “U-Pick Flowers” will represent a colorful addition and service at the 76-acre property.

It was apparent that Greg and Susie Huson, who for 18 years have lived in a modern home adjacent to the Clover Hill property (circa 1781), had another project up their sleeves when an old Amish carriage appeared at the end of the driveway to the property at 4022 Rockland Road that demanded a neighborly inquiry, as did the outbreak of outdoor activity when this winter drew reluctantly to a close.

Lookout for this roadside stand at the farm entrance, or for a quick U-Pick. Photos courtesy of Clover Hill Farm.

“FLOWERS” in large capitals announced the business card Susie handed me. “We grow ’em, you pick ’em directly from the gardens, or you can ‘grab and go’ from the roadside carriage where there’ll be bouquets for sale,” Susie told me in describing the “U-Pick” operation on the property she and Greg purchased in 2014.

The gardens, already resplendent with daffodils, among the first flowers of spring, will open to the public April 23 when the second spring collection – 4,500 tulip bulbs have been planted in 15 beds – will be followed as the days grow longer with the blooming of the likes of sweet peas, dahlias, sunflowers and so on.

On or after April 23, the farm’s subscription program begins when locals may purchase a spring (five bouquets), summer (seven bouquets), fall (five bouquets) or a “Frost to Frost” (12 bouquets) subscription. In other words, fresh flowers for around the home the year ’round.

Above, young gardeners help at tulip planting class; below, Manager Amy Davidson tends early daffodil crop.

Important to this whole new Huson enterprise – Greg is phasing out a commercial hop-growing experiment – is Front Royal resident Amy Davidson, an avid gardener with 25-years of experience and perhaps just waiting for this opportunity to come along as she finishes homeschooling her four children. She is named manager of the “U-Pick” operation.

Amy has already held two gardening classes on the property for kids to 14. She plans to expand the program for adults in the future. With the first of the few thousand bulbs already planted and blooming, curious drivers of passing cars are pausing at the Amish carriage.

Clover Hill has been through a tremendous transformation over the past seven years. Under the Husons, the extensively renovated farmhouse serves as a short-term tourist rental through Airbnb.

The farm has taken on several other soil and water conservation projects as well as fencing updates in efforts to improve the farmland. Meanwhile, Angus cattle roam a large part of the property while Susie tends two egg-laying hens in their own littler hen house a few steps from a grave site. Carefully preserved, the headstone bears the name of Mary Eliza Bowen who died in 1852. Within about a mile of the grave live descendants of Mary Eliza, Susan Bowen-Hartley, and Maurice Bowen, Susan’s brother. Ancient records indicate that the early Bowen family owned some 60,000 acres of Rockland area land.

For further information including “U-Pick” hours based on bloom times and flower availability, check the website (www.cloverhill.farm), Facebook, and Instagram for hours of operation. Hours for the “Grab and Go” roadside stand will be 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, and similarly on Saturdays and Sundays.

Clover Hill Flower Market where gardening classes are held and flowers sold.