More Than Just Strawberries

What began in 2008 with 500 strawberry plants intended to help make a few extra house payments has grown into one of the Greenbrier Valley’s most recognizable agritourism destinations.

   “The patch quickly grew year by year, but no extra house payments were ever made,” Sunset Berry Farm owner Jennifer Gilkerson—also known as Farmer Jennifer—laughed.

    Today, thousands of visitors travel to Sunset Berry Farm in Alderson from May through October for U-pick experiences, photo sessions, festivals and family activities. Ten of the farm’s 59 acres are used for production.

   “We specialize in strawberries, peaches, watermelon, triple sweet corn, green beans, pie pumpkins, flowers and family fun,” Jennifer said. “What we call work, people see as a bonding experience.”

Agriculture was already part of Jennifer’s husband, Farmer Kent Gilkerson’s, family history long before Sunset Berry Farm existed. A third-generation strawberry grower from Fayette County, Kent moved to Alderson for a job at Alderson Federal Prison. Not long after, the idea for a strawberry patch took root.

   “As demand grew each year, so did the patch, which reached 50,000 plants in 2021,” Jennifer said. “Farmer Kent has since found a much more productive variety called Keepsake and reduced the number to 14,000 plants, allowing him to use the extra space for other crops, as well as fields of sunflowers and zinnias for agritourism and photography.”

   Jennifer described herself as being “drafted into farming” after marrying Farmer Kent, despite not growing up in the agriculture world.

    “I’m not fond of field work, but I have discovered that I do enjoy the art of sales and find it very satisfying to provide a service or product that meets an important need in my community and makes people happy,” she said.

    As more families began visiting the farm, U-pick experiences and agritourism quickly became part of the business.

    “We began inviting people from the community to pick their own berries because of our struggle to find workers. We noticed people actually seemed to enjoy the farm experience,” Jennifer explained.    

“Families in rural communities, especially those with young children, often struggle to find recreational opportunities. Agritourism is the perfect solution for family entertainment while also providing jobs and food security.”

    Sunset Berry Farm’s strawberries are marketed as “West Virginia’s sweetest strawberries,” something Jennifer attributes to the state’s temperate climate.

   “West Virginia’s harsh springs and mountainous terrain make it challenging to grow the delicate strawberry,” she explained. “However, when strawberry crops are successful in colder climates like ours, the berries are scientifically proven to be sweeter.”

    Weather remains one of the biggest challenges of farming.

   “The hardest part is running a business that is dependent on weather,” Jennifer said. “We can do everything right and still lose everything to one storm.”

   Those challenges have also strengthened the Gilkersons’ belief in the importance of local food access and self-sufficiency.

   “Recent crisis situations like COVID, flooding and storms have taught us the importance of not depending on food brought in from other states and countries,” Jennifer said. “Our mission is to create a food system where West Virginians are well-fed and self-sufficient. To accomplish this, we are launching a community farming initiative in 2026. We are inviting anyone who wants to grow their own food to have their own plot at Sunset Berry Farm.”

    After COVID-19, the Gilkersons noticed more guests seeking outdoor activities and meaningful family time.

    “People seem to have more appreciation for the little things in life post-COVID,” Jennifer said. “Farm guests seem to enjoy wholesome food, spending quality time outdoors with family and participating in their food system.”

    “The most rewarding part of this business is making people happy, and two things that make people happy are food and family,” Jennifer said. “We want people to take home an appreciation for family, food, fun and the simple things in life.”

    Over time, the Gilkersons began to realize the farm’s role extended beyond producing food alone.

    “I’ve always been amazed by how much people genuinely appreciate our garden goodies,” Jennifer said. “But until now, I didn’t fully see the bigger picture of how thriving farms can truly enhance quality of life.”

    As the farm’s role in the community has expanded, so has its calendar of festivals and family activities.

    Sunset Berry Farm now hosts several annual events, including the Alderson Strawberry Festival, Monroe County Peach Festival, West Virginia Watermelon Festival and West Virginia Sunflower Festival.

    “As our oldest event, Alderson Strawberry Festival is our most popular festival,” Jennifer said. “We have also added more special events and expanded family activities over the years.”

    Open on Saturday evenings through the end of October, Sunset Berry Farm’s Adventure Park includes West Virginia’s largest bounce pad, barrel train rides, scavenger hunts, outdoor play areas and other attractions designed for children and families.

    “We bought our property sort of in the middle of nowhere to have privacy, so agritourism has been an adjustment for us,” Jennifer said. “To have a nice balance, we have learned to limit farm hours to Saturdays from 4 to 7 p.m., with the exception of special events throughout the season. I find myself very excited to open the gate every Saturday at 4 p.m. to hear the laughter of children and see families making memories.”

   Over the years, the Gilkersons have watched generations of families return to Sunset Berry Farm.

    “There are many families who have made it an annual tradition to visit our farm,” Jennifer said. “We’ve watched families grow as new babies are born each year. We’ve watched children grow into young adults who now bring their own children to the farm. We’ve also watched families lose loved ones.”

    For some families, those annual visits have taken on deeper meaning.

    “These families especially depend on their annual visit to Sunset Berry Farm to help them feel closer to the one who is no longer with them,” Jennifer said. “Agritourism farms are crucial for providing an annual—or in our case, weekly—bonding experience for families who live in and visit our community, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”

    The farm has also brought new attention to the Alderson community itself.

   “A real estate agent recently informed us that a family from Florida is currently property shopping after attending the Alderson Strawberry Festival in 2025,” she recalled. “People are drawn to small communities like Alderson with abundant natural resources, sidewalks, friendly faces and outdoor recreation.”

    For the Gilkersons, that sense of community responsibility has become just as important as the crops themselves.

    “We feel like our farm belongs to our community,” Jennifer said. “It’s important for us to always be aware of the needs in our community and work hard to fill those needs. Of course, we are great at feeding our community, but we also want to provide a special place for people to experience and appreciate farm life, embrace the outdoors, have access to affordable fun, and create memories and family traditions for generations to come.”

For a complete schedule and 

additional event details, visit sunsetberryfarmwv.com/festivals-events.