The Hunter Farm, Matthews

Since 1868, the lush land at The Hunter Farm has provided for five generations of the Hunter family. A sprawling lineage of sons, daughters, nieces, and nieces' husbands have weathered the seasons on its plot, giving rise to plump crops and healthy livestock. Throughout the year, they throw the barn doors wide to share their bounty with the community. It begins in the spring, when visitors fill buckets with the farm's ripe strawberries, beloved for their unusual sweetness. In the summer, camping kids learn about farm life firsthand as they milk cows and plant crops. The farm is in full swing come fall, inviting harvest-season visitors to trundle along on hayrides and pick the most spherical pumpkins they can find. As the days shorten into winter, the farm welcomes the Cox family, who bring with them a stock of freshly cut fraser firs.