Farm Market Fridays: Rohrbach’s is where family fun, local goods, friendly smiles and killer BBQ meet

• Name: Rohrbach’s Farm Market, Bakery & Gift Shop
• Location: Catawissa, PA (right between Bloomsburg and Knoebels!)
• Number of employees: ranges by season (up to 50)
• Number of years in business: 70

Rohrbach’s is a multi-generation, family-owned farm market in central Pennsylvania that’s been creating memories and big smiles since the 1950s. This year the operation is celebrating its 70th anniversary and the popular working farm-market-bakery-agritourism operation is now firmly under the purview of co-owners Dan and Denise (Rohrbach) Bosworth. Denise represents the fourth generation of Bosworth family leadership on the farm.

In 1955, Adali Rohrbach purchased the farm. His sons George Rohrbach (with wife Margaret) and Carl Rohrbach (2nd generation) opened Rohrbach’s Farm Market as a self-service roadside stand. Even though the fourth generation has assumed ownership, previous stewards Ron and Cathy Rohrbach and Harold and Kay (Rohrbach) Brecht all remain close at hand or involved in various aspects of the operation.

In 2013, current owners Dan and Denise returned to the farm to launch a new venture, Big Dan’s BBQ, an on-farm roadside BBQ stand. Having lived in the Philadelphia area for years, the couple’s plan was to spend their summers making delicious BBQ at the farm before returning to Philly for their day jobs. But after a banner first year they decided to move their young family back to the area permanently.

In 2020, the family successfully relocated its gift shop to the barn’s main floor and expanded its selection of Freas Farm winery offerings. And new apple, peach, plum and a few nectarine trees were planted in the orchard to replace aging fruit trees. In 2022, the farm started to see the first production on its new fruit trees.

Also notable in the market’s journey, in 2021 Big Dan’s BBQ opened a new storefront/dining area inside the barn loft, allowing the BBQ business to serve many more customers. The expansion has been met with rave reviews for the new dining venue as well as the food. When the weather is ideal, guests can take advantage of the fresh country air and sunshine as they sit outside and eat BBQ while enjoying each other’s company at picnic tables.    

But where Rohrbach’s really stands out is its vast offering of family-friendly events and activities throughout the year. The farm features kids’ play areas (like corn pits and a playground), picnic areas and plenty of outdoor seating and a wide range of educational workshops and special on-farm events and group tours. Some popular seasonal highlights include Pick-your-own strawberries (early summer), Fall festivals with pumpkins, cider, corn mazes, hayrides and harvest events, as well as live music, craft workshops, and themed events throughout the spring, fall and summer months.

Let’s hear what makes Rohrbach’s a Central Pennsylvania agritourism destination for families across the Keystone State:

Fruit Growers News (FGN): What’s something in your market right now that you’re especially proud of and why?

Denise Bosworth (DB): The way our staff interacts with each other and with the community. We all have hard days and have been through difficult seasons in our lives, but we are there for one another and do our best to make sure family comes first for everyone. In addition, we work hard to care for our community and to know the customers who walk through our doors each day. Many of these people have become very special to us, and that is something I truly love about this place.

FGN: What’s a behind-the-scenes detail about your operation that most customers would never guess?

DB: We have a small team. We get A LOT done with a small, but mighty team of incredibly talented, loyal people. The fourth generation now owns the farm, but two of the third generation members are still very involved in the day-to-day farm operations. We are trying to convert our farming practices to focus on ecosystem health, which includes soil health, focus on pollinators and using natural systems for pest control.

FGN: What’s your personal favorite product at the market and how do you like to use it?

DB: It’s hard to identify just one product. We work really hard to connect with local artisans. If I had to identify just one, my absolute favorite is the whipped honey from Breezy Hollow Farms. I cook with it and I put it in my coffee.

FGN: What’s been your biggest challenge this season and how have you adapted?

DB: We are heading into the most challenging season I have experienced so far, with an estimated 80% loss of our fruit crops. I know many other farmers are facing similar hardships. This means we will need to maintain our trees and fields without the usual support of sales revenue and lean more heavily into creativity and adaptability. We’ll be focusing on strengthening our marketing, agritourism and expanding our special events to help sustain the operation. I am grateful that these are areas where we already have some strength. My hope is also that, where possible, we can support and collaborate with other local farms as they navigate their own losses this season.

FGN: If someone is visiting your market for the first time, what’s the one thing they shouldn’t miss?

DB: Our apple dumplings have become a bit of a local favorite — though we prefer to let them speak for themselves. In the fall, we serve them warm straight from the oven, topped with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream. Another guest favorite is our apple slushie, made with our own fresh apple cider — especially refreshing on a hot day.

Check out last week’s FMF: Butler’s Orchard talks challenges, wins