TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — When the sun rises over the Endless Mountains each morning, it coats 6 acres of blueberry fields at High Horizons Farm near Tunkhannock. And it begins another day of 94-year-old Ben Dziuba using his golden years to fulfill a life-long dream.
"He was born in 1928, on a dairy farm in Laceyville. He learned how to fly and became an airline pilot, but he never lost his love for farming," Dziuba's daughter, Jennifer Kozlansky, said.
Kozlzansky was born into that love for farming - literally. Dziuba and his wife, Lou Ann, had her the same week they bought this farm in the 70s. It served as a calf/cow operation until the early 2000s.
Then, five years ago...
"My mom needed more care, and so we decided to all band together as a family to give her the best care possible. My dad was still kind of wanting to do stuff; he was 89 years old, and we said, 'what do you want to do?' and he said, 'I want to start a blueberry farm,' and we were like.. okay," Kozlansky said.
Between the hard work of Kozlandsky, her father, sister, and husband, "Berries & Blooms at High Horizons Farm" was born.
After decades of making memories here at the farm as a family, they're ready to share it with the world, and allow more families to make their own memories here.
"Things that kids will remember forever. Sometimes you have couples come here on their anniversary. Sometimes just mothers by themselves - the kids go sit in the shade, and the mothers are just like, 'I'm getting farm therapy!' They'll just be picking and listening to the birds," Kozlansky said.
The place offers a U-Pick Blueberry experience, blueberry cider slushies, gourmet preserves, and made-to-order floral bouquets, created by Kozlansky from the farm's flower fields. Kozlansky encourages people from outside the area to make a day out of their trip to the farm, and enjoy everything downtown Tunkhannock has to offer as well.
Berries & Blooms is open every day from 8 a.m. to sunset.
As you pick your berries, you might still see 94-year-old Ben riding his tractor through the fields.
"Over the years, I would say, 'are you happy Dad?' And he goes, 'How could I not be happy?'," Kozlansky said.
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