New Centre County agritourism spot prioritizes family connection
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- Morning Glory Acres is Centre County’s newest agitourism attraction in Howard.
- The Martins cleared about a mile of trail and established 21 camping sites.
- The Martins rescued several animals that had been destined for lion food or meat.
Just off the beaten path in Howard sits Centre County’s newest agritourism attraction.
Owned and operated by married couple Troy and Faith Martin, Morning Glory Acres is a modest farm intended to be an escape from the everyday chaos.
“People burn out,” Troy Martin said. “Everything is just getting to be ridiculously priced and everybody — husband, wife or whoever — has to work constantly, and there’s no relief. And where do you go to get together with your kids to do things?”
The Martin family, recently recovered from their own feelings of disconnection, decided to provide a solution — a quiet farm for families to visit to reconnect with nature and each other.
“I was on the go, working seven days a week, and family was kind of a background. It was all about career. We ended up getting separated,” Troy Martin said about he and his wife Faith. “So, I got my act together.”
Troy, through therapy and church, decided to rededicate himself to his family, and that is the principle upon which Morning Glory Acres was founded.
“We’re still working on things as a family ourselves,” Troy Martin said. “But it’s good that people can come here and be real and don’t have a facade of what they think they should be.”
With one main barn made of reclaimed metal and several animal pens made of recycled materials, the farm is home to a host of wildlife, many of which embody the farm’s mission: restoration.
The largest pasture on the farm is inhabited by three animals saved from slaughter. Eeyore, a miniature donkey, and Esther, a hinny — the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey — were originally meant to be lion food at T&D’s Cats of the World, a wildlife refuge for abused large cats. The owners allowed the Martins to rescue both instead.
Sharing their habitat is Steward Wilson, a four-year-old Holstein cow initially intended for meat — hence the name Stew.
“We bottle-fed him, and we thought he was going to die because he wouldn’t drink,” Troy Martin said. “We had the vet here, and we thought ‘Oh man, we got him for beef, and now he’s a pet.’”
The average Holstein bull is approximately 58-71 inches tall at its withers (shoulders), around 4.8-5.9 feet. Stew is approximately 6 feet 10 inches tall. Faith has considered applying for the World Record.
“We’re not even sure if he’s done growing,” Faith said. “He’s got to be the tallest cow … I kept thinking maybe we should do the record just for the fun of it.”
The farm is also home to five Nigerian Dwarf goats, four miniature pigs and a host of Silkie chickens.
While business is slow so far, the Martins are optimistic that the farm will become a place for families and young people to reconnect offline and learn valuable skills. Troy hopes to partner with the Boy Scouts of America or other youth based organizations to teach woodworking, farm maintenance and animal care.
The Martins have cleared approximately a mile of trail behind the property to establish 21 camping sites for individuals and families looking to experience the outdoors.
“All my life, I’ve chased things and with this, I want people to come as they want to come,” Troy said.
To book a visit to Morning Glory Acres, visit their website.
