For Emmye and Seth Wilson, Life is Sweet on Mentone’s Blueberry Falls Farm

Nestled on rolling hills and defined by a clear stream tumbling over layers of rock, Blueberry Falls Farm is a six-acre haven on County Road 944, owned and lovingly restored by Seth and Emmye Wilson. The farm’s centerpiece is an acre densely populated with 435 blueberry bushes, some as old as 30 years. The plants’ roots are steeped in the history of a man affectionately dubbed “Captain Blueberry,” a pilot and blueberry grower who previously owned the land. Once wild and overgrown, the farm’s rows now stand well-tended, a testament to the Wilsons’ hard work, love of nature, and a bit of serendipity.

The Wilsons on their farm

An Accidental Beginning

The story of Blueberry Falls Farm started with a Zillow link on a dreary, rainy day. Emmye, who’d been managing a tiny home dealership, clicked the link her mother sent her and was instantly enchanted.

“There was this waterfall and this weird, hay-built mud house… it just looked very European-meets-mushroom cottage,” she recalls. Without waiting for the real estate agent, she convinced Seth to take a spontaneous trip. Navigating rough roads that gave their car a beating, they arrived to find the gate open to a property that had been on its own for a while.

“The funny thing is, all these bushes were about 12 feet tall — completely overgrown,” Seth says. “When we drove by, we didn’t even know they were blueberry bushes. They looked like brush and weeds.”

But where others saw chaos, the Wilsons saw magic. “I was so excited, I almost threw up,” Emmye admits with a laugh. They decided to make this place their own.

Restoring the Blueberry Legacy

Transforming the property was no small feat. The couple hacked back the towering bushes to knee height, only to discover from an agriculture expert that it would take two years for the bushes to bear fruit again. However, Seth points out, cutting the bushes back was exactly what the plants needed to regain their health.

Meanwhile, the couple had the idea of creating a festival that would allow others to share in this special slice of nature. With a berry patch still on the rebound, panic might have set in for anyone else. Instead, they leaned into the challenge. That first festival in 2023, even without fruit on the bushes, was a surprising success. Around 500 people wandered the farm, enjoying music and the casual, welcoming atmosphere that now defines the farm’s events.

As the bushes grew back, the Wilsons’ passion for the farm blossomed, too. Emmye’s background in marketing and Seth’s steadfast determination proved a powerful combination. Last year’s festival drew a staggering 2,500 attendees, spurred partly by a surprise guest: Bonnie, a fluffy Highland cow who charmed visitors. Musicians played all day, and every berry on the property was picked, Emmye says.

“There were people coming in crowds, walking in like 100-degree weather to the farm,” Emmye recalls. When the field rapidly filled with vehicles, she found herself frantically calling bus companies to shuttle visitors. “Bring everything you’ve got,” she begged one dispatcher.

The festival, though chaotic, was a hit. But it also prompted a pause. This year, the Wilsons are scaling back to focus on infrastructure — better parking, shaded areas, and a medical tent. They’re determined that the next festival, whenever it may be, will be even better.

Roots and Branches

The Wilsons’ story isn’t just about blueberries. It’s about finding roots. The couple met at Emmanuel College in Georgia. Emmye played soccer, Seth played lacrosse. Their life together led them to Mentone, where they’ve built a career that blends hospitality and agriculture.

And every year they’re here, their love of the area grows. They got engaged at Brow Park and were married at Cragsmere Manor. And now their two young daughters, Ellye and Talulah, toddle between blueberry bushes, while Maggie, the family dog, likes to sniff out the ripest berries — a skill so charming that Emmye has written a soon-to-be-published children’s book about her.

They’ve expanded the farm’s appeal with tiny home rentals, a game room adorned with funky paintings and art pieces, and a bathhouse overlooking the waterfall. Each new addition seems less about profit and more about sharing the farm’s magic. They envision adding two dome-shaped rentals painted blueberry blue — part practical, part whimsy.

It is evident that their ambitions are tempered by an appreciation for what they already have. “It’s not work if you’re doing something you love,” says Emmye. Their vision is clear: to refine, not expand. More landscaping, more wildflowers, more time for the things that matter.

Living the Dream — With Mud on Their Boots

Life at Blueberry Falls Farm is charmingly imperfect. The bathhouse pipes have frozen on occasion, bridges need reinforcing, and festivals can go sideways when a cow draws more crowds than the blueberries themselves. But for the Wilsons, it’s perfect.

While they also own Mentone Mountain Getaways, a rental property management company, Emmye and Seth feel more and more drawn to the country, where their young family can be close to the land. When you visit, it’s obvious that Emmye, Seth, and their girls are exactly where they’re meant to be. For them, Blueberry Falls isn’t just a farm; it’s a life.