Congressman Rothfus visits Kistaco Farm in Kiski Township

News Article

Mary Ann Thomas
Pittsburgh Tribune

U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus, R-Sewickley, stood among the few lone apples still hanging after harvest in the orchards of Kistaco Farm in Kiski Township on Tuesday.

"How much of your land is in production?" Rothfus asked Miranda Combs, 28, a fourth-generation farmer along with her husband, Zac Combs, also 28.

Kistaco, with 100 out of 230 acres farmed, has been a mainstay of southern Armstrong County agriculture. The family-run farm is famous for its apples, cider and produce sold at their store along Route 56 at Balsiger Road. The store also sells bulk spices and other food including a selection of honey, and even natural dog food.

With its 24 varieties of apples, the farm's cider and apple butter are local staples. But the family wants to add hard cider to the menu.

Private labels in Pittsburgh use Kistaco apples for brandy and other libations, but the farm would like to produce its own alcoholic cider. But taxation and other issues make it prohibitive for a smaller farmer to enter that market, according to Zac Combs.

Miranda's father, Tim Hileman, 54, was interested in hard cider long ago and would like to see if his daughter can try to make some hay in that niche.

"We have a good business model," said Hileman, who took over the farm from his parents in 1996 along with his wife, Suzanne Boyce. "But government regulations, they don't ever take them off and they add to what we have to do."

That resonated with Rothfus, who is concerned about regulations piling up on small businesses.

"You have to recognize that these small farms are businesses," Rothfus said.

He said he has witnessed the growth and importance of local farms and the farm-to-table movement with its farmers markets and focus on locally grown vegetables.

"People like to know where their food is grown," he said.

Miranda Combs invited Rothfus after meeting the lawmaker during a visit to Washington when she was part of a delegation from the Pennsylvania Farmers Union.

As Rothfus toured the apple-sorting building, with a mechanized conveyor belt to sort the apples, he asked about the age of the buildings and equipment.

Then Combs asked Rothfus if he would support proposed federal legislation called the Young Farmer Success Act. The bill would treat young farmers as service workers and offer subsidized assistance to pay off educational loans.

Rothfus couldn't commit to supporting the bill but said he and his staff were reviewing the legislation.

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