In North Carolina, love doesn’t always come in heart-shaped boxes or wrapped up in cellophane. It doesn’t have to look like a mass-produced Walmart teddy bear, created for a single day of affection and quietly discarded to the landfill once the roses start to wilt and the chocolate has all been eaten. Love is meant to be memorable.
On Feb. 14, 2026, in Asheboro, North Carolina, inside of ½ Price Grocery and Things, a small crowd gathered around a makeshift kissing booth. For only $10, store customers were invited to stop, snap a photo, grab a sweet treat, and share a quick cuddle and kiss with a highland calf named Elli May.
When asked about the turnout, Christy Freeman Adams, the Farm Manager of Christy’s Country Produce, said, “We are so thankful and so blessed to get to farm every day, and share our animals with you all.” The event was organized with the goal of bringing the community together, and spreading a little bit of joy. So this season, if you want to show some love, skip the clichés, go support your local farms, and get ready to pucker up.
