NEWTON, N.C. – Catawba Farms in Newton was forced to close indoor dining during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020.

Friends Dennis Baucom, Michael Waltuch and Twyla Deese invested $2.1 million in 2016 to build the 34-acre business. Last year, they got creative to keep business going by selling wine and beer to-go.

They also added inventory online and started shipping wines to people's homes. They needed to keep their creativity flowing to keep the business they love going.

Waltuch was searching the internet when he found Glice.

"He said, 'You’ve got to look at this," Baucom said.

Waltuch had found an outdoor skating rink that isn't made of ice at all.

"It's made of eco-friendly synthetic material that feels like ice, but it’s not ice," Baucom said.

Baucom said they went for it, bought it, and installed it on the farm. 

"Where else can you go ice skating all year round in the South," Baucom said.

The skates that are used are ice hockey skates, which are available to rent onsite.

Glice is a Swiss company, and they shipped to the Newton farm and helped install it.

The Rink at Catawba Farms is open Wednesday - Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.