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Sonoma in the Bluegrass State
Local vineyard and winery leads the charge in agri-tourism industry
The owners of Cates Farm, a fourth-generation Henderson County farm, are banking on the fact that tourists, from school children to grandparents, are looking for opportunities to reconnect to the land.When Ruby Moon Vineyard and Winery opens in late 2006, not only will Henderson County’s burgeoning agri-tourism industry take another step forward in attracting more visitors to the area, the farming community will also gain an avenue for the sale of non-traditional crops.
“Our hope is that we not only bring folks in to try our wines, but that we also support other local farmers by using their produce for our products,” says Jamie Like, co-owner of Ruby Moon Vineyard and Winery.
Like says that she and her business partner, Anita Fraser, had dreamed of starting their own vineyard since the pair began visiting wineries across the region for fun more than five years ago.
“There’s a whole culture that goes along with visiting wineries, and we just fell in love with it,” she says.
“At first we were going to wineries in Indiana and noticed what a strong network they had across the state. Then we started visiting wineries here and saw that Kentucky was also beginning to recognize what a big business agri-tourism can be.
“We thought there was a lot of potential for a winery in Henderson County, so we began putting plans into place to make it a reality,” Like says.
In 2003, Like and Fraser purchased 5.9 acres of scenic property off Highway 41A near Pennyrile Parkway, just five minutes from downtown Henderson. They plan to sell their own vintages made from six different varieties of local grapes as well as fruit wine made from local produce. The wines will be processed and sold out of a recently constructed 900-square-foot building on the property, which will also feature a tasting room and entertaining area.
“The plan is for us to become a small farm winery. We’re not looking to get rich; we just want to do what we love and maybe make our living from that,” Like says.
Nearby at Cates Farm, a fourth-generation family farm, agri-tourism is being used to boost business. In addition to raising vegetables to sell at the local farmers market, Sharon Cates has opened her farm up to student groups and tourists looking to learn more about agriculture. This fall, Cates will also sell pumpkins, and she plans to build a corn maze to attract even more visitors to the farm.
“Hopefully the children will have a good time and leave with a better understanding of the family farm as well as the importance of fruits and vegetables to their diet,” says Cates, who hopes her own children will follow in her footsteps and take over the family business one day.
Other non-traditional strategies are being tested at Double A Farms, a 4,000-acre farm where David Alexander and his son Tim began raising prawns in 2001.
“Tim had worked at a fish store in Lexington and knew of several farms diversifying around Kentucky, so we built the ponds and decided to give it a try,” says Alexander.
More than 450 pounds of the “little lobsters” are plucked from the ponds each fall when the Alexanders invite nearly 40 friends and family over to help with the harvest and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
According to Jeff Porter, Henderson County extension agent for horticulture, the county and state are working to support diversification efforts of small farmers.
“These alternative crops and agri-tourism strategies are a good way for farmers to supplement their income,” Porter says. “We’re working on getting the support and attention of everyone to help keep these farms alive for future generations.”
Story by Valerie Pascoe
Photo by Antony Boshier
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