St. Brigid’s cows walking to pasture.
RiverArts is sponsoring a Farm and Winery Tour for the weekend of July 25 and 26 as an extension of their July exhibit, “The Art of Wine.” Three wineries on the Chesapeake Wine Trail along with three farms involved in produce, dairy and flowers will be open for special tours, wine tasting and other farming experiences during the weekend. The goal of the tour is to further celebrate the beauty of the rural upper Eastern Shore area and to educate our non-farming friends and tourists about the sophistication, complexity and innovations that are part of modern farming today.br
Six farms and wineries listed below will be open to the public on July 25 and/or July 26, and are all wonderful places to visit. They will be sharing their expertise in winemaking, farming and dairy; emphasizing the importance of buying local foods and supporting local farms; and offering opportunities to sample and buy local wines, flowers and food. The three wineries are all part of the Chesapeake Wine Trail.
Cassinelli Winery
Cassinelli Winery is a Winery and Distillery located on a 110 acre home farm in Church Hill, MD. Visitors on July 25th and 26th between noon and 5:00 will be able to taste five wines and three spirits and can also do a product tour and hear about other products they are working on. Cassinelli actively plants and maintains vineyards including Chardonnay, Merlot, and Viognier grapes as well as hundreds of apple, peach, pear and plum trees that families will soon visit to pick and enjoy. They are currently working on opening a full distillery at 323 High Street in Chestertown, MD.
Clovelly Winery
At a beautiful bend in the Chester River, you will find the bountiful lands of CLOVELLY ~ a third-generation, Maryland Eastern Shore farm established in 1959. Their Vineyard is situated on the south-facing hillside of Clovelly Farm overlooking the Chester River. On Saturday at 2:00, vineyard manager Mark Patrick will give a special talk and a walk through the vineyard to discuss growing practices, the types of grapes they grow, and the basics of vineyard management. Between noon and 4:00 on both July 25 and 26, tours of the vineyard include a tasting of their available wines. Tours and tastings are $5 per person or $8 including a souvenir Clovelly Vineyards glass. For $12 per person, tours may also include cheese and ead pairings with the wine tasting. Please note that tours may involve some walking and last about 30 minutes.
Colchester Farm
Colchester Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a nonprofit, small-scale farm that grows fresh local produce for shareholders and community members, and offers apprenticeships and education programs. Visitors will tour the farm to learn about their CSA operation and see how they incorporate sustainable practices for small-scale, biodiverse production to support a healthy community. Saturday morning visitors can catch a glimpse of the CSA operation from 8am to 10am during their market-style share distribution. The CSA promotes an alternative model of farming that strengthens the relationship between farmers, community members, food, and the land. CFCSA operates on 10 acres of land, part of a 345-acre farm on the Sassafras River near the town of Galena. They will be open to tourists on July 25 and 26 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Crow Farm and Vineyard
Crow Farm owners Judy and Roy Crow both grew up on farms and both have a passion for maintaining the agricultural authenticity of the area and Crow Farm. Visitors on July 25 and 26 between noon and 5:00 will see firsthand a diverse working family farm, tour the winery and taste award winning dry premium wines. Visitors will learn about the herd of grass fed Angus Beef and the importance of rotational grazing. To further sustain the profitability and natural environment of the farm, the family’s 3rd generation established a vineyard business including wine-making and a wine tasting room. The tasting room offers a full array of hand crafted Crow Vineyard wines, and you can add a pairing tray made from our local grass fed Angus Beef and other farm grown items.
Galena Blooms Farm
Galena Blooms is an organic specialty cut flower and herb farm. They grow a wide variety of perennials and annuals over spring, summer and fall --- primarily native plants. They also offer a complete line of body care products, all produced on the farm. Galena Farm will host a flower arranging workshop on Sunday, July 26. Cost is $25, and pre-registration before July 19th is necessary. Sign up by emailing galenablooms@live.com. Each person will receive a quart size mason jar, as well as a bucket of fresh cut flowers and herbs to work with. Two 45 minute tours of the farm will also be available on Sunday, the first at 10:00 and the second at 4:00. There will be a 10% discount on all body care products following both tours.
St. Brigid's Farm
Established in 1996, St. Brigid’s Farm started with 69 registered Jersey heifers. The herd has grown to 200 animals consisting of milking cows, replacement heifers, steers and veal calves. The 62 acre farm is planted in permanent pasture, comprised predominantly of perennial rye grass and clover where the seasonally calved herd intensively grazes from April through November. On July 25 and 26 between 10:00 and 5:00, St. Brigid’s Farm will offer guided tours, wagon rides, grass fed beef for sale as well as a chance to view their restored antique tractors and the milking of the cows at 4:00.
Information for the farm and winery tour can be found on the RiverArts website at http://Chestertownriverarts.org/home/farm-and-winery-tour/. Additional farms and wineries may still participate in this year’s tour by calling RiverArts at 410 778 6300.
