April 2010: City Pages writer McKenzie Martin gave high marks to the first-annual Savor Minnesota event at Canterbury Park, which featured the best of Minnesota wine, food, and beer. She singled out the Crofut Vineyard and our Frontenac Gris in particular. Thanks to all our fans!
For more details, check out her blog entry.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Traveling Wine Bottle Goes to New England
Don traveled to the ancestral homeland of the Crofuts and hung with cousin Alan (aka Chef Alan of Unbridled Chocolates) last weekend. We had family visits, wandered all over New Hampshire/Vermont, and walked where our ancestors walked, lived and still live. It was my first opportunity to see Crofut Tavern, where Ethan Allen, Remember Baker and some Crofuts met to forge the beginnings of the state of Vermont!
We also visited Walpole Valley Winery and Vineyard and shared the passion of the grape with Virginia, its owner. What nice wines and the view at sunset was breathtaking.
We collected pollen from some of the wild grapes on the banks of the Battenkill river in Vermont just in front of Sidney Crofut's house he built a 100 years ago in Arlington, Vermont.
On Sunday nite, I crossed some of the pollen of the Battenkill grapes with some of my test vines in the front vineyard. Sure am hopeful in five or six years we may have a Crofut grape cross from the pollen we collected. All in all, a memorable trip. (Thanks Cuz!)
See you in the vineyard!
Don
<< Cousin Alan Crofut (of Unbridled Chocolates) stands in front of Crofut Tavern, where the American patriots met to discuss their options during the Revolutionary War.
>> Sidney Crofut built his home over 100 years ago in Arlington, Vermont. He also planted the grapes a long time ago and great-grandson Jamie rebuilt the arbor several years ago. Crofut Pond is over the hill. Norman Rockwell painted Sidney as a youth skating on the Battenkill River (on the green next to the chapel).
<< Crofut Perch - this granite slab juts out of the water in front of the Sidney Crofut home and has become part of our family lore.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Sun Shades...
Ooops, I forgot to add a photo of the sun shades.I was so excited about the straw bale gardening that I forgot to add a photo of the shades. That and the frost; worrying about the hail...
Actually, I think it is so very, very beautiful in a modern architectural kind of zen.
Here it is, the first photo of the shady deck. The floral will follow. Mark (Sailers Greenhouse) I will be back to empty the back greenhouse on Friday.
The deck is ready for you to come and enjoy a view over the vineyard...and the Crofut Family will be there mowing, trimming, tieing, training, watering and ...you know...for us, we get the ultimate back tan.
Great grapes are not just grown, they are nurtured with passion. We think the passion of grape growing shows in our wines.
55 medals in the past 2 years may give a little credence from a little vineyard in Minnesota.
We work really hard, and we think it shows in our wines. It truly is our passion. My boys don't think so most of the time, but they will.... they are teenagers. The soil, the grapes and the passion will show fruit.
Don
Sun shades & Straw bale gardening?
Hi everyone,
C and the Crofut crew planted the garden to be used for this year's Fun with Wine and Friday Fix Prixe events over the Memorial Day weekend.
It is our the annual planting event (big thanks to Peggy & Mark Sailer (Sailer's Greenhouse) for the heirloom vegetables.
Guess what.... we now have 2,400 square feet of shade and the straw bale garden will have absolutely no weeds. Yes, no bending over to weed or harvest. Most importantly... it's all organic!
Sun Shades.
It has only been about 10 years since I thought I needed more shade. Working in the vineyard gives a great tan, but most of us Minnesotans just want to chill on the deck each summer, overlook the vineyard, drink copious amounts of wine and listen to great music.
THINK WINE & Music!
The shade is now here and the music is whatever you want it to be, so bring your ipod or cd and we can plug it in for you.
The Straw bale garden.
Who'd a thought that you can grow really great veggies and herbs in a straw bale. We have the garden really cooking...literally. When we planted the vegetables on Saturday morning, the straw bales were over 80 degrees at 9 in the morning. Straw bales as they decompose create heat and allow the veggies and herbs to uptake the vital nutrients to grow very healthy.
Best thing is: remember, no more weeding and never bend to harvest. I am just thinking of ways to create a symbiotic microclimate to grow grapes. Seriously, it will not work as the grape roots grow over 10 feet deep if you have the topsoil. But we will have the most incredible heirloom veggies (the hawaian tomatoes can grow to 2 pounds) will be great each Friday or Sunday. Fresh harvested and freshly prepped by the best chefs/caterers in the upper midwest. Do not miss out.
Hmmm, photos of the sun shades and the strawbale garden will be on the website soon, and most importantly, do not miss the opportunity to come visit and learn something new. Let's "grow" each day. Great wisdom from my grandpa and dad. Want to learn more about straw gardening? We have great information on straw bale gardening at the winery/vineyard while you get to chill in the shade....drinking wine!
It is going to be a great summer, I will be in the vineyard, but yell at me and I will come in to share the passion of the grape on the deck with you!
don
C and the Crofut crew planted the garden to be used for this year's Fun with Wine and Friday Fix Prixe events over the Memorial Day weekend.
It is our the annual planting event (big thanks to Peggy & Mark Sailer (Sailer's Greenhouse) for the heirloom vegetables.
Guess what.... we now have 2,400 square feet of shade and the straw bale garden will have absolutely no weeds. Yes, no bending over to weed or harvest. Most importantly... it's all organic!
Sun Shades.
It has only been about 10 years since I thought I needed more shade. Working in the vineyard gives a great tan, but most of us Minnesotans just want to chill on the deck each summer, overlook the vineyard, drink copious amounts of wine and listen to great music.
THINK WINE & Music!
The shade is now here and the music is whatever you want it to be, so bring your ipod or cd and we can plug it in for you.
The Straw bale garden.
Who'd a thought that you can grow really great veggies and herbs in a straw bale. We have the garden really cooking...literally. When we planted the vegetables on Saturday morning, the straw bales were over 80 degrees at 9 in the morning. Straw bales as they decompose create heat and allow the veggies and herbs to uptake the vital nutrients to grow very healthy.
Best thing is: remember, no more weeding and never bend to harvest. I am just thinking of ways to create a symbiotic microclimate to grow grapes. Seriously, it will not work as the grape roots grow over 10 feet deep if you have the topsoil. But we will have the most incredible heirloom veggies (the hawaian tomatoes can grow to 2 pounds) will be great each Friday or Sunday. Fresh harvested and freshly prepped by the best chefs/caterers in the upper midwest. Do not miss out.
Hmmm, photos of the sun shades and the strawbale garden will be on the website soon, and most importantly, do not miss the opportunity to come visit and learn something new. Let's "grow" each day. Great wisdom from my grandpa and dad. Want to learn more about straw gardening? We have great information on straw bale gardening at the winery/vineyard while you get to chill in the shade....drinking wine!
It is going to be a great summer, I will be in the vineyard, but yell at me and I will come in to share the passion of the grape on the deck with you!
don
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