The Farm
Apiary
The passion for raising bees started in 2012. It started with one hive and has grown in number to meet the demand for local honey. Most of our sales are by word of mouth and occasionally in Sturgis’s weekly summer farmers market. The benefits for local health and incredible taste make it difficult to keep up with year around buyers.
The apiary observation house is fun for visitors that are a little timid around bees. Training for the local 4-H bee club has been enlightening for both them and us.
Check out all of our Honey related products.
Vineyard
Our half acre vineyard was planted in 2012-2013 with 100% wine grapes from the Northern Grape varieties. These grapes were developed to grow in cold climates with temperatures dipping down to -20 below. We planted ten different grape varietals that make up a portion of our wine list. Some are blended together and others are pure varietal. The terroir of Black hills soils and mild temperatures have produced some of the best grapes in the region.
The grapes in our vineyard are; Marquette, Sabrevois, Frontenac, St Croix, Brianna, La Cresent, Frontenac Gris, Edelwiess, St Peppin, and Swensen.
My Grandfather Joseph Henry planted concord grapes in the back yard in 1941 that are still producing today. He made wine from these grapes as we do today in our legacy red.
Other produce
Our tiny orchard includes apples, plums, pears, apricots, peaches and cherries. Our berries include black current, chokecherries and raspberries. Rhubarb seems to thrive and makes a interesting country wine in a dry and semi-sweet. We grow some cascade hops for flavoring and occasional home brew. Most of the fruit trees are stung by early frost and on the miracle year they actually produce we make wine and what ever else that taste delicious.
Livestock
Although we are zoned argricuture for most of the property, we only have some overfed and spoiled hounds to protect us from unwanted visitors like renegade squirrels. Sometimes they even bark when they are suppose to and let us know visitors are here.
Ally our ever deer herding border collie.
Willow the frisbee chaser toy aussy
Toby the grump mini aussy