Posts Tagged ‘Farm Market’

Balloon Lift off September 27th 2014, Corn Maze wagon rides and a whole lot more.

Thursday, September 11th, 2014
Lots of hot air!

Lots of hot air!

We open our Corn Maze in Mid-September but our Balloon Lift has grown into our sort of unofficial Kick Off for the fall harvest season. It takes a few crisp mornings and few trees changing color to get people thinking about a trip to the pumpkin patch or corn maze.

Up close and personal

Up close and personal

Our balloon lift started over a dozen years ago when I asked a neighbor who owned a balloon if he would get a few friends together and take off from our farm. It has gotten to be a fall tradition. We launch between six and eight balloons from the meadow up back near our corn maze and campfire site area. Folks are welcome to get a up close view of the balloon crews at work as they prepare to take to the skies.

Grab a seat wherever you can!

Grab a seat wherever you can!

You can bring a blanket a lawn chair or grab a seat wherever you can! Our giant hay/straw crawl is a favorite place to relax as the balloons unfold and inflate and take to the skies.

Or just keep crawling!

Or just keep crawling!

Kids just love to climb on things! One thing we learned over the years is if it sticks up out of the field, Kids love to climb on it so we just go with it. We try and build as many farm theme consistent safe and fun fresh air opportunities to get out and have fun!

Wide open spaces!

Wide open spaces!

One unique thing about our farm is the setting. We sit up on a nice gentle hilltop surrounded by fields. The field we launch balloons from we make hay off of.

Somebody left their "sippy cup" unattended!

Somebody left their "sippy cup" unattended!

Some people ask can you have alcohol at a “family event”? We say yes you can. There are three to six hours worth of activities depending upon your level of abilities and interests. Folks can easily enjoy our wines or now new craft beers responsibly and be safe going home.

Did I mention kids like to climb?

Did I mention kids like to climb?

We encourage parents to get out and have fun with their off spring! We have lots of places for fresh air and exercise. So come on out September 27th, visit the balloon lift link on our web site for more information.

Craft Beer, More of the “More” to what we are

Saturday, August 30th, 2014

Well maybe we need to change this Blogs name? It is hard for us to get across the marketing message that is Maize Valley. We span a lot of different things.

Here we grow again

Here we grow again

Briefly “Maize Valley Farm” was began by Kay and Donna (Rohor) Vaughan my wife Michelle’s parents in the 1960’s. Kay’s ancestors were the third settler’s in the township dating back to the 1800’s. Donna’s parents moved into Marlboro township in the early 1900’s. After graduating from Kent State Kay and Donna were married and started the farm and family. They taught school and farmed as many as 6,000 acres. The farm included grain crops and dairy with their son Steve as well as other livestock over the years.

Michelle lower left, Breanne upper left, Donna upper right and Brett

Michelle lower left, Breanne upper left, Donna upper right and Brett

In the late 90’s the farm changed again selling the cows and some equipment and adding a produce market and agri-tourism venture including pumpkin picking and a corn maze. As houses closed in more in 2005 a winery was added and now in 2014 a craft brewery is set to open on Labor Day, September 1st 2014. Today we still farm about 600 acres, with a wide variety of crops ranging from garlic to green beans to grapes to pumpkins and hops.

Harvest 2014

Harvest 2014

Todd Vaughan is the wine maker and overseeing the beer production with the help of brewmaster Jake Turner. Michelle (Vaughan) Bakan manages the market and food service with the help of main staffer Scott Mann and a whole host of great employees. Bill Bakan is the Fun TSAR in charge of most all outside operations from grounds maintenance to all things “Corn Maze” and such.

Marlboro Madness our Pumpkin Cannon

Marlboro Madness our Pumpkin Cannon

Stay tuned as we work at using this blog to give “The Rest of the Story” of what goes on and how we try and manage folks expectations. We hope we do well for you. Thanks for stopping by.

Hot Chicks, Breanne and Cara Bakan at Maize Valley

Hot Chicks, Breanne and Cara Bakan at Maize Valley

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Corn Maze, planting the field part 6

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014

Since the fall harvest season makes up a huge part of who we are and what we do we spend some time talking about it. People ask us many questions about how we create some the designs. From a produce market and pumpkin patch with a corn maze we have grown into a winery and now a craft brewery. This summer’s weather has been very challenging. In fact we got about another 2-3 inches of rain again last night.

Sweet Corn field

Sweet Corn field

This blog post about our Ohio Corn Maze shows how we actually plant the corn. We are “old school” by modern agriculture standards in the sense our planter is about twenty years old but it gets the job done.

John Deere 7200 Corn Planter

John Deere 7200 Corn Planter

The corn planter plants six rows at a time each row is 30 inches apart. Our planter can plant No-Till or conventional where you till or work the soil from plow to field cultivator as discussed in past posts. Click here for tillage information Our planter is a vacuum planter.

Seed box for an individual row

Seed box for an individual row

What that means is we use the tractors hydraulic pump to run a air vacuum pump like on a floor sweeper that draws the individual seeds against a depression with a small hole in it positioned around the rim of a circular planter “plate”.

Seed box removed, black disk top of photo is the plate.

Seed box removed, black disk top of photo is the plate.

One bag of seed plants about 3 acres.

Bag of seed corn

Bag of seed corn

Seed corn in planter seed box. We “drop” or plant, between 24,000 to 35,000 seeds per acre (an acre is approximately the area of a football field) depending upon the type of corn, and the end use. For corn mazes I shoot for the low end because we plant the field twice at a right angles to each pass.

Seed corn in planter seed box

Seed corn in planter seed box

A individual planter “Plate”. Plates come in different sizes depending upon crop and seed size to be planted. The larger the seed the larger the “cup” in the plate, you also adjust your vacuum if the seed is heavier to hold it in place as it travels around the until it is dislodged by the brush.

Planter plate below seed box

Planter plate below seed box

A chain drive turns the plate and as it rotates once a revolution it comes in contact with a brush that pushes it away from the plate.

Chain drive

Chain drive

The seed travels down a tube and into the soil where another part of the planter creates a trench and then closes it after the seed is deposited. Row wipes lead the way directly in front of the seed disk openers. Which are located under the above mentioned planter boxes.

Row wipes are mostly used for No Till planting

Row wipes are mostly used for No Till planting

A Fertilizer Disk opener is positioned two inches to the side of the seed opener and a depth of two inches below the seed. “2 Down and 2 Over it is called. This helps to ensure the fertilizer is where the plant needs it when it needs it and is not wasted.

Fertilizer Disk opener

Fertilizer Disk opener

A closing wheel travels last closing the seed trench to ensure good soil to seed contact.

Closing wheel

Closing wheel

When planting you try a drive as straight as possible, it is a matter of pride and it also helps to maximize field area and yield. Our planter uses old style row markers. An arm extends from the side of the planter towards the side of the field yet to be planted. At the end of the arm is a disk that leaves a small trench that you line up the center of the tractor on. Today’s modern planters use a Global positioning satellite system to do this. Many tractors have this tied into their steering systems such that the computer/satellite actually drives the tractor.

Row marker trench you follow

Row marker trench you follow

The difference when you plant a corn maze field vs. a normal field is you make a second pass at a 90 degree angle to your first pass thereby creating a grid. This makes for a denser field of corn with great vegetation coverage which makes for a better corn maze experience.

View looking back toward planter from tractor seat.

View looking back toward planter from tractor seat.

If you have good weather and soil temperatures are good your corn should emerge in about seven to ten days.

Corn coming up in rows!

Corn coming up in rows!

We wait now about five to six weeks to start the maze carving process where we carve the corn maze design into the field from a solid field of corn. We like to have the corn be large enough a mower will kill the majority of it but not too tall to make cutting difficult.

Cutting the paths that make up a corn maze design

Cutting the paths that make up a corn maze design

Coming soon the “nuts and bolts” of how we create those crazy Maize Valley Ohio Corn Maze designs!

Who’s da Hare?? Breakfast with the Easter Bunny April 19th 2014.

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014

You know it must be spring when you see the bunnies start hopping around the farm! And boy do we have a BIG bunny that pays us a visit every year! Yes we have the one, the only, Easter Bunny! She lives on the farm year round. For “rent”, we ask that she help us out this one special day and hang out with our little peeps!

The one, the only....Easter Bunny!

The one, the only....Easter Bunny!

Yep, fresh down from the cotton trail the Big E.B. loves to stop and visit with our families at Maize Valley. This year due to a record demand we have just added a second seating. Click here for event details and reservation information.

Wide open egg hunt if weather permits

Wide open egg hunt if weather permits

If the weather lets us we go out behind the market and winery on the hill out back and look for all the eggs the E.B. has scattered around. If it is not such a nice day out we ask E.B. to just leave them in the pavilion and we make do. Whatever the case we get it done.

Indoor "hunting" if need be.

Indoor "hunting" if need be.

This event is a similar style event to our Breakfast with Santa – you will have a reserved table with your paid reservation and it will be your table for the duration of the event. If you would like to sit with another party, please let us know at the time of your reservation and we will make every attempt to accommodate your request.

Please let us know when making reservations if there is another group you would like to sit with

Please let us know when making reservations if there is another group you would like to sit with

The buffet style breakfast includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, juice & coffee. There is also a cookie decorating station where the kids can decorate and take a a large egg shaped cookie home.

Reserved tables are numbered for easy locating

Reserved tables are numbered for easy locating

Like breakfast with Santa this event sells out. In order to keep it a well run and organized event we require a pre-paid reservation to hold your spot. Every child gets a chance to visit with the Easter Bunny and there are lots of great photo opportunities (so bring your camera).

The Bunny doesn't really say much but you are welcome to sit and visit.

The Bunny doesn't really say much but you are welcome to sit and visit.

At Maize Valley we do many different special events that cover a wide range of age groups and interests. We really try to have a “Vintage for all the Seasons of your life”. Breakfast with the Bunny is sort of that kick off event to our outside activity season.

Cookie Decorating out in the Pavilion

Cookie Decorating out in the Pavilion

Last year we moved the Cookie Decorating out into the pavilion so there was more room inside to be able to sit and enjoy breakfast while hanging out with the hare.

Winery Open house and Anniversary!

Thursday, March 20th, 2014
Newest winery construction summer 2012

Newest winery construction summer 2012

Well nine years in the wine business has flown by oh so fast! Thank you to everyone who has visited with us in person or who has supported us by picking up our some of our wine at your local wine store. The winery may have just saved our family farm market, it sure has at least changed it a great deal.

Progress on the Winery....soon to be Brewery!

Progress on the Winery....soon to be Brewery!

In 2012 we built the biggest addition yet pictured above. To that point we had been “re-purposing” other old buildings or “farmer building” structures. We originally began producing wine in a renovated “potting shed”. That was the small poll barn we had attached to the greenhouse that we originally used to pot plants and baskets for the greenhouse business.

Original Potting shed

Original Potting shed

As we grew we built an addition off the East side of the Potting shed or “Head House”. We built this ourselves on a shoe string budget and it came out okay but didn’t last us too long.

Farmer pole barn addition

Farmer pole barn addition

A lot changed since we opened the winery in 2005. There were about 75 wineries in the state of Ohio that year. This year there are over 200 Ohio Wineries currently in operation. They range from growers/farmer style wineries that grow large quantities of grapes, to what are known as “kit wineries” that focus on just the wine making process separate from growing fruit. We are somewhere in the middle. We farm about 700-800 acres of cropland a year. We grow about 40-50 different types of crops from garlic to grapes, peppers to pumpkins.

Lettuce growing up in the "Hartville Swamps"

Lettuce growing up in the "Hartville Swamps"

We have a wide variety of soil types on the farm, and we are on the Southern edge of the Hartville Swamps a very special and unique growing area and soil.

Inside of new Winery/Brewery building

Inside of new Winery/Brewery building

The latest building will open. It will help us open the next chapter in Maize Valley’s history. It will house the new expansion of the brewery.

Newest outdoor patio seating area

Newest outdoor patio seating area

But don’t think we have just built a bunch of buildings. NEW this year we have expanded our outdoor seating area behind the “Gateway Pavilion” which is directly attached to the back of the winery/market building. The new area should seat between 40-60 people and we have also built some gentle walkways that take you up the hill to the Hill top party barn.

Walkways leading up the hill take the long and easy way up.

Walkways leading up the hill take the long and easy way up.

So soon the snow will stop falling and the sun will shine! This hill has a South face and we will put seating along the paths, a perfect place to relax with a nice glass of wine and enjoy the Ohio summer that is in store. Check out this link for details on our web page.

Ohio Wine and Fun! We make great wine….FUN!

Friday, March 14th, 2014

Quick note blog post! Did you know we have live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night all year round? A lot of people come and ask, “When do you start having music again?”……Word is we never stop unless an act backs out on us.

Mike Lenz and Peggy Coyle

Mike Lenz and Peggy Coyle

We have a rotation of performers that roll through each month and then we sprinkle in some special acts just to shake things up. So if you have a regular you like to see we try get them back about once a month. If you want something different be sure to follow our face book or G+ pages or visit our website and click on the entertainment link.

Bongo Joe and Little Steve-O

Bongo Joe and Little Steve-O

Bongo Joe and Little Steve-O play all around the greater Akron Canton Cleveland Ohio area. They play some pretty big events but we were one of the first places they played together and like us so they keep a place for us on their calendar and can be found here once a month.

Cranberry Pomegranet Chicken

Cranberry Pomegranet Chicken

We have some really tasty Weekend dinner specials too. We grow over fifty different crops and do a variety of special events and meals where we try and incorporate as many locally grown items as possible. Pictured above is our Cranberry Pomegranet Chicken.

Flatbread goat cheese

Flatbread goat cheese

Our menu varies by the season and by the fair. We do casual as well as five course wine paired full service dinners depending upon the need.

Mike and Peggy outside in the pavilion

Mike and Peggy outside in the pavilion

Soon summer will be here and we will be able to get back to doing what we do best…..that is have fun outside. We have lots of wide open spaces and places to roam around the farm. So come on out take a stroll this summer, have a bite to eat and if you like hang around and listen to some great local music. The Wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, corn maze and more will soon be back. But soon after that the snow flies and it is time to be done with that for a while!

Corn Maze, yea we do that!

Tuesday, March 11th, 2014

Ok, yea what does “Ohio Wine and More” have to do with an Ohio Corn Maze? We make great wine (and soon beer)….FUN! Agritourism, corn mazes, wagon rides, pumpkin picking and a whole bunch of other “Fall Harvest Activities” are a big part of what we do. We start planning and getting ready for a corn maze season soon after the last one is finished. We get a lot of questions that go something like how do you make a corn maze? This is a big subject to we will try and break it down into a few blog posts not to get too long.

2013 LoCo Motion Corn Maze

2013 LoCo Motion Corn Maze

Harvesting last years crop. As one season winds down we start looking to the next. While one maze is up and running we watch to see how it performs, how the design actually works for people. Are there paths that didn’t get used, if so why? Were there things that made this maze particularly good? Once we close the season we roll the combine as soon as possible.

John Deere Harvester or "Combine"

John Deere Harvester or "Combine"

Why is it called a “Combine” people ask. Because it does a combination of things. First of all it is self propelled. That may not seem like a big deal but did you know that self propelled harvesters were part of the War Effort in the 1940’s? There were self propelled machines before that but it took a war to get them mass produced.

Pull type combine

Pull type combine

Tractor and pull type combine

Tractor and pull type combine

Not to take the “way back machine” too far but pictured above is a combine that was pulled by a tractor. The real early ones had a separate gas engine on the combine itself and you had one on the tractor as well. During World War Two this was a big deal because if you could get that down to one engine you saved both raw materials and fuel. Learn more about the History Here.

Battle for bread

Battle for bread

It was about 1942 when they came up with the idea to mass produce self propelled combines. Steel was rationed and you had to get approval from the government to build things like this. The 1952 Massey pictured below is one we have on our farm. A neighbor sold it to us in the summer of 2013, it’s engine finally gave out he was heading to the field to combine some oats.

1952 Massey Harris

1952 Massey Harris

Ok, so these machine combine the tasks of cutting the crop with a cutter bar. Then elevate it up a feeder house into the machine where a rotor (modern machines) separator or a concave and screen (older machines) begin to remove the grain from the seed hull or cob. The material passes back through the machine where further separation and final cleaning takes place with the “trash” or chaff being expelled out the back and the grain moved up into a storage tank. This used to all be done by hand or animal back in the day and was very labor intensive as well as slow.

Corn head or cutter bar in this case.

Corn head or cutter bar in this case.

Corn head or cutter bar in this case. There are things called “snapper rolls” underneath that “snap” the ear off the stalk.

Tractor pulling a grain cart runs along side

Tractor pulling a grain cart runs along side

Tractor pulling a grain cart runs along side. This allows the combine to keep rolling and not have to take the time to stop to unload the grain tank on the combine. This saves time and weight the machine needs to carry. When a single machine can cost between $300,000.00 to $500,000.00 you need to keep them rolling every second you can.

Semi trucks on the fields edge waiting to take away the harvest.

Semi trucks on the fields edge waiting to take away the harvest.

Semi trucks on the fields edge waiting to take away the harvest. You try and never drive on a field more than necessary or when the field is too wet. You stay off not to compact the soil. And this field is done for the 2013 harvest season! Look for our next blog post about the steps we take in making a corn maze. Thanks for stopping by!

Ohio Wine and More… and Pigs???

Friday, February 14th, 2014

Ok, If you are a “Hoytie-Toytie” wine snob….you are not going to like me or my blog. Save yourself some time and click on that little red “X” in the upper right hand corner. This is a story about how we ended up raising hogs (pigs, farmers call them hogs more than pigs) again, and how they end up in the hands of Chefs in and around the HOT emerging Cleveland local food scene.

Hi, Watcha' doin'?

Hi, Watcha' doin'?

I am a family farmer, winery owner and soon to be brewery owner along with my wife, brother-in-law and my in-law’s. Brace yourself we are incorporated so technically a “corporate farm” I guess, you have to be for liability concerns. I drive a 2000 F-350 with 194K+ miles on it, I bought my wife a “new car” last year it was a 2007. We don’t live large we work hard. We are a Winery with ADHD, basically I shoot pumpkins out of a cannon for a living and also build corn mazes.

Me, on the deck of our pumpkin cannon getting ready to fire.

Me, on the deck of our pumpkin cannon getting ready to fire.

I was scanning the web and stumbled across a article about a local Chef in Cleveland following his dream and opening a butcher shop behind the West Side Market. I thought cool, so I followed up and read about it. His name is Adam Lambert and is currently a chef at bar cento . He will open a butcher shop in the “Palace of Fermentation,” Sam McNulty’s multi-faceted project currently taking shape in the Culinary Arts Building behind the West Side Market. You can read the story here.

As I read the article I came to realize the hogs we raise end up with him via Fresh Fork Market ! But here is the story behind how we got back into raising Hogs…..

My brother in laws Steve and Todd getting ready to load some hogs.

My brother in laws Steve and Todd getting ready to load some hogs.

We used to farm “large” about 15 years ago. 3,000 acres, milked 150 head of cows, trucks, grain lots of equipment. We eventually got run out by houses and low commodity prices. We sold stuff off and tried to survive. We opened a farm market and started raising small vegetables. My wife’s family has lived here (Marlboro) since the 1800’s. Her family has done everything, sheep, hogs, cows, dairy, tanned leather, taught school etc. etc. But one thing they had never done was “Agri-tourism”, corn mazes, pumpkin picking, hayrides and such.

2013 LoCo Motion corn Maze

2013 LoCo Motion corn Maze

After a few years corn maze’s were just not enough we needed to add more things for people to see and do. So we heard about racing pigs and thought we know pigs lets give it a try. But we don’t just race pigs…..we do NASHOG! The finest in Flat track pig racing in Ohio! We even built them a new track this year without a “Sin Tax”!

NASHOG race track

NASHOG race track

Our pigs have lots of room to move, run and have fun. They mostly just like to eat and sleep however. To train them to race you need cookies! Pigs like to eat pretty much the same stuff humans do and they run for Oreo’s!

"Pig Pile" soaking up some rays

"Pig Pile" soaking up some rays

We do “NASHOG” races on fall weekends starting at about noon and going till dusk. We get enough pigs so no one has to run too much but still have enough time to get cookies. They get a BIG shot of grain at the end of the day. Even giving them full feed they still grow slower than their buddies back at the farm who don’t get the opportunity to run the flat track every day. Maybe the stress of “celebrity” holds them back too? They do have lots of fans.

A small crowd catching a pig race

A small crowd catching a pig race

But at the end of the Corn Maze, Pumpkin Picking Season what is there to do with a bunch of highly trained athletes that have a bit of ego and celebrity? At first we took them to auction and took an absolute beating not even getting back our costs. It is the wrong time of the year for people to want pigs to feed out. So we took them to the home farm and started feeding them out ourselves for our freezers. We had few people buy one here or there but not too much of a consistent market for them.

Feeding time, that's all the time really.

Feeding time, that's all the time really.

That’s where Fresh Fork market and the patrons of Cleveland area restaurants and other customers of Trevor and Fresh Fork came in. Trevor starting buying our “Surplus Racing Pigs” and soon more. We starting raising hogs again year round now. Some regular breeds some special breeds depending upon what is asked for.

Now That's FAST FooD!

Now That's FAST FooD!

So thank you for supporting local folks doing cool new things and next time you sit down in Cleveland for a special dinner with friends, it may not be McDonalds…..But it still could be, “Fast Food”!

2014 New Food, New Fun, New Friends, New Wines, New Events!

Friday, January 10th, 2014

Wow here we go again a new year a year of new possibilities. The cool thing about farming and the winery is we really do get start all over again new each year. That is one huge reason many of us stay in the agriculture business. Each year brings a new chance to do better than years past. You can take lessons learned and apply them going forward. You read, surf the web, attend conferences, network with other growers. A new year is like Christmas morning with new gift of opportunity just waiting to be opened.

I love being out working when the sunrises!

I love being out working when the sunrises!

A Big part of what we do is a long list of special events on the farm. We can talk about farming and the joys and challenges that go with it but we also have to answer the question: what can we do for you? How can we bring you Hakuna Matata? Being authentic is very important to us. Out of these two ideas we try and develop things for people to come, see and do while visiting with us. Some things are grand some are simple, some are weekly, some are monthly some go on for weeks on end, some are seasonal. But we always want people to ask, “what is going on at Maize Valley?”

2013 LoCo Motion final 3

2013 LoCo Motion Corn Maze Adventure

Way back in the day we pretty much got started with our Corn Mazes and pumpkin picking. We still do this every year and it continues to grow each year. But we also do a wide variety of other events starting in January.

Here is a quick list of what we have on the books for 2014 with more to follow.

January 18th – The Island Doctor in the Winery

About now people are asking "Snow or Sand?"

About now people are asking "Snow or Sand?"

February 14th – Valentines Day dinner

March 6th – Locker Club Dinner
March 22nd – Winery Open House

Todd (my bro-in-law the wine maker) chatting up folks at Open House

Todd (my bro-in-law the wine maker) chatting up folks at Open House

April 19th – Breakfast with the Easter Bunny

Who Da Bunny!

Who Da Bunny!

May 7th – “PINK” Party (Breast cancer fund raiser)

Pink Party ladies

Pink Party ladies

May 11th -Mothers Day Dinner
May 15th – 1st Cruse In of the Season

Metal Muscle Nights

Metal Muscle Nights

June 28th – 1st Lt. Ashley White Stumpf Memorial Day

July 19th – NEW EVENT! Food/Farm/Fun/Farmathalone, Kids Dream Day

Farmathalone gang

Farmathalone gang

July 26th – International Dance Day special event

August – We have no scheduled on farm events as we go into final approach for the Fall Harvest Season

Oh Boy Here comes Fall!

Oh Boy Here comes Fall!

September 13th – Corn Maze Opens ( This is a time of year where more things start to happen as we approach October)
September 27th – Balloon Lift; This also marks the beginning of expanded offerings centered around the corn maze and pick your own pumpkins

October 11th & 12th – Megasauras Days, Big event details on web site and will have its own blog post later.

Mega flaming car 2013

Mega flaming car 2013

November 28th & 29th – Christmas Tree Viewing Days

Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa


December 13th & 20th Breakfast with Santa

This is a listing of our “Core events”. Please keep in mind we will be also going off site to wine pours if you would like to join us.

Vintner's Dinner seating

Vintner's Dinner seating


Plus we have the monthly events such as our Vintner Dinners held the 3rd Thursday of each month, Wine’d up Wednesdays starting May and more. I’d keep going but you’re probably tired to scrolling already! In future blog post we will break down each event on its own, thank you for stopping by!

Award Winning wines, sometimes it is about the bottle itself.

Wednesday, December 11th, 2013

We recently won one of 2013 Glass Packaging Institutes (GPI) Clear Choice Awards. The prestigious industry awards are given to products packaged in glass that demonstrate strong consumer appeal, shelf impact and commercial success.
What is under a label? Hard to tell because if the package doesn’t compel you enough to pick it up, let alone buy it you never know.

The sun was setting on the way we used to farm.

The sun was setting on the way we used to farm.

We started out with some pretty artistic and sophisticated labels, telling the story we were farmers on the label. They were very nice and we still use them today on certain wines for a certain markets. These labels while doing a good job when we had the time to tell our story were not the best for standing alone in a crowded market place.

Original artwork bottle label

Original artwork bottle label

We then started to look around at what other beverage companies were up and we got some ideas. What if we applied some of those practices combined with our story? Because we have a real story that spans generations. We had cows that had generations all living at the same time. We had pictures of cows of multiple generations all living at the same time.

Plenty of authentic Dairy was in our blood.

Plenty of authentic Dairy was in our blood.

Pictured below is a cow named “Edith” on the left My mother in law Donna is holding her. In the middle is my wife Michelle with one of Edith’s daughters and my sister in law Deb on right with one of Edith’s granddaughters.

We actually used to Have COWS!

We actually used to Have COWS!

Edith was not a “Happy Cow” getting her “gussied-up” for this picture was tough. She liked to be milked, eat and sleep that was pretty much it. She had a special stall next to the walkway out of the bar. It had a cool breeze in the summer, and was far enough in the barn it was warm in winter. Pictured below is what is left of her stall 15 plus years after she lived here over 13 years since we last milked cows. We have removed most of the “furnishings” that were in the barn.

Edith's old stall minus the mat, water bowl and name tag.

Edith's old stall minus the mat, water bowl and name tag.

On the wine side what was “our story” we asked ourselves. Of course, cows came up. But what name would catch your ear, and what picture would make you stop and pick up that bottle?

Mad cow reached out and grabbed us.

Mad cow reached out and grabbed us.

Mad cow is a sweet white table wine. It is easy drinking for the new wine drinker and a wine for light summer fun and good times. It is not a wine you want to spend too much time analyzing, breaking down and over thinking it. It still needs to be made quality and free from faults but it is not a wine you are going to want to age and wait for that special moment, just drink it.

And finally the winning effort

And finally the winning effort

And finally the winning effort, we didn’t set out to make an award winning label. We set out to create a package that people would want to pick up, own and give as a gift. It is a bottle that has a plastic sleeve covering the entire outside surface of the bottle. We think it is prettty cool, other must too as we beat out some pretty heavy weight competition.