Workshops and Wineries

With work I travel a lot to workshops and conferences. This week I went to Baxter, TN for the Tennessee Sustainable Tourism Workshop. You are probably thinking what in the world is in Baxter and what is sustainable tourism? The workshop was held at Delmonaco Winery and Vineyard in Baxter. Sustainable Tourism is sustaining the environment, culture and heritage of a region while at the same time sustaining the economic growth through tourism. I am involved because agritourism has always been sustaining the environment and the rich farming history of our state since the first pick your own. They are doing four workshops across the state and this was the second. To find out more about what Tennessee is doing about Sustainable Tourism go to http://www.tnvacation.com/sustainable/ .

Delmonaco Winery and Vinyard

Inside the winery

The workshop couldn’t have been at a prettier place! Delmonico Winery and Vineyard is gorgeous. It’s also huge! That’s how they were able to host a workshop of 100 people. They host all kinds of events from weddings to corporate parties. When you stop by make sure to try the Muscadine and Blackberry wines. I hear they are really good. They have wine tastings everyday and on the weekends they have concerts. What fun would it be to bring a picnic, sit among the vines, and listen to live music! To find out more about Delmonaco Winery and Vineyard go to http://delmonacowinery.com/default.aspx

The vineyard

Graduation Weekend at Martin

Going to Martin is like going home. I did spend six of my best years there, but it only took five years for me to earn my degree in Agriculture Education. Graduating early is like leaving the party at 10:30! This weekend was graduation at UT Martin and one of my best friends, Heather, was graduating. This gave me an excuse to go back to visit with friends and to do some farm visits.

Friday was a stormy, yucky day. The safest place to be in Martin during a storm is Caddy's- this coming from Stuart and Cody. Luckily, for me who doesn't partake in all activities that normally go on at Caddy's they serve a very yummy lunch. My meal included a juicy cheeseburger with steaming hott crispy fries. They have sweet tea you can pour yourself straight from the pitcher.

Below is a pic of our Caddy's lunch crew with our server, Kara.

A group of us went to Century Farm Winery in Jackson. This winery is one of Tennessee's 33 wineries across the state. It is a working farm and has been in their family for over 150 years. Jo O'Cain showed us around the winery and vineyard. She answered many questions from the growing of the grapes to the production of the wine. They have won blue ribbons for some of their wines. This year they are getting local strawberries from Green Acers in Milan, which is a PYO strawberry and pumpkin patch, for Strawberry wine. Later that night Cody marinated pork loin in the Traminette wine and it was DELICIOUS! If you are in the West Tennessee are stop by Century Farm Winery and try some of their wines!

Check out them out :
http://www.centuryfarmwinery.com/

Heather's big day finally got here on Saturday. She text me the entire time and even sent me a video message while other UTM students were walking across the stage!! haha! Oh, how have times changed. We at lunch at Candylynn (my home for 5yrs) and then went to Heather's home in Dyer Co for dinner. The day was a lot of fun and so was the night when we got back to Candylynn.

This is the some of the Candylynn Crew.

Sigma Alpha's are so hott they had to call the firemen! haha!