I'm Walking 60 miles in 3 Days to help find a cure can you help me?

Michelle with me at Daytona Bike Week

Why I’m Walking

I’m walking because I can. Because so many can not. Because this disease has taken so much from so many. I’m walking for my sister in law who fought to the end, for my dad who grew up without a mother , for my aunt who started her fight 30 years ago, for my mom who started her fight 2 years ago.

I’m walking for myself – to prove that the past year has been just a speed bump in the road of life. Many of you know that I was diagnosed with breast cancer August 31, 2009. Since that time I have had two surgeries, the second being a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. That means they took the old ones with the cancer and gave me new ones (although it’s been a little more involved than that).

I’m walking for my children, that they may never have to walk. That they will never have to hear the words “we got the results, it’s cancer”. That some day there will be a cure and a world without breast cancer.

I’m walking because someone, walked for me. For without the advances in early detection and treatments, my cancer might still be hidden, my story might have a very different ending.

The Susan G., Komen foundation has been involved with every major advancement in the fight against breast cancer.

Tractor broke!

Haunted Maze path

View from the seat of our John Deere 1020

Well I say it many times yes this blog is called Ohio Wine and More. You might say we R a winery with ADHD most of the time. You see we came from the agricultural world of dairy cattle, grain farming and vegtable production then direct farm marketing and agritourism. Maize Valley has evolved over the years to meet emerging opportunities the best we can.

So what has that got to do with wine you ask? Well we do have fun here. We say there are many places you can go and have a very nice time, but come to Maize Valley when you want to have fun. Last year our dry red blend won Double concordance gold at the Ohio Wine competition. This spring our Red Raspberry made from our own home grown Red Raspberries did the same at the Finger Lakes Wine Comp. Plus dozens of other medals from other respected shows and competitions. But we don’t take that too seriously or ourselves.

You can always go back and buy more wine, you can’t go back and make more time. So we do things still like haunted corn mazes pumpkin cannons, pig races and more. We make a great product but serve it with a flash. So come and see why Maize Valley is the place to be. If you don’t care for the stuff mentioned above that’s cool just chill with great food or wine in the market and cafe’, It’s all good!

See below how we start the prep for this years haunted corn maze adventure. Come and see why Maize Valley IS the place to BE!

Raised Beds plastic after hole is punched and plant inserted

One row of about 50 acres

My father in law Kay running the John Deere 6400

Part of growing all the quality produce we do on the farm at Maize Valley is preparing a good solid foundation for our crops to grow in. Part of that involves what are called raised irrigated beds. We grow about 200 acres of “fresh market produce”. Of that about 50-60 acres is grown using this method. We still farm about a total of 700 acres including hay, soybeans, pumpkins, sweet corn and more.

That is what sets Maize Valley apart I guess as far as a retailer in this day and age. I guess we take pride in being the real deal in all aspects we can. The man on the tractor in the video is Kay my father in law. His family has farmed here since the 1800’s and today we are still trying to raise products and market them to stay current and of value to today’s consumers.

We don’t just haul something in repackage it and put it out we try and craft something from raw materials and add value as we do. In the process we employee people, like Galen who is in the video who has worked with us for over 20 years. We break stuff, buy parts, pay taxes, build things and just try and make it through to the next generation.

We appreciate you stopping by and visiting with us here. But we hope we gave you enough reason to stop by the farm market and winery and even spend some more time with us.

Take care!

Got Pipe? Sometimes You Need IT!

Every few years we try and keep up with that “overhead” work that pays in the long run and this is one of those jobs. It isn’t cheap to put in drain tile but it pays you back in the long haul. Sometimes in better yields sometimes just making a field usable in the first place. Plus it helps for just overall better plant health in both wet and dry years by helping to balance the air/water ratios in the soil.

One reason for Ohio Wine and More to post this is that before you plant a vineyard especially in Ohio you really need to be sure your soil is well drained. With the exception of very few locations especially with the advent of so many new wineries going in across the state most locations are going to need to have a machine such as this one come in and do the prep work. In most cases for vineyard establishment you need to put the drain tile in every 8 to 10 feet to achieve maximum benefit and return on investment. It costs about $1.00 per installed foot so when you are talking ten’s of thousands of feet it can get a bit expensive!

Cabbage lookin' pretty good!

Garlic coming up in rows!

Springtime vines

It has been a pretty warm and dry spring so far. You never know if that is a good thing or not. It is great to get out and get some work done early but also if it get too warm too early bad things can happen too. Such as an early bud break in the vineyard that leads to all sorts of problems. Last year we got frozen in late May and that pretty much killed the grape harvest for the year.

We have lots on tap this year in the way of locally produced vegtables, fruit, wine and good times at Maize Valley so keep in touch, and come and see why Maize Valley IS the place to BE!

Getting a early start in the Greenhouse!

Overhead view of Mater!

Everyday wine tastings and Wine Trail events too!

From weddings at the “Ballroom” to raising greenhouse crops, and winter farmers’ markets and a record setting year in the winery tasting room and cafe’ It has been a busy winter! My father in law Kay is gearing up for a HUGE season at the farmers’ market where it looks like at least nine markets a week for us. Wine tastings from Geneva to Dayton to Sandusky and more will keep us occupied too. Plus all the great special events from years past plus a few more are on the horizon as well. You need to stop out and see why we say “Maize Valley IS the placet To BE!

I have been busy working our face book and twitter pages too so this blog sort of got the “hind tit” approach as they say in the world of raisin’ Hogs! But all in all it has been a good winter too. Not too terrible cold with lots of snow cover really helped the grapes and they are looking fine. Now we just have to get through the rest of the spring and past any late frosts in May and we will be sitting pretty.

The video below is just one small snapshot of what is coming this summer at Maize Valley. Thanks for stopping by!

Welcome Guests

Your seat awaits you!

Never sit with strangers, but leave as friends

Wines paired with the dinner are boxed and ready to go!

January 21 saw the first of our Vintner’s dinners at Maize Valley for 2010. They are reservation only dinners limited to 40 persons held on the third Thursday of every month. The menu and recipie for each dinner can be found by visiting our website. Reservations can be made by calling or e-mailing us in either case be sure to get a confirmation.

New wines, new food, new friends is how we like to put it for this event series. Our focus is on introducing guests to new wines and pair them with foods we feel are complementary. We hope our guests also meet new friends and enjoy learning more about food and wine along the way.

We try to feature items on the menu we either grow or source as local as possible while still maintaining high standard of quality. During the evening we explain a little about the pairings as well as some of the history surrounding our winery and family farm. Sometimes we just talk about the food other times we might even tell a story about how the Vaughan family has made a living with the land here in Marlboro township since the 1800’s. They have been school teachers, leather tanners, and farmers, you never know what might come to mind.

So please stop on by sometime, sit a spell, but no don’t take your shoes off, this is just a bit higher end than that!

2007 Suzuki V Strom DL1000

It was suggested to me that from time to time I put in a personal note in the blog about who I am as the author of this blog called Ohio Wine and More from Maize Valley Farm Market and Winery. A way to get to know the person behind the story we tell of our family farm, market and winery.

We do a great deal of event based marketing, edgy stuff, we have wines with names like Red Neck Red, Hanky Panky and Big Red Pecker. We “push It” when it comes to marketing, I “Push It” in life. Over the past few years I have lost some loved ones and began to realize there is no guarentee when it comes to tomorrow.

When I became a young parent I sold my bikes, as I became a slightly older one I got one back. I love to ride. Backroad gravel, twisty turns, hard fast straights I love it all. I believe the best bike is the one that “moves” YOU the most no matter what the make.

I try and take this passion and extend it into the marketing we do at Maize Valley those of you who are our friends and guests I hope you appreciate that, I have fun doing it as I must be unemployeed as I love going to “Work”.

A little clove all tucked in for a long winters nap

Planting garlic

I have to say one thing about my father-in-law Kay, when get tries something he tries it big. Almost a quarter acre of garlic, REALLY! Well at least we will have a “Vampire free zone”or is that Werwolf Free ?! I remember when we row covered almost 8 acres of melons years ago for our first go around with melons, whoops! Worked good till the wind blew it off and we had kites the size of football fields.

Anyhow the point is we are not afraid to try new things at Maize Valley. I got Kay started more on these crops a few years ago when I asked him “do you want to try some farmers’” markets and he said yes. Well we needed to learn to grow a whole new mix of crops to adapt and succeed at direct markets.

New crops, smaller plantings, wider varities all came into play as we moved forward in this are and the garlic is just one example. Stop in our farm market and winery next year, we are going to have PLENTY of garlic!

I wonder how a garlic wine would taste?????

Walk in to the farmers' market

Under the road and to trail center to the farmers' market we go....

Approach to the Happy Days Trail Center

Tim and Brett selling the goods!

Lots of vendors to choose from

If you look at the last Maize Valley Ohio Wine and More blog post you could see the process that we use to grow some crops in the winter time in Ohio. Now don’t get me wrong I have no illusion we are making any money yet at this venture. This is still in the research and development phase, but you have to start somewhere!

We are learning experimenting trying new things that is what entrepreneurs do, it is in our blood! We have learned a great deal already and it is allowing us to make some future investment decisions based upon data collected. This is all we do, no off farm jobs, no retirement income, no gov’t support we run very tight and hard.

We are just practical producers trying to make a living with the land in a responsible manner that sustains our families and provides for future generations. My wifes family has been here since the late 1800’s and I don’t want to mess that up! So with my father-in-laws support we started trying farmers’ markets again a few years ago and this is the latest chapter in that journey.

If you take the time to look through past blog posts here in this Ohio Wine and More blog you will see it is quite a journey!

Thanks to Beth Knorr and Darwin Kelsey who are the main contacts we have the CVCC for their efforts in starting and helping to develop the farmers’ market.

Here are some pictures and videos showing last Saturdays market organized by the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservacy. It is held in the park at the Happy Days Trail center. There are links to learn more via the pictures above just hover and click.