My dad was a prolific gardener. He passed his love of gardening on to me, and now my kids understand the importance and joy of growing and preserving their own food. I remember being a little girl and picking beans with Dad. We wished they were a different color so they’d be easier to see. One spring, after he died, the roto-tiller wouldn’t start for my own garden. I prayed to Dad for help, and it started right up! Dad’s second favorite thing to do, after gardening, was mowing.

Bill’s dad was a conventional corn, bean, and livestock farmer. His influence on the farm and love of the land was apparent in every day of his life. Even after he was physically unable to climb into the tractor by himself, we used a pulley system to hoist him up so he could continue farming.

Bill Sr. mowed the vineyard site before the vines and posts were in place. He was very keen on seeing this new project take flight.

When the kids decided to come back to farm and to work in the vineyard and winery, it occurred to me how happy these two men would be to see their grandchildren working together on the land. It’s amazing to me how the past has impacted our future!