Yesterday was the Terry County Soil & Water Conservation District annual farm tour. This organization and the farmers in our area value the conservation of our land and water. We hope to pass to our children and the next generation land that is in better condition that it was when it was entrusted to us for our stewardship. On the tour there were stops at one of our vineyards, Texas Custom Wine Works, and then the Terry County Museum. The tour ended with lunch at the First Baptist Church in Brownfield.

Very interesting day filled with friends and neighbors. Richard Martinez was there.


Here is Richard who has worked for our family for forty-eight years. Richard is now cutting down now on his hours, working four days a week. Cliff says that he likes Richard working on Monday through Thursday, so that when Richard gets back each Monday, he can fix the things that everyone else has broken or messed up over the weekend. Cliff expressed thankfulness and appreciation for all of our employees.


Bobby Cox was there. He works full time for us now, but he was there as our consultant back ten years ago or so when we first started our vineyards. We are all very thankful for his guidance through the years.


There were friends and family at the vineyard listening to Cliff tell about our transitions the last thirty years to organic row crops and specialty markets then adding vineyards and what the future might hold.


Lots of red-heads on the left that must be the family section.


My mom happened to be in town from North Carolina which was a nice surprise. Right beside her is Clint, our son, and his wife, Alexis. Just love her “Love Thy Farmer” bag.


What a blessings, lots of friends and family around.


It was a cloudy day. Cool and comfortable for browsing the vineyards.


This isn’t the best year for the vineyards because with the May 3rd freeze the crop may end up being 30 to 40 tons while our projections and hopes for the year were 1,500 tons. Quite a difference.


But the vines themselves look very healthy. Good growth for developing next year’s crop.


There were some of our grandchildren there also.


I think that I got this one in trouble by distracting her and making her a little fidgety.


Even the bus ride was quite exciting for our homeschooled children and grandchildren who aren’t accustomed to having to ride on buses.



Even the older children probably enjoyed a day of being driven around instead of driving themselves. Here is our daughter, Jessica, and her husband, Tyler.


And of course we rode on the Meadow Broncos bus! That’s where Cliff proudly went to school.

Then the delicious barbeque brisket meal catered by our neighbors Randy and Julie Beasley of 2B Ranch Catering.


 


We needed two tables for the whole farm family.


The lovely slide show that you saw at the beginning of this post was done by Kim Bayer, a technology teacher at Meadow High School. She did a lovely job. Just wish we actually had some grapes on the vines to get in the pictures.


And here we go, finally a picture of the whole family, except for Daniel who had some agriculture class that he had to go to. I really think that we could have gotten him an excused absence, but we did miss him.

Cliff and I want to thank the whole family for being patient with our mistakes and always encouraging us to move forward to keep going. May all praise be to God for his wonderful gifts and guidance.


Then the perfect ending to the day, rain, 8/10 of an inch or more on the farm. Thank you, Lord.

Blessings,

Betty

Similar Posts