Ontario Outings

 

Apple of Birtch Farms' eye is its tree-grown wines

 

Owners dish out local produce along with a fun time for the kids

 

BENJAMIN GLEISSER SPECIAL TO THE STAR

 

INNERKIP, ONT. – An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it's the apple wines that keep people coming back to Birtch Farms & Estate Winery

Birtch Farms is one of the most unique farms in southwestern Ontario.

Most of the 36-hectare spread is given to cash crops like corn and soybeans, with about eight hectares dedicated to 16 different types of apple trees whose fruits ripen from mid-August to mid-October.

During this time, the Birtches open their farm to folks who want to walk through the fragrant orchards and pick their own tree-ripened produce

A fun sight is watching parents pull their youngsters among the trees in a little red wagon; the farm has several to loan for free

Then, when the little ones spy ripe pieces of fruit dangling at the end of a branch, dad will hoist them in the air to pluck brightly speckled Royal Gala apples or ruby-coloured Red Delicious

Filling a four-quart pail, which holds between 16-20 apples, costs $5.75

And after packing the pail, it's time for parents to have their fun. While the kids are outside playing in the children's area on the straw castle or running through the corn maze, mom or dad (depending on who's keeping an eye on the kids) is inside Birtch's cozy wine room sampling one of the 27 table and ice-style wines made from apples and other fruit grown in the orchards or at nearby farms.

Bob Birtch, the third-generation co-owner of Birtch Farms, learned the craft of finely balancing acids at the University of Guelph.

He has been making wine since 1993; in 2002, the family began selling the wine. Birtch makes about 500 cases a year.

We sampled several table wines and found them pleasant – not cloying like some apple wines, or fizzy like Baby Duck

There's even a helpful handout to explain which wine goes best with certain entrées.

"We used to just wholesale apples, but then we saw the writing on the wall," says Bob's wife Dyann Birtch.

"When China began importing apple juice and almost put an end to the Canadian apple industry, we decided we either had to shut the farm down or go retail."

To generate awareness for the area's apple industry and business for the farm itself, the Birtches created Apple Fest, a weekend event with homemade food and entertainment.

This year's Fest ran last weekend and featured horse-drawn wagon rides through a Storybook Trail filled with famous scenes in apple history (think of Johnny Appleseed and Isaac Newton).

In addition, families can pick their own apples and pumpkins and adults can sip the Oak Aged McIntosh ($13.95/bottle), a semi-dry white wine that's close to a Chardonnay, or the semi-sweet Orchard Gold ($11.95), made from tree-ripened Golden Delicious apples.

For those who prefer red wines, the full-bodied Elderberry wine ($16.95) is close to a Cabernet Franc, while the Montmorency Cherry ($13.95) recalls a zesty Zinfandel.

Serve this wine chilled to bring out the cherry notes.

Birtch produces two other events: At Local Flavours on Sept. 28, area chefs will create appetizers from locally grown produce, and pair the fare with Birtch wines.

Oct. 25-26 is the perennial favourite, Pumpkin Fest, which features a "boo gallery" of carved pumpkins with scary faces, costume contests for children and pumpkin goodies from the farm's bake shop.

"A big part of our goal is to support local growers and Canadian families," Dyann says.

"Farmers are like that. We like to support the local economy and businesses in our area."

Benjamin Gleisser is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

Birtch Farms' "Local Flavours" Event

September 28, 2008

Area chefs will create appetizers from locally grown produce, and pair the fare with Birtch wines

    For more information, please contact:
  • Dyann and Bob Birtch
  • Birtch Farms
  • Woodstock, ON
  • 519-469-3040
  • Email: info@birtchfarms.com