C3o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19,1980 Preserving some farm lurid and BY DICK ANGLESTEIN RAWLIFSVILLE - Tom and Cindy Hampton have their own little agricultural land preservation project going and are having some im at carrying it out, too. Owners of 34 acres m southern Lancaster County, they’re preserving their own ittle block of ag land through the Tucquan Vineyard the original grape growing operation in Lancaster County in modem times. “The land down here is far from ideal for normal agriculture," Cindy ex plains. “But the rocky, well fffl ysl i pppppr" f' ~ ' Tucquan Vineyard operated by Cindy Hampton, above, and her husband, Tom, is a true farm-winery in southern Lancaster County. It is located just south of Rawlinsville along the Drytown Road. New & Used Silos New & Used Extensions Tear down & Rebuild Gunite silo retiring & repairs Replastering, roofs, permanent pipe & distributors Jamesway Unloaders Barn Equipment Write or Call DETWEILER SILOS Rd 2 Box 267-D Newville, PA 17241 Phone: 717-532-3039 717-776-7533 717-776-3288 drained land is quite suitable for grapes and fruit trees and we’re able to keep the land in agriculture.” Their vineyard is located on a southerly slope, one of the highest in the county. The area is moderated by both the nearby Muddy Run reservoir and the Susquehanna River. The transplanted Cabbage Hill Lancaster City couple started the operation m 1968, which makes it the first vineyard in the county since those dating from Colonial tunes were frozen out in the mid-1800’s. Only about a fifth of their land is cultivated five r < A acres in grapes and a couple in fruit trees but the in tensive operation permits them to keep the remainder in its original virgin river hills status. The Hamptons just began retail commercial sales of wine last year after serving amateur wine-makers and homemakers preparing je'lies and juices for a number of years. They also provided a lot of the root stock for other later vineyards m this area. Tucquan produces the raw product and bottles both grape and apple wines, in cluding Chancellor, Foch, Cascade, Seyval Blanc, AIR COMPRESSORS HI Kneading 12th &Spnng Sts Qnn OOQC mm entals Reading, pa 1 9604 0 / Q'ujDuU 940 Cornwall Road Ann >|CRQ K!m N m ALS '"LIMITED Lebanon PA 17042 L, f C'^tDOO /Rentals White Biend, Steuben, Catwaba __and Sweet Cascade. They grow both hybrid and American variety grapes, along with red and yellow Delicious, Winesap, Macintosh and Stayman apples. Grape growing is very labor intensive,” Cindy explains. We pick all our grapes by hand, 2O tons a season. But this is Ihe only tune that we hire extra labor. “We do everything else ourselves. Right now, we’re in the midst of bottling last i * , 'JSu ' v are just two of the things we rent. In fact, we rent all kinds of equipment, from heaters to concrete floor grinders, and saws. So, whenever you need equipment of any kind See Us First. WE’VE GOT WHAT YOU NEED having fun, too. year’s crop to get ready for the coming August harvest.” Tom is a millwright at the Armstrong Floor Plant, a skill that came in quite handy in putting together the piping and tubing for the wine-making operation. Cmdy is also quite active elsewhere, including chairing arrangements for the Lancaster Town Fair in October. In a curious combination, they’re a couple that want to preserve something in both their urban and now rural heritages. In addition to the wine 1 PICK-UP TRUCKS oqo 17111 720 N Prince St, Lancaster, PA 17603 UUU'I/111 East Mam Street QQ Q C A *7O Unlimited Palmyra, PA 17078 OOO'wTl O operation, the couple retails various home-grown fruit, such as nectarines, apricots, apples, peaches, blueberries and even some pumpkins in the fall. The two operations are kept quite separate though in keeping with strict regulations. The wine is sold in an attarctive 'tasting room, while the fruit is sold out in the parking lot. Located just a few miles south of Rawlinsville, Tucquan offers a view of neatly trellised grapes and apple trees from the (Turn to Page C3l)
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