Thursday, February 16, 2012

Getting Started

Welcome to our family’s farm!

I’m Elizabeth Manning my brother, Greg, and I are the fifth generation to live and work at Stream Cliff Farm, Tearoom & Winery. Along with our parents, Gerald and Betty, we run a unique agri-tourism business in southern Indiana.

We propagate thousands of herbs, perennials and unusual annuals in our greenhouses. On our farm we invite visitors to enjoy our display gardens which are designed in the shape of old-fashioned quilt patterns. Greg is a horticulturist and has an extensive knowledge of plants. He is always willing to help customers in the garden center. He and his wife, Lauren, and their two daughters live on a section of our farm that was originally deeded to our ancestors from the government in the 1830’s.

My mother, Betty, is the heart and soul of Stream Cliff Farm. The land was handed down from her family. Mom’s love for the farm keeps her striving to improve it daily and reminds us and our children of how blessed we are to live here. As well as being very knowledgeable of horticulture, she is also a primitive artist, lecturer and author. Her beautiful book, Secrets of the Garden Path with Recipes, is full of images of our beloved farm. She also included several tips on gardening and many delicious family recipes. Mom has become quite the celebrity at Stream Cliff. She is easy to recognize in one of her signature garden hats!

Mom, Greg and I teach many classes on gardening, handcrafts and cooking with herbs and wine. We also have three gift shops filled with garden related items, books, soaps, jewelry, handmade crafts and paintings.

Greg and I laugh; if Mom is the heart and soul of Stream Cliff then Dad is the backbone. He has built most of the gardens, water features and buildings on the farm. He is also the head winemaker for our family’s winery where he and Greg make about twenty varieties of wines. The winery, with tasting room, is housed in Dad’s old blacksmith shop. It has been beautifully renovated to create a comfortable and charming atmosphere. Our wines are delicious and range from bold, dry reds to soft, sweet fruit wines, so we are able to suit most everyone’s palette. Enjoying a glass of wine by the fireplace on a cold, wintery day or while swinging on the porch during the summer, is a wonderful way to spend the afternoon at Stream Cliff Farm.

Another popular aspect of our farm is Twigs & Sprigs Tearoom. I manage the tearoom and can usually be found welcoming our guests on the front porch. The tearoom serves homemade meals using fresh herbs and our family farm wines. We strive for a beautiful presentation and add fresh herbs or edible flowers to each plate. Our most popular items are: Dill & Rosemary Chicken Salad, Birdseed Pasta Salad, Blueberry-Walnut Salad, Cheese Soup in a Bread Boule, Hummingbird Cake and Blackberry Cobbler. When I’m not working at the farm I stay busy with my four kids, six horses, three dogs and two cats in our log cabin a few miles from the farm.

I’m so glad you visited our family’s blog. Visit us at www.streamclifffarm.com to receive new postings in your email. I will be giving out gardening tips, recipes and special discounts for Stream Cliff Farm Tearoom & Winery. Additionally I will share stories about our lives working on our 460 acre family farm. Thank you for joining us.

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