Life in Our Foothills - November 2022

Parker-Binns Vineyard Builds On Tryon’s Grape Legacy

Editor

ON THE COVER

November has arrived, and the holidays are right around the corner. Autumn is a beautiful time of year here in the Foothills, and those of us who live here or are lucky enough to visit the area enjoy the quiet country roads, majestic mountain vistas, and friendly, smiling faces.

One well-known visitor to Tryon that we feature this month is Cliff Berryman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist who is famous for being responsible for the naming of what we know as the “teddy bear.” Berryman also designed the Curb Reporter, a small cartoon that has graced the pages of the Tryon Daily Bulletin since 1945. His history with Tryon is forever intertwined with the history of ‘the World’s Smallest Daily Newspaper,” and we learn about some of his other popular cartoons, as well.

We also visit with Dianne Prewitt and Red Palmer of Guiding Reins, a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of veterans through its Equine Assistance Wellness Program. The relationship one has with a horse is therapeutic, and we learn more about this fascinating program, its origins, and how veterans can take part in its sessions in this month’s issue.

Tryon has a long history of grape-growing. As harvest season is in full swing, we visit with the folks at Parker-Binns Vineyard to hear the story behind their operation, and how the history of viticulture in the Foothills helped inspire them. We also hear from Pebbles, our resident spokespony, as she details some of her stablemates born at the HERD facility.

You’ll find all of this and more in this month’s edition! We hope you enjoy what we’ve put together for you this month, and as I do each month, I encourage readers to reach out and help us share your story. Email me at jeff.allison@tryondailybulletin. com with any thoughts or ideas for upcoming issues. As always, thanks for reading!

On Tryon’s Grape Legacy

(Story on page 28)

Story by Terry Brown Photography by Terry and Cher Brown

Jeff Allison

Parker-Binns Vineyard Builds On Tryon’s Grape Legacy

Jeff Allison Editor

FOOTHILLS life IN OUR STAFF

Life in Our Foothills is published monthly by Tryon Newsmedia LLC. Life in Our Foothills is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Tryon Newsmedia LLC. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Please address all correspondence (including, but not limited to, letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to Manager, Life in Our Foothills, 16. N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782, or email to jeff.allison@ tryondailybulletin.com. Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and Upstate South Carolina, and online at www.tryondailybulletin.com. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year by calling 828-859-9151. To advertise, call 828-859-9151.

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Levin, Writer and Photographer

Mark is retired from a career in education. In addition to the classroom he has had a lifetime of experiences earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director. You can follow his blog about people and places in the foothills at www.FoothillsFaces. com or check out his new podcast he enjoys with a friend of 50 years at www.garyandmark.com.

Linda List, Writer and Photographer

Linda List’s career was spent in the food industry, often surrounded by chocolate and candy. Retirement and the Tryon Daily Bulletin have provided the opportunity for her to share her writing. Growing up in New York on the Canadian border, she lived most of her adult life at the foot of the Rockies in Golden, Colo. And is now enjoying life in Landrum the foot of the Smokies.

Terry Brown, Writer and Photographer

Terry Brown grew up in South Carolina and spent much of his youth hiking, camping and playing music in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Terry and his wife, Cher, are visual storytellers and the creative force behind Keva Creative, an award-winning documen tary film and video production company. For more than two decades they’ve honed their skills in journalism, public relations, corporate communications, marketing and advertising.

Claire Sachse, Writer and Photographer

Once the editor of the Tryon Daily Bulletin, Claire Sachse now manages several freelance side-hustles in the public relations and publishing arena. She’s also working on writing a mystery novel in which an editor solves crimes in a fictional (maybe) mountain railroad town. Raised by a painter and a diplomat, she considers herself immensely lucky to have a home full of weird and wonderful art, and a passport full of stamps.

Storme Smith, Writer and Photographer

Storme Smith is a writer who lives in the Foothills of North Carolina. He is the co-founder and publisher of Buno Books, and has a passion for the arts. He also enjoys writing about the history, sports and unique people and places of our area.

Pebbles, Writer

Pebbles is the “spokespony” for HERD, or Helping Equines Regain Dignity, a local nonprofit that saves equines from dire conditions and in many cases slaughter. She dictates her monthly columns about her adventures, and what a rescue organization does, to Heather Freeman. Pebbles and Heather can be reached through HerdRescue.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Jazz ’22 Story Walk

Of NC Jazz Greats

Nov. 1 – 30 Stearns Park, Columbus Tryonarts.org

Singular Impressions

Dark, Light, Soft, Bright A Pottery Discovery On display thru Dec. 2 Upstairs Artspace Gallery 49 S. Trade St., Tryon UpstairsArtspace.org

Shakespeare & Friends presents

The Crucible

Nov. 3 – 6, 7 p.m. Rogers Park Amphitheater

Saluda Tailgate Market

Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25

4:30 – 6:30 p.m. W. Main St. public parking lot info@polkcountyfarms.org

Dark Corner Classic Car Show

Nov. 5, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Downtown Landrum

4th Annual Tryon Hounds Fall Barn Tour

Nov. 5 (rain date Nov. 12) 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. TryonHounds.com

Tryon Beer Fest ‘22 Nov. 5, 12-6 p.m. Historic Tryon Depot Eventbrite.com

Tryon Fine Arts Center Film Series: Capers & Heists presents

The Thomas Crown Affair Nov. 8, 7 p.m. Tryonarts.org

Thriving on a Riff: Painting in the Jazz Idiom

By Marsha Hammel

Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m. opening reception Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryonarts.org

NOVEMBER 19

Thriving on a Riff: Painting in the Jazz Idiom

By Marsha Hammel

Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m. opening reception Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryonarts.org

NOV. 13

Tryon Fine Arts Center

Jazz Films

2 p.m. Miles Ahead 4 p.m. Round Midnight Tryonarts.org

The Raleigh Ringers

Nov. 13, 2 – 4 p.m. Polk County High School Tryonconcerts.org/concert-series

Tryon Fine Arts Center Jazz Films

Nov. 13

2 p.m. Miles Ahead 4 p.m. Round Midnight Tryonarts.org

Christmas Market & Bazaar

Nov. 19, 10 a.m. Columbus Baptist Church 45 Houston Rd., Columbus

Fall Hiking Series: Walnut Creek Preserve Nov. 19, 2-6 p.m. ConservingCarolina.org

Somewhere in Time Show Opening

Nov. 19, 5-7 p.m.

Tryon Painters & Sculptors 78 N. Trade St., Tryon Show on display thru Dec. 23 Tryonpaintersandsculptors.com

An Elegant Evening of Jazz Cocktails, Canapes, Dinner & Dancing Nov. 19, 7 p.m. Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryonarts.org

Jazz Brunch Nov. 20, 1 p.m. Tryon Fine Arts Center Tryonarts.org

Dance Parties

Nov. 22 @ Saluda Library, 10:30 a.m. Nov. 23 @ Columbus Library, 10:30 a.m. PolkLibrary.org 828-894-8721

Tryon Resort Christmas Market

Nov. 25 - 27, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tryon International Equestrian Center Tryon.com, 828-863-1000

4th Fridays in Tryon

Nov. 25, 5 – 7 p.m. Downtown Tryon on Trade St.

Christmas Tree Lighting Nov. 26, 7 p.m. Downtown Landrum

CLIFFORD BERRYMAN AND THE CURB REPORTER

A Daily Work of Art

By Storme Smith

If you’ve ever picked up the Tryon Daily Bulletin, a staple for citizens in Polk County and Landrum for nearly a century, you’ve probably noticed the black and white sketch of the Curb Reporter. This November marks the 77th anniversary of the Bulletin’s pen and ink column header created by Pulitzer Prize Winner Clifford T. Berryman. Berryman was a well-known cartoonist for the Washington Post.

The Tryon Daily Bulletin was founded by Seth Vining Sr. in 1928. Originally, Vining worked at both the weekly Polk County News and the Tryon Daily Bulletin. In 1955 the Polk County News merged with the Tryon Daily Bulletin at the same time the Bulletin was enlarged to its current 8 1/2” x 11” size. Mr. Vining began the “Curb Reporter” as a column on topics that would interest the community as a whole. It often started with the weather, then delivered single-sentence tidbits from what celebrity was visiting the town to upcoming political addresses or dedicated to a single item of community interest, like when Clifford Berryman visited to give a talk in Sunnydale.

Clifford Berryman’s (1869-1949) interest in Tryon came from his periodic visits with his good friend William E. Knight, a New York patent attorney, who retired to the area. Both Knight and his wife Mary regularly welcomed Berryman as a house guest. Vining and Berryman would develop a friendly relationship, and it is said the Curb Reporter in the drawing looked quite a bit like Vining. William Knight secured the simple picture of a curb reporter,

ABOVE: The first time Berryman’s Curb Reporter was featured in the Tryon Daily Bulletin was Nov. 2, 1945.

LEFT: Cartoonist Clifford Berryman (1869-1949)

a small-town or inexperienced reporter, who is being harassed by a veteran-beat cop. Berryman’s version of the Bulletin’s Curb Reporter drawing first appeared on November 2, 1945, replacing the previous drawing of a small crowd.

Berryman will long be remembered as one of the nation’s foremost political cartoonists and a true legend of the first half of the 20th century. His cartoon of President Theodore Roosevelt was responsible for the naming

of the “Teddy Bear.” The simple cartoon titled “Drawing the Line in Mississippi” relayed the story of Roosevelt choosing not to shoot a captive bear during a bear hunt. The political cartoon would significantly impact the public and be distributed all over the country for the next six years, and inspired toymaker Morris Michtom, who had begun making toy bears to sell in his shop, to name his creation the Teddy Bear.

The appeal of the Teddy Bear was not

lost on Clifford, and he would continue to use the “Berryman Bear” in his cartoons for years, often as a character or alter-ego to convey hard truths in his one-panel comics. His prolific career spanned from 1891 to 1949, first with the Washington Post and then with the Washington Star. Over the years, his cartoons would significantly impact public and popular opinion, most notably his cartoons titled “Remember the Maine,” which became a morale-boosting

The cartoon that inspired the Teddy Bear, “Drawing the Line in the Mississippi.”

cry for American soldiers in the SpanishAmerican War, and “Votes for Women Bandwagon,” which depicted the lack of support from certain male politicians for the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

Berryman’s impact and work would eventually earn him the Pulitzer in 1943 for his cartoon “But Where is the Boat Going?,” which showed President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the government’s indecision over where to deploy the USS Mississippi at the beginning of WW2. His son James T. Berryman would eventually win a Pulitzer in political cartooning, making them the only father and son to win in the same category.

On a visit to Tryon in 1945, Berryman expressed great affection for the town and his reception upon visiting. He extolled the virtues of small-town newspapers like the Tryon Daily Bulletin, stating “the Tryon Daily Bulletin is something of the people for the people; the paper is made richer with each news item, whether it be from the farmer, mill worker, businessman, school child, or famous person. They appreciate talent in anyone regardless of age, color, creed, or financial and social status.”

He added, ”through publications like

This is the original Curb Reporter cartoon that was replaced by Berryman’s in 1945.

A Berryman self-portrait.

the Bulletin, the spirit of democracy can grow and help build communities and nations throughout the world. The way we think and feel about things is important. We can attain happiness only through our state of mind. The friends of the Bulletin make happiness for themselves through the exchange of the news.”

The history of cartooning and satirical drawing goes back to before the written word. Still, the first political cartoon is often credited to Benjamin Franklin and his illustration of a dismembered serpent as a symbol of the State’s lack of unity and to emphasize the importance of the Albany Plan, a failed attempt to unify the colonies in 1754 to deal with the French and the Iroquois Confederacy.

The art form grew in popularity with the ascent of Thomas Nast, sometimes referred to as the father of the American cartoon. Nast’s work would be responsible for bringing the donkey and elephant into a political context, while also helping to take down political corruption with a series of drawings that were hailed by Berryman as “some of the most celebrated specimens of graphic social protest in American history.”

Political cartooning has only risen in popularity over the years. Memes, digital

art, and computers have begun to replace the old-school lead pencil and India ink Berryman used at his drafting table. Still, using images to make political statements continues to be an effective technique

to inform us about the world around us, just as the political cartoons of men such as Nast, Franklin, and the Berrymans will continue to educate and enlighten us on great lessons in history.

Guiding Reins

Improving Lives through an Equine Assistance Wellness Program

''It was during my fourth session that I became an absolute believer in the power of a horse to heal a human heart,” reflects Red Palmer, an Army (and law enforcement) veteran. “One doesn’t know how much weight he’s carrying on his shoulders until it comes off.”

Red said he always felt a need to help other veterans. “But until I met Diane

and her staff, I didn’t think that civilians could help veterans. It didn’t take me long to realize how people like Diane could be caring and how willing they are to put in the hard work and long hours to give veterans the help they need.”

The Diane that Red refers to is Diane C. Prewitt, the founder and executive director of the Guiding Reins program.

After serving as a volunteer with TROT (Therapeutic Riding of Tryon) at FENCE for 13 years, Diane was ready to take on a “mission” that would have equal importance. She knew veterans could benefit through equine-assisted activities and wanted to find a way to use horses to help them work through their own special needs. Diane wanted to create a program that would

Story and photography by Mark Levin

MORE TO KNOW

The Guiding Reins program is held at several area farms including Shady View Farm in Campobello, Winding Creek in Tryon, and the Equestrian Center at Bright’s Creek in Mill Spring. Fox Hideaway Farm in the Columbia area is starting a program with Guiding Reins and a farm in Greer wants to be a Guiding Reins site.

CHECK THE WEBSITE: guidingreins.org for additional information including a contact form.

Diane Prewitt can be reached at 864-457-3575 or by email at: info@ guidingreins.org.

Roasted Reins takes place every Thursday morning from 8 am until 10 am at Rare Earth Botanicals, 118 East Rutherford Street in Landrum. No RVVPs necessary, just show up.

Donations are welcome and can be made on the website, www.guidingreins. org

provide an alternative approach to improving mental, physical, and emotional health.

Diane incorporated the program as a nonprofit in 2018. At first, the programs were just hosting occasional family fun days. And while those were indeed fun, Diane knew she needed to develop her ideas into a consistent weekly handson program. She worked on grants including a

small one from the VA to help her get started. By January 2020 the program was ready to move into full swing. At her first session, there were just two veterans, two horses, a PATH-certified instructor, and herself. But it was the start that she needed to take that first step to bigger and better things.

A program needs volunteers and a location

and horses and money. It was a grassroots movement with Diane reaching out to others and pulling together all the pieces to make the program whole. She found a willing group of believers to help with every aspect of the Guiding Reins program. Finding veterans to be participants was just one more challenge. Early on they recognized that there were others in the

LEFT: Bill Hamilton enjoys his time with the horses. “Working with the horses has given me some different tools to help with my day-to-day tasks.”

ABOVE LEFT: Participants Bill Hamilton and Sherry Bancroft work together to make sure everything is exactly right.

ABOVE RIGHT: Diana Prewitt is the founder and executive director of Guiding Reins.

community, in addition to veterans, who could also benefit from the program. They started to include first responders, members of law enforcement agencies, and other frontline workers including teachers. In fact, several employees from Polk County Schools participated in a special opportunity at Guiding Reins geared to their needs. The Guiding Reins staff works with employers and organizations that see this as an added benefit to their employee’s wellness.

An early participant and a true believer in the program was Justin Powell, a veteran who happens to own a store in downtown Landrum. Justin added a different way to let others know that help is available. Every Thursday morning at 8, Justin opens his shop (Rare Earth Botanicals) for a free coffee gathering called “Roasted Reins.” It’s a chance to chat informally with others who have had similar life experiences. And it’s here that Justin, now president of Guiding Reins, can tell others about his first-hand experiences

working with the horses and with Diane and her staff.

It was over a cup of coffee at one of these Roasted Reins gatherings that Red Palmer was first introduced to the Guiding Reins program. Like Justin, Red became a believer in Diane’s work. He now serves as the program’s Chief Outreach Coordinator. And just like that, one by one through word-of-mouth, through personal invitations, by staffing booths at local events, placement of rack cards, social media, and other means…the program has found its place in the community.

Four veterans were sitting in a circle with two staff members and one volunteer the day I visited. The program starts with the group discussing some of the things they’ve learned in past sessions. They hash out some of the skills and tools they’ve learned that are helping them cope with everyday life. Each participant privately records their thoughts on paper after

the sessions. No one is made to talk about these things, but the small group lends itself to feeling comfortable doing so. Even that is a useful skill to many of the participants. It doesn’t hurt to have a slew of barn animals standing by for extra support. One veteran had his new service dog (in training) by his side.

Here in the twelfth session of a sixteen-session program, it’s obvious the group is feeling good about their progress. They find it uplifting to be able to work with a small team to accomplish goals. Their work with the horses is all on the ground.

Veteran Bill Hamilton says, “Guiding Reins has been helpful in a lot of ways. Working with the horses has given me some different tools to help with my day-to-day tasks. I’m not comfortable being in large groups. This program has given me a voice and that has helped me manage being in groups a lot better. I am now able to communicate better with the public as

Red Palmer (right) enjoys a laugh at a Roasted Reins session with Navy veteran, Troy Bellah. The Roasted Reins/Guiding Reins program has enabled the two to become fast friends and consider themselves brothers. Troy’s service dog-in-training, Oakley, makes up the trio. Check out Red’s heartfelt poem, “Despite It All,” on the Guiding Reins homepage at: https://guidingreins.org/

well as with the horses.”

There is a special bond participants make with the horses they work with. Participants build trust with their horse and with their fellow cohorts to help carry out what might seem like a normal set of barn chores. But the value of learning how to do something new and do it correctly makes a difference. Getting a horse to trust someone new who is trying to put a bit in its mouth is no easy undertaking. It takes patience and skill and a bit of love…all traits the Guiding Reins program helps instill in its participants.

Diane explains how it takes a different set of skills to work with the horses. She gives an example of an activity when the participants had to get the horses through obstacles without touching the horse, without a halter, and without using food as a motivator. Each participant wrote down burdens on stickers and attached them to rocks which were carried around by a team

member in a bucket.

When a group member was able to coax his or her horse through an obstacle, they would take the rock with the burden and leave it at the obstacle. They would then pass the bucket to another team member to carry. The burdens were personal to the participants such as money issues, family issues, memory loss, alcoholism, and more. Diane remembers one participant carrying all the burdens of the others in that bucket and never removing any. She came to the realization that this was reflective of her own life. This participant needed to get rid of some of her burdens instead of carrying them inside of her soul. Her experiences with the horses helped her shed some of the burdens she had been carrying for years. It was a life-changing moment and horses helped her see this. It was one of those many moments that Diane reflects on at the end of the day. She knows her work is working!

In life or death moments EVERY SECOND COUNTS!

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“Having this technology as part of St Luke’s cardiovascular medicine will truly make us a world-class provider for heart health.” – Dr. Evans Kemp, St. Luke’s Cardiology

Consider making a tax-deductable gift today at: FoundationSLH.org/Scanner

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RAISING FUNDS FOR: The GE Revolution APEX CT Scanner

Parker-Binns Vineyard

BUILDS ON TRYON’S GRAPE LEGACY

When you turn your gaze to Tryon Peak and the surrounding mountains that provide the first glimpse of what makes this part of Western North Carolina special, it’s easy to forget these mountains

ABOVE:

BACKGROUND:

are geologically among the oldest in the world. In fact, Tryon Peak, White Oak, Warrior, Melrose and Hogback all once towered more than 10,000 feet high before erosion skimmed their tops and left deposits of mineral-rich soil that created

Story by Terry Brown Photography by Terry and Cher Brown

Parker-Binns Vineyard is a multi-generational family operation including founder Bob Binns (L), grandson Cory Lillberg (R), and, hopefully, one day, great-grandson Hunter.

Parker-Binns Vineyard is 40 acres of vineyards carved out of the rolling hills outside Mill Spring.

the rolling hills and valleys that define the region.

On 40 acres carved out of these rolling hills east of Mill Spring, Bob Binns surveys row after row of freshly harvested grapevines with his grandson and vineyard manager Cory Lillberg. Joining them on the veranda is Cory’s eight-year-old son Hunter who is already well-versed in the various varieties of grapes found in the vineyards and work that produces some of the best wines in the Carolinas. Also joining them is the “queen of the vineyard” Lulu, the beloved vineyard mutt whose presence graces three special varieties of wine popular with patrons at Parker-Binns Vineyard.

To understand how ParkerBinns Vineyard has become a favorite destination for those in the area, you first must step back to 2007, when Ft. Lauderdale tropical tree farmer Bob and his wife and partner, Karen Binns, hatched an idea to spend cooler summers in the mountains of

North Carolina. They made an initial purchase of 10 acres, built a work barn with an apartment on top, devised a plan to grow some vegetables, and heard the Biltmore Estate would purchase grapes for their wines from local growers. To them, it sounded like the perfect scenario.

At a time in their lives when they could start thinking about what retirement might look like in a couple of years, Bob and Karen instead cultivated the hillside, set poles and wiring, and planted row by row of grapevines by hand. They shared their excitement about the supply of grapes they were set to deliver to the famous winery in Asheville.

With Bob and Karen’s vines maturing, the 2008 recession hit, and the Biltmore Winery decided to forego local grapes and instead rely on their own vineyards for production. Bob and Karen made the decision to do something not in their original plan, but one that made sense given they had a vineyard

Winemaker Justin Taylor stirs a new batch of Parker-Binns grapes in preparation for bottling and fermentation.

full of plump, juicy grapes readying for harvest – they’d make their own wine.

“The first batches quickly revealed Karen was the better winemaker between the two of us, so she focused on developing the wines and I set about cultivating the vineyards, growing different varieties, and working on getting more land ready for planting more grapes,” says Bob reminiscing about their foray into viticulture. “We launched Parker-Binns Vineyard in 2010 using a portion of the barn as a tasting room with seating for 12 people. We built the smoker and a brick oven (pointing to the two structures on the patio) and served pizzas on Sundays. It’s a tradition that still continues today.”

On Memorial Day 2019, Parker-Binns opened their current tasting room, up the hill from the old barn which

Parker-Binns Vineyard offers wine tastings, food and music as well as many special events throughout the year.

including one for Lennie’s Kids in Columbus that helps sick and injured animals in Polk County. Last month,

they

that ferment the whites line the walls, while stacks of wooden casks hold the reds. The delicate process and

hand-crafted balance that produces the award-winning wines of Parker-Binns falls on the shoulders of vintner Justin Taylor, who’s been a commercial winemaker for the past 10 years.

“You only get one chance a year to get it right, so there’s no pressure at all,” says the laughing winemaker as he finishes testing levels in the lab before heading into the warehouse to hand mix a fresh batch of grapes that will eventually yield a full-bodied merlot. “The magic moment is when the fermentation process really takes off. When the ferment is tracking, it gets hot and you start to get the good smells and aromas, that’s the point where you’re kinda okay, I can ride the wave now until it’s done.”

Parker-Binns Vineyards currently produces approximately 2,500 cases of wine per year, but with new

vines in the ground, they are on track to produce more than 3,000 next year, says Cory while taking a look at the rich mixture of grapes his winemaker is stirring.

Cory has taken over the reins of daily operations at Parker-Binns after Bob, now in his 80s, decided to take a well-deserved step back from the labor-intensive work of running the vineyard during the pandemic. One of the projects Cory is actively involved in with other area vineyards is establishing the Tryon grape growing region as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA. In total, there are more than 20 local vineyards and five operational wineries in the area. One of the more well-known AVAs in the country is Napa Valley.

Part of the AVA application process is looking at the history, climate, and geology of the area and how

held their 6th annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Thermal Belt Outreach Food Pantry which provides compassionate assistance for

One event that hits close to home for Parker-Binns Vineyard is Trotting for TaTas 5K to benefit The Foundation for St. Luke’s Hospital 3D Mammography project. The event is inspired by Karen, who overcame breast cancer and hosts the annual 5K run and walk event between the

The sweet smell of freshly harvested grapes lingers in the air and throughout the processing warehouse at the vineyard. Large metal vats

LEFT: Loco Lulu is a Parker-Binns Vineyard favorite for patrons at the vineyard.

it contributes to the area’s ability to produce distinctive varieties of grapes. A team of geologists recently paid a visit to the area to review soil samples from the surrounding hills and mountains as well as the climatic features that affect how Tryon’s grapes are grown. Cory says the process has been on-going for about two years, but they hope they are in the final stages of the AVA designation process.

One aspect of the AVA application that Cory found fascinating is learning about the history of viticulture in Tryon.

“Polk County has a long winemaking history dating back to the 1860s,” says Cory. That’s when George Washing ton Biltmore brought Jacques Alexus Lemort to the Bilt more Estate, but viticulture at that time proved unsuccessful in Asheville.

In 1865, Lemort discov

Bob Binns (R), with his wife Karen, have created one of the area’s top vineyards. Grandson Cory Lillberg (L) is carrying on the viticulture tradition of the multi-generational, family-owned winery.

November 10-January 6

Visual Arts Exhibit

Marsha Hammel – Thriving on a Riff: Painting in the Jazz Idiom Exhibit Opening: Nov 10, 6:30   pm

TFAC’s JP Gallery. Free

November 13, 2 & 4 pm

Jazz Films

Miles Ahead-2  pm, Round Midnight-4  pm.

TFAC Veh Main Stage. Ticketed. $8/Film or $15/2 Films

November 20, 1 pm

Jazz Brunch

Live music. TFAC Pavilion. $25/person

ered the more temperate cli mate, better drainage, and circulation of air in Tryon al lowed grapes to thrive. Lem ort remained in Tryon and commercial grape cultivation and winemaking began in ear nest.

“In addition to winemak ing, ‘Tryon Grapes’ were on the famed menu of the Wal dorf Astoria Hotel in New York City in the early 1900s, and they even made their way west to California,” Cory says. “There’s a lot of history that has gone into the AVA application and a lot of work to make the re gion known for cultivating a great variety of grapes and some of the finest wines in the Carolinas.”

He says Parker-Binns Vineyard is proud to carry on the winemaking tradition of Lemort and to be part of reestablishing the region as a viticulture gem.

TFAC Community Outreach Series

Parker-Binns wines are regular winners in wine competitions and a favorite among local residents and visitors to the vineyard.

BORN WITHIN OUR HERD

By Pebbles

Since I stepped up as a celebrity “spokespony” for Helping Equines Regain Dignity (HERD), there have been four remarkable foals safely born with us. Our first surprise was

the buckskin colt, Titan. We had no idea his mother was pregnant when we saved her from slaughter in the winter of 2017. Nadia was paper thin. How she carried Titan full term, in such a weakened

condition, amazed us. What a wonderful surprise to find a big healthy foal one morning standing to nurse his doe-eyed mother.

Elaine Jankins, a Campobello foster mom, took amazing care of

Willow with Buster

Titan and Nadia. She and her husband Larry adopted the colt. Nadia was adopted by another local family in the Tryon area. The Jankins researched Titan’s pedigree, securing his double registration papers as a buckskin foundation quarter horse. This year Titan turned age four. He is taking life in stride under saddle with a bright future ahead. He is the definition of perfection for his breed. To think he was almost never born! How does this happen to so many pregnant mares, which end up in the slaughter pipeline?

We know that Titan’s mother was registered and that she was bred to a top-quality stallion. The owner knowingly sold her pregnant with her papers at an auction. She was shocked to learn that this valuable, trained horse ended up some distance away in Texas, without her papers, starved, and headed to slaughter across the border. This mare was bred to a prizeregistered stud. Once she was separated from her papers, her value dropped to meat pricing.

Willow was the next leggy gift born in HERD. Her mother, Arizona, a Ming and Navajo

striking pinto Welsh pony, was saved with her tiny chestnut pinto foal Sedona at her side. Once again, we had no clue that Arizona was bred back and was pregnant when we purchased her from a kill lot. Sedona and her mother were delivered to our farm in the summer of 2019. Sharing the trailer with them was palomino pony Goldie, with her three-month-old colt, Hercules. HERD saved them from a deplorable situation as well.

Both Sedona and Hercules were only weeks old when they ended up in the worst of places. The two pony mares, with their young nursing foals, were kept here together in a pasture. Hercules and Sedona enjoyed playing under their mothers’ watchful eyes. When these two foals were old enough for weaning, their mothers moved to a new field. This is when we noticed that Arizona was developing a belly bump. A vet check confirmed there was a foal coming next spring.

It was Buster, our former stray farm dog, who alerted us to tiny

Willow’s arrival. He kept watch over Arizona, staying a few feet from her paddock the morning Willow made her grand entrance. With four tall stockings, and a wide blaze complementing her red roan coloring, Willow resembled Sedona. It turns out through investigative research that Arizona had been bred to a Haflinger stallion to produce these two pretty daughters, born 11 months apart, so they indeed were full sisters.

Next came the arrival of the jet-black mare, Navajo. She too was clearly a fancy-bred quarter horse that surely had registration papers somewhere. We saved her at last call. In the kill pen, she had a handsome pinto colt at her side. He was purchased separately, and his mother was frantic as her foal was taken from her side. Navajo arrived to us very slim. She was extremely reserved. When it was verified that she was in foal, we realized we had to get her more accustomed to handling quickly as she was not a fan of humans at this Titan and Nadia

Avenue of The Stars and Mystic

point in her life.

Navajo’s colt, Ming, was born in the same paddock where Willow had entered our world. However, this time Buster steered clear. In fact, when my mistress Heather Freeman and volunteer Bill McClelland went in to remove the afterbirth, Navajo charged with teeth showing, ears pinned and spun to kick at them. She was clearly saying get away from my foal. After losing her first one under such a stressful situation at the kill pen, she was not going to let that happen again.

Stout, and sporting a black silky coat, Ming was born with a perfect number six, swirled in white, on his face. Navajo made it impossible for us to work with him the first six months. We had handled Willow from the moment she was born, but Navajo would not allow us near Ming. She remained so defensive we had to wait until he was old enough to wean to get our hands on him to halter break this aloof colt. However, once separated from his mother, Ming transformed into a friendly young gentleman. Now over a year old, he shows signs that his sire is a thoroughbred or appendix

quarter horse. Ming will grow up to be around 16 hands.

On April 16, 2022, Avenue of The Stars arrived at sunrise, the colt of the fancy paint halter horse, Mystic, who was also saved from slaughter. Buster once again was at his observation post, as accommodating Mystic did not object to his watch. She welcomed Heather and volunteer Kathy Neiman to touch her newborn foal. What a relief to us all!

Avenue, the blazed-faced, bright chestnut colt has loads of spunk and huge, kind eyes. He delights us all with his playful antics. Avenue gallops along the fence line with his neighboring donkey friend and rubs noses with this large jack’s black and white goat companion. His mother watches contently, amused that he has such colorful friends. Avenue is also extremely vocal just like his sweet mother.

The foals birthed here on the farm are all so unique and only know the best of care and compassion. Although we had no idea any of these equines existed when we rescued their mothers, I can affirmatively state we are overjoyed to have them born in our HERD

BITES

START A HOLIDAY TRADITION WITH TENDER STEAKS

Creating traditions is a fes tive focal point for many families throughout the holiday season, and a timeless way to bring your nearest and dearest back year after year is with an exquisite meal.

With a combination of savory, salty and sweet bites, Su mac-Crusted Filet Mignon with Honey-Lemon Glazed Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes provides a little something for everyone. At the center of this seasonal feast is tender, flavor ful cuts of filet mignon, hand-cut by master butchers at Omaha Steaks to make your family’s holiday truly special.

To find more holiday recipe inspiration, visit OmahaSteaks. com/Blog.

Sumac-Crusted Filet Mignon with Honey-Lemon Glazed Carrots and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Recipe by Omaha Steaks Execu tive Chef David Rose

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: about 20 minutes Servings: 4

Garlic Mashed Potatoes: 2 pounds russet potatoes, medium diced, skin on cold water

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1

pinch, plus additional, to taste, divided

1/2 pound unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper, plus additional, to taste, divided

Honey-Lemon Glazed Carrots:

2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon sumac

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

2 pinches kosher salt, plus additional, to taste, divided 1 pinch ground black pepper, plus additional, to taste, divided water

1 pound baby rainbow carrots

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Sumac-Crusted Filet Mignon:

4 Omaha Steaks Private Re serve Filet Mignons (7 ounces each)

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sumac

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

To make garlic mashed pota

toes: Add potatoes to stockpot. Cover with cold water by about 1 inch and add 1 pinch salt. Turn on high heat and bring to boil 12-15 minutes, or until fork ten der. Drain and place potatoes in large mixing bowl. In saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and simmer 5 minutes. Add heavy cream, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper; bring to boil. When mixture boils, reduce to simmer 3 min utes then remove from heat. Mash hot potatoes until most lumps are gone. Using hand mixer on low speed, slowly add butter and cream mixture until desired smoothness and taste. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste.

To make honey-lemon glazed carrots: In small bowl, whisk honey, lemon juice, sumac, lemon zest, 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch pepper.

Preheat oven to 425 F. Fill stockpot 2/3 full with water. Bring to boil and add 1 pinch salt. Blanch carrots in boiling water 5 minutes. Drain and shock with cold water. When cool enough to handle, halve carrots lengthwise. In large saute pan over me dium-high heat, add oil and butter.

Add carrots to pan, flat sides down, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sear until browned, about 2 minutes.

Flip carrots and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add half of glaze to pan and glaze gen erously. Bake 3 minutes. Add remaining glaze to carrots and bake 2 minutes. Remove glazed carrots from oven.

To make sumac-crusted filet mignon: Thaw filet mignons in refrigerator overnight, pat dry with paper towels then bring to room temperature 30 minutes. In small bowl, whisk kosher salt, sumac, black pepper and dried thyme. Season steaks on all sides.

In cast-iron pan over high heat, add grapeseed oil. Place filets in pan and cook 4 minutes until browned and seared. Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan.

Flip filets and butter baste about 20 seconds. Cook filets 3 minutes for medium-rare. Remove filets from pan and top each with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Rest steaks 7-8 minutes.

Place garlic mashed potatoes on plate and top with su mac-crusted filet mignon. Place honey-lemon glazed carrots next to filet mignon and mashed potatoes.

AN EASY APPETIZER TO ADD HOLIDAY CHEER

Before the big meal, gifts and cherished moments at the family table, almost every holiday party starts with an important tradition: breaking the ice. This year, you can serve up a smile and start the party with this crave-inducing appetiz er to get everyone talking.

The sweet touch of Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini from Milk Means More can be your delightful way to brighten the season of gifts and gatherings. With its creamy cheesiness from a homemade whipped topping boasting the rich ness of feta and whole milk, it’s an easy and tasty way to invite friends, family and neighbors into your home. This shareable treat comes together in a cinch while adding pops of cheer ful color to plates and platters.

Find more holiday recipe inspiration at MilkMeansMore.org.

Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta Crostini

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Servings: 16

INGREDIENTS

1 bulb garlic (about 12 cloves)

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for drizzling, divided

1 1/2teaspoons salt, divided

1 1/2teaspoons pepper divided

32 baguette slices

8 ounces feta cheese

1/2 cup whole milk, plus additional, if necessary (optional)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 400 F. Slice garlic bulb in half, exposing garlic heads, and place in center of large piece of tinfoil. Drizzle each half with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Wrap foil tightly around garlic and roast until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Place baguette slices on large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake on second rack in oven until golden brown about 10 minutes; set aside.

In high-speed food processor, pulse feta cheese, milk, lemon juice, remaining salt, remaining pepper and roasted garlic cloves until whipped and creamy, adding more milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Check for season ing and adjust, to taste.

To serve, spread each baguette slice with whipped feta and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and minced parsley.

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