by Andrew Coppolino | July 2024
Vidal Blanc, Marquette, Petite Pearl, Frontenac Gris: Gems? European fashion? Exotic flowers you might find at your local garden centre?
Nope.
These are some of the grape varietals – two reds and three whites – growing on the border of Waterloo Region near New Hamburg at The Perth Farmhouse. The endeavour is part of a dream-come-true for Casey and Steve Howanyk and their family.
In 2018, the pair decided to uproot their established city life and set down new rural routes by stepping into a once-in-a-lifetime farming journey. In order for city to meet country, the stars aligned and allowed the couple to purchase an historic farm property and restore an old barn – one that dates to the 1880s. It had previously been an inn and an agriculture operation tending to, at various times in its history, sheep, rabbits and hay.
The dream is now reality for the Howanyk’s as first-generation farmers. Now 5 years into the project, they’ve added a winery and solicited the expertise of consulting winemaker Steve Byfield, who was born and raised in Kitchener and is now the owner-operator of a virtual winery in Niagara.
Currently, Perth Farmhouse has five acres of what are known as “cold-climate grapes” growing in their vineyard for what will be their small-batch wines, created by Byfield, when harvested. The vines were planted in 2022, with a first harvest expected this fall.
“This is a unique venture that says, yes, let’s do something different,” Byfield notes of the Perth Farmhouse winery project which will evolve over the next few years as the vines mature. “When these vines yield their fruit, we hope to taste the unique character and identity of the terroir and the growing environment here, and the fruit’s identifiable traits in the wine.”
At this stage, the yield is expected to be roughly one ton of grapes per acre that will produce Perth Farmhouse wine. (The wines currently available on the farm have been made from the same grapes they are growing on-site but purchased from Huron County and Niagara Region fruit growers.)
“We have also just made a new product – a peach-white wine spritzer,” says Casey Howanyk. “It’s something new and exciting that people can try when they visit the farm. So now, we offer a red, a white, a rosé and a sparkling rosé as well as the spritzer.”
The winery is set against the backdrop of two unique farm offerings at The Perth Farmhouse. Casey and Steve have created a Sip and Graze experience where you can enjoy a 90-minute immersive package that blends authentic farm hospitality with the beauty of the natural countryside that surrounds it. There’s a pond, the vineyard and lovely old trees around you as you enjoy a self-guided sip and sample of their wines or ciders (also made by Byfield), and nibble locally made foods from curated grazing boxes. Seventy-five minutes of grazing and sipping then moves on to an exhilarating 15 minute-finale that includes some serious one-on-one caprine cuddling with the farm’s mini goats.
“The goats are just adorable,” says Casey Howanyk. “And they make for a wonderful family experience.” The Perth Farmhouse’s Goat Social features their Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy goats, an hour-long private tour of their barn and time to meet and interact with the animals. You can even join them in pasture for a bit of a walk and some “goat frolic,” along with instagram-worthy photos, of course. There’s a pond-side picnic to finish the fun that includes baked goods and other refreshments too.
The Perth Farmhouse experiences are certainly unique within Waterloo Region. “I don’t know anywhere else you could drink wine alongside goats,” muses Howanyk.
When you speak with Casey, there is a sense that the experiences at The Perth Farmhouse are designed to share some of the same ideals that lead the family to the countryside to fulfill their dream and desire for equanimity and finding solace – qualities they want their guests to experience.
“We really want guests here to leave with a new sense of calmness and to feel happy they have taken in this one-of-a-kind experience,” she says. “And it’s a chance to support a community of local and small family-run farms.”
Visit the Perth Farmhouse website for more details on their offerings. If you want the full “sip and graze” experience – the wine, the food, the goats – book a spot through the website, but Howanyk adds that walk-ins are welcome for tastings and for a sip.
Please note: Cell coverage isn’t optimal in the area, so the Howanyk’s request consulting their website for information and then communicating via email, if necessary. “Our social media is very informative and up to date as well as our website,” says Casey.
*****
Writer Andrew Coppolino was the food columnist for CBC-KW Radio (2013-2024) and Metroland newspapers. The author of Farm to Table (Swan Parade Press) and co-author of Cooking with Shakespeare (Greenwood Press), he was the 2022 Joseph Hoare Gastronomic Writer-in-Residence at the Stratford Chefs School. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @andrewcoppolino.