Family affair
Mannings
have created
oasis at Stream Cliff Herb Farm
Popular
garden center opened
March 31 for 2010 season
Lela
Jane Bradshaw
Contributing Writer
COMMISKEY, Ind. (April 2010) – Stream Cliff
Herb Farm is a place where tradition and new growth join hand in hand.
As Betty Manning works to prepare the greenhouses and tea room for the
spring opening, she is surrounded with happy reminders that six generations
of her family have welcomed spring on the farm.
 |
|
Photo
provided For
more than 30 years, the |
From the gardens laid out in quilt patterns in honor of
Manning’s grandmother to the new wine label featuring a smiling
pink pig drawn by her young granddaughter, the farm is a living scrapbook
of happy memories. “We’re very family oriented – everyone
here is pretty much friends and family,” Manning said.
For more than 30 years, the Commiskey, Ind., farm has welcomed guests
to make their own memories at the historic farm. Stream Cliff Herb Farm
opened March 31 for the 2010 season. Customer Appreciation Days, featuring
10 percent off plants, runs March 31 - April 3 and again April 7-11.
Visitors find the farm to be an excellent source for culinary herbs,
perennial and annual flowers, as well as heirloom vegetables and roses.
However, the farm supplies more than just the raw materials needed for
a successful garden. Guests can also discover ways to successfully tend
their plants and directions how to bring their gardens into their kitchens.
Throughout the year, Stream Cliff Farm holds a variety of craft, cooking,
and gardening events, certain to provide inspirational ideas.
“There’s pretty much something going on every weekend,”
said Manning.
One Stream Cliff event that has become a regular tradition with many
families is the annual Mother’s Day lunch. “Mother’s
Day is always a huge sell out,” says Manning. Families gather to
enjoy a lovely spring meal together. The event has grown so popular
that reservations are required.
The successful cooking school classes return this year with two new
sessions. After Manning was questioned about what her secret was to
her perfect homemade noodles and pie crusts, “Grandma’s Comfort
Recipes” was born. Manning had the benefit of learning from a mother
and grandmother who were “really good cooks” and now looks
to share some of her favorite old-fashioned techniques and recipes.
Visitors can also enjoy the new “Favorite Recipes From the Tearoom”
course. These cooking classes are unique in that students first sit
down to enjoy a meal before moving on the kitchen to learn how to create
the wonderful dishes they just ate.
This year also marks an exciting fourth season for the farm’s winery.
A new Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and a semi-sweet blackberry wine will
be available. Manning is particularly pleased with the release of Stream
Cliff’s Grandpa’s Blackberry, saying, “I’ve wanted
a blackberry wine for a long time.”
Manning and her husband, Gerald, take special care in developing the
names and labels for the winery’s offerings. Many of the wines
bear horse-themed names, inspired by the fact that the winery once served
as a blacksmith’s shop.
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised with the winery,” said
Manning. “We were very interested in history, we like really good
food, and we are passionate about art. Wine became the fourth leg on
the stool – it fit in with our other interests.”
The farm holds an important place not only in the history of Manning’s
family, but in Indiana history as well. In 1863, notorious Gen. John
Hunt Morgan and his Raiders raided the farm during the Civil War. Manning
presents a variety of guided group walks and lectures on the farm, and
she reports that the Civil War talk is one of the most popular.
Morgan’s influence is also reflected in the name of one of the
favorite farm wines – Stream Cliff’s Kentucky Stud, named
in honor of Morgan’s famous stallion.
The farm’s dedication to history and tradition have made it a favorite
destination for visitors who return year after year. So for guests looking
to grow their own gardens or their own special memories, Stream Cliff
Herb Farm offers a lovely escape.
• For more information, visit: www.StreamCliffFarm.com.