Iron Gate Winery

Hours: Year Round

When we bought our farm a few years ago it had been abandoned for almost 10 years. A local farmer leased a couple of fields to grow tobacco. The property owner lived in Connecticut and rarely came to the farm. The homeplace known as the "Rock House" has always been a landmark in the community. It was always a sad feeling to see it falling into disrepair. I can honestly say it was my dream to live on this farm.

I remember this farm as it looked in 1972 as I traveled by it every day on my way to work. In the summer I often saw the owners, Tom and Lucy Lynch sitting in the shade of the huge oak trees in the front yard.

When Gene and I began the process of restoring this farm in 1997 our main goal was to make it a working farm. We had an enormous task awaiting us. The waterways were grown up in trees and brush, the sandy topsoil of the tobacco fields had washed down the hill. The pond was filled with sediment from erosion. The house, barn, and other farm buildings were in a sorry state. We hauled truckloads of trash and debris to the landfill. We tore down dilapidated fences and built new high tensile fencing around the pastures. We cleaned and repaired the barn, sheds and shops. We cut down overgrown shrubbery around the house and mowed the yard. The impact on the property was immediate because it was evident that someone cared for it. It also made a difference in the community because neighbors came over to meet us and to let us know how much it meant to them to see this farm revived.