Alfalfa Farm owner Richard Adelman stands in front of the facility’s signature grain silos, where the winery is located. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
When Richard Adelman purchased the Alfalfa Farm in Topsfield 34 years ago, he never imagined that he would someday be making wine. After years of raising beef cattle and experimenting with various crops, Adelman planted his first grape vines in 1995 at the urging of his brother, himself an amateur winemaker.
Adelman’s family, including son Eli, shown here, chips in to help with the everyday chores of running the winery. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
Today the Alfalfa Farm Winery produces several varieties of both grape and fruit wines, including Marechal Foch, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Grigio, blueberry and cranberry, purchasing what they do not grow themselves from other local farms. Because of their handcrafted quality, many of Alfalfa’s wines are often in great demand, the cranberry in particular selling out altogether around the holidays. The winery is also a popular spot for weddings and parties, Adelman having converted a dairy barn into an attractive indoor/outdoor function space.
Essential to Alfalfa Farm’s success is both its volunteer labor force and the perennial efforts of Adelman’s large family. His children oversee many of the necessary details of the business, including function rentals, finances and retail sales. More than a few loyal customers and local agriculture advocates also volunteer to help bring in the harvest, for which the window of time is critical and never quite predictable. “The help we get makes it all possible,” Adelman says. “We could never afford to pay wages for the number of farm workers we’d need. And people really enjoy helping out. It gives them a sense of ownership in the finished product.”
As a way to show appreciation for his volunteers, Adelman hosts an invitation-only New Wine Release Party each September, allowing the volunteers to be the first people to taste and have the opportunity to purchase the year’s new varieties.
Alfalfa Farm Winery boasts a wide selection of wines that enjoy huge popularity. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
But Adelman’s interests extend far beyond his own business. A teacher at North Shore Community College for the past 10 years and at the Essex Agricultural and Technical School for the prior 27, he is a vocal supporter of the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture’s “Buy Local” programs. As a founding member of the Massachusetts Farm-Winery and Growers Association, Adelman also works to help other Massachusetts farms stay financially solvent by developing their own wineries. Since 1995, Adelman has seen the number of farm wineries in the state grow from just 13 to over 30, something he views as a great success.
“When you support local agriculture through your purchases and actions, you’re not only helping the farmer,” Adelman says. “You’re also supporting the preservation of open space, creating local jobs, and helping the environment by cutting back on the fossil fuels used to transport farm products.”
Though its output is smaller than some local wineries at just over 600 cases annually, Alfalfa Farm hosts a number of events and festivals throughout the year. These include a Summer Celebration in August, a Holiday Fair in December and an October Fall Harvest Festival which provides guests the opportunity to crush grapes with their feet in an old-fashioned wine press.
Located beneath Alfalfa Farm’s signature grain silos, the winery is open to the public for sales and tastings every Saturday and Sunday from 1–5 p.m. Alfalfa Farm wines are also available for purchase at Gil’s Grocery in Topsfield, the Danvers Butchery in Danvers and via its Community Supported Agriculture program. The winery’s function facilities are available for rental throughout the year.
The Alfalfa Farm Winery is located at 267 Rowley Bridge Road in Topsfield. For more information on its wines, function rentals, CSA program, or volunteering on the farm, visit their Web site at www.alfalfafarmwinery.com or call (978) 774-0014.
Wine Notes – Alfalfa Farm Winery – March / April 2009
Alfalfa Farm owner Richard Adelman stands in front of the facility’s signature grain silos, where the winery is located. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
When Richard Adelman purchased the Alfalfa Farm in Topsfield 34 years ago, he never imagined that he would someday be making wine. After years of raising beef cattle and experimenting with various crops, Adelman planted his first grape vines in 1995 at the urging of his brother, himself an amateur winemaker.
Adelman’s family, including son Eli, shown here, chips in to help with the everyday chores of running the winery. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
Today the Alfalfa Farm Winery produces several varieties of both grape and fruit wines, including Marechal Foch, Seyval Blanc, Pinot Grigio, blueberry and cranberry, purchasing what they do not grow themselves from other local farms. Because of their handcrafted quality, many of Alfalfa’s wines are often in great demand, the cranberry in particular selling out altogether around the holidays. The winery is also a popular spot for weddings and parties, Adelman having converted a dairy barn into an attractive indoor/outdoor function space.
Essential to Alfalfa Farm’s success is both its volunteer labor force and the perennial efforts of Adelman’s large family. His children oversee many of the necessary details of the business, including function rentals, finances and retail sales. More than a few loyal customers and local agriculture advocates also volunteer to help bring in the harvest, for which the window of time is critical and never quite predictable. “The help we get makes it all possible,” Adelman says. “We could never afford to pay wages for the number of farm workers we’d need. And people really enjoy helping out. It gives them a sense of ownership in the finished product.”
As a way to show appreciation for his volunteers, Adelman hosts an invitation-only New Wine Release Party each September, allowing the volunteers to be the first people to taste and have the opportunity to purchase the year’s new varieties.
Alfalfa Farm Winery boasts a wide selection of wines that enjoy huge popularity. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
But Adelman’s interests extend far beyond his own business. A teacher at North Shore Community College for the past 10 years and at the Essex Agricultural and Technical School for the prior 27, he is a vocal supporter of the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture’s “Buy Local” programs. As a founding member of the Massachusetts Farm-Winery and Growers Association, Adelman also works to help other Massachusetts farms stay financially solvent by developing their own wineries. Since 1995, Adelman has seen the number of farm wineries in the state grow from just 13 to over 30, something he views as a great success.
“When you support local agriculture through your purchases and actions, you’re not only helping the farmer,” Adelman says. “You’re also supporting the preservation of open space, creating local jobs, and helping the environment by cutting back on the fossil fuels used to transport farm products.”
Though its output is smaller than some local wineries at just over 600 cases annually, Alfalfa Farm hosts a number of events and festivals throughout the year. These include a Summer Celebration in August, a Holiday Fair in December and an October Fall Harvest Festival which provides guests the opportunity to crush grapes with their feet in an old-fashioned wine press.
Located beneath Alfalfa Farm’s signature grain silos, the winery is open to the public for sales and tastings every Saturday and Sunday from 1–5 p.m. Alfalfa Farm wines are also available for purchase at Gil’s Grocery in Topsfield, the Danvers Butchery in Danvers and via its Community Supported Agriculture program. The winery’s function facilities are available for rental throughout the year.
The Alfalfa Farm Winery is located at 267 Rowley Bridge Road in Topsfield. For more information on its wines, function rentals, CSA program, or volunteering on the farm, visit their Web site at www.alfalfafarmwinery.com or call (978) 774-0014.