July-August 2016 - Kentucky Farms are Fun

Agritourism Kentucky
KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Ryan F. Quarles, Commissioner
Division of Agritourism ∙ Amelia Brown Wilson, Director
A KENTUCKY AGRITOURISM INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER
July/August 2016
Wet-dry-moist votes
Precinct-level election best window for wineries
By Jim Trammel
You’ve read in past issues how wineries
all over Kentucky are starting, taking
part in, and for the most part winning
“wet” and “moist” votes in their areas,
and you’re likely wondering how you
can get the ball rolling in yours.
Agritourism Kentucky spoke to
Stephen B. Humphress, general
counsel for the Kentucky Department
of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
only a specific type of industry or business.
It replaced the up-or-down, wet-or-dry,
across-the-board elections that were once
held on only the county level.
A moist small farm winery election is a
precinct-only election. Elections on the precinct
level are more cost- and campaign-manageable
than city or county elections, and are less likely
to earn the opposition that an across-the-board
“wet” election might engender, without
issues
arising such as package stores or liquor in
Stephen B. Humphress
supermarkets.
Humphress advises small farm wineries in
Kentucky that the easiest way to get permission for
your tasting room to sell wine by the bottle or glass is
to petition for a “moist” small-farm winery election.
Under “moist” status in Kentucky, only limited
sales of certain alcohol products are allowed. The
“moist” election was created in 2000 as a Kentucky
innovation in which voters approve alcohol sales for
Door-knocking campaigns among your
friends and customers might be enough to swing a
majority of votes in your precinct, where there may be
only a few hundred voters.
If successful, a moist small-farm winery election
allows you to sell by the drink, sell by the package, and
provide free samples at your small-farm winery even if
(see WET-DRY-MOIST LAW, page 2)
Liquor status voting news
23 of 29 “wet” campaigns victorious
State alcohol regulators can’t keep up with a
mapping of Kentucky’s current jumble of legally
dry, wet and partially wet cities and counties, wrote
reporter Bill Estep in the Lexington Herald-Leader.
In late June, voters approved legal alcohol sales
in long-dry Cumberland and Metcalfe counties,
while Williamsburg and Mayfield residents voted for
expanded sales.
Twenty-three cities or counties have approved
new or expanded alcohol sales since January 2014.
Voters turned them down in six cases.
In the years since the restaurant-alcohol law
was passed, state lawmakers have lowered the
minimum number of seats needed for a restaurant
to qualify for sales, and added more places, such as
qualified historic sites, where voters can approve
sales.
In another change this year, legislators dropped
the requirement for a city to have a minimum
population of 3,000 in order to hold a wet-dry vote.
Bill Estep’s complete article: kentucky.com/news/state/
article87501707.html#storylink=cp
Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Ryan F. Quarles, Commissioner • Amelia Brown Wilson, Director, Division of Agritourism • (502) 7 82- 4136 • amelia.wilson @ ky.gov
WET-DRY-MOIST LAW
... from page 1
the rest of your county is dry. Statutes limit elections
in the same territory to once every three years. But
Humphress said law is unclear whether a county/city
wet election would prohibit a moist precinct small-farm
winery election for that long.
KRS 243.030 sets the possible election dates,
preventing the special election from being held on the
same day of primary-election or general-election balloting.
KRS 242.020 sets out the petition requirements and
gives you six months to collect the valid signatures of 25
percent of the voters in the last general election.
KRS 242.124 (reprinted here, in unofficial version)
adds rules for small-farm winery limited moist elections,
and states the required language of your petition.
242.124 Limited sale precinct election for sale
of wine at an existing or proposed small
farm winery located in a dry territory.
(1) If a licensed small farm winery is located in a dry or
moist territory, the small farm winery shall remain
dry or moist unless sales at the small farm winery
are approved through a local option election held in
accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) A limited sale precinct election may be held in a
precinct containing a licensed small farm winery or a
proposed small farm winery located in a dry territory.
The election shall be held in the same manner as
prescribed by KRS 242.020 to 242.120.
(3) A petition seeking a local option election under this
section shall state “We the undersigned registered
voters hereby petition for an election on the following
question: ‘Are you in favor of the sale of wine at the
[name of the licensed or proposed small farm winery
or wineries]?’”.
(4) If the precinct contains a licensed small farm winery
or a proposed small farm winery, the proposition to
be voted on in the limited local option election shall
state, “Are you in favor of the sale of wine at the
[name of the licensed or proposed small farm winery
or wineries]?”.
Wet election laws changed
As of July 15, 2016, a law change will allow a full
“wet” election to be held for any incorporated city area
of any size population, even the smallest — voiding
the former 3,000 population minimum. The change
allows a city of any size to hold a wet election separate
from its county.
Recent wet-dry updates
Robertson Co. sets Aug. 30 vote
An upcoming wet/dry vote will be held Aug. 30 in
the state’s smallest county.
The Robertson County Fiscal Court set that date
for a wet/dry alcohol sales vote after a petition for a
wet/dry vote was filed, according to a report from
journalist Wendy Mitchell in The Ledger-Independent.
According to the report, Robertson County has
been dry for decades and the last attempted change the
prohibition took place nearly 30 years ago. If this vote
fails, another cannot be held for three more years.
If voters approve beer and alcohol sales, state
licensing authorities would begin to accept applications
for businesses in no less than 60 days, officials said.
The county of fewer than 2,500 population would
perhaps qualify for only one liquor license.
Whitesville votes to allow alcohol sales
Voters in Whitesville, a small town in southeastern
Daviess County, approved the sale of alcoholic
beverages June 28 by a vote of 114 to 56, reported the
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.
Four years ago, the last wet/dry election was
decided by five votes, reported radio station WFIE.
Daviess County is wet, so the number of liquor
licenses available would be based on the county’s
population, the WFIE report said. Under those
calculations, 10 licenses would be available for bars and
16 for stores, the report continued.
Beaver Dam wet; surrounding county goes dry
Beaver Dam in Ohio County voted 562-435 in
favor of going wet last February.
Mayor Paul Sandefur told WBKO radio station
that because many sources of alcohol are within 15
to 30 miles, Beaver Dam has to cope with alcohol’s
effects without benefiting from the outward-migrating
revenue.
The mayor said Beaver Dam was losing up to
$300,000 a year in tax revenue from alcohol sales,
(see WET-DRY VOTES, page 7)
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Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016
Somerset craft brewery
plans midsummer opening
By Chris Harris
The Commonwealth Journal, Somerset
(Used by permission)
A craft brewery in Somerset plans to open
this summer. Jarfly Brewing Co. owners
Daniel Stroud and Delaney Stephens have
installed large tanks at their 103 West Mount
Vernon Street location, the former home of
the venerable Goldenberg Furniture store on
Somerset’s fountain square.
The brewery will open with three planned
craft beers: a dry-hopped session IPA, a coffee
stout infused with locally roasted coffee, and a
pre-Prohibition style Kentucky Common ale.
Seasonal and experimental brews also
Daniel Stroud (left) and Delaney Stephens. (Photo supplied)
will eventually be offered in “crowlers” —
Stroud began brewing beer in 2005 as a pastime.
32-ounce recyclable aluminum cans for home use. The
Upon
meeting Stephens, the two discovered a common
crowlers will also be sold at Mile Wide Beer Co. in
and deep appreciation for beer that started a conversation
Louisville, when that location opens.
about opening a craft brewery. They began brewing
together in 2014 and researching the craft beer market.
Appreciation becomes business
“This is an area that has shown the need and capacity
Stroud and Stephens have worked since fall 2015 to
to
take
in a business like Jarfly,” Stroud said. “Our town
remodel the former Goldenberg Furniture building, said a
is supporting its own. There’s a major trend here in
profile in The Lane Report Bluegrass business magazine.
supporting local items and independent commerce, which
goes along well with our business model.”
JARFLY BREWING COMPANY
103 W. Mount Vernon St., Somerset
facebook.com/jarflybrewing
Anticipated opening: mid-summer 2016
“Jarfly” is a common Appalachian name for
the cicada. “A creature that spends up to
17 years underground
before emerging,
sprouting wings and
joining in flight and
song with thousands
of companions —
it’s a magical thing,
and it parallels the
transformation
our building has
experienced over the
past century. Jarfly is our way of putting
wings on the historical Goldenberg’s space,”
Stroud said.
Through preserved storefront windows, passers-by will
watch the brewing process. A garage door has been installed
in the other storefront window so that when lifted, patrons
sitting at tables experience outdoor seating , hearing and
seeing the fountain at the square and taking in downtown
Somerset’s charm while enjoying their beers.
“It’s interesting, because we have several different
classifications,” Stroud told the Commonwealth Journal
last December. “There are a lot of microbreweries out
there, and you also have brew pubs, a combo restaurant
and brewery. We have to go through the federal
permitting process, and because we’re such a small
operation, we’re technically classified as a brew pub,
but we’ll be a microbrewery. We’ll be brewing on the
premises, so when you walk into the business, the first
thing you’ll see is an actual brewery, with the tanks,
fermenters, kettles, and serving vessels. People will be able
to drink our beer in the same place it’s produced.”
Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016 •
3
USDA microloans help purchase farmland, improve property
Producers, including beginning
and underserved farmers, now have
a new option to gain access to land.
need to establish their farms or improve their property.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers
farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing
avenue for farmers to buy and improve property.
Microloans have helped farmers and ranchers with
operating costs, such as feed, fertilizer, tools, fencing,
equipment, and living expenses since 2013.
Marketing and distribution costs, including those
associated with selling through farmers’ markets, are
among the permissible uses of Microloan proceeds.
These microloans can be especially helpful to
beginning or underserved farmers, U.S. veterans
looking for a career in farming, and those who have
small- and mid-sized farming operations.
USDA helps improve property
“Many producers, especially new and underserved
farmers, tell us that access to land is one of the biggest
challenges they face in establishing and growing their
own farming operation,” said ISDA Deputy Secretary
Krysta Harden.
“USDA is making it easier for new farmers to hit
the ground running and get access to the land that they
Use a microloan for ...
Direct Farm Ownership Microloans
• Make a down payment on a farm
• Build, Repair, or Improve farm buildings,
service buildings, farm dwelling
• Soil and Water Conservation Projects
• May be used as a Downpayment Farm
Ownership Loan
• May be used in Joint Financing
Direct Farm Operating Microloans
• Essential tools
• Fencing and trellising
• Hoop houses
• Bees and bee equipment
4 •
Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016
The microloan program, now in its third year, has
provided more than 16,800 low-interest loans, totaling
over $373 million, to producers across the country.
Seventy percent of loans have gone to new farmers.
Application process simplified
Now, microloans will be available to also help
with farm land and building purchases, and soil and
water conservation improvements. FSA designed the
expanded program to simplify the application process,
expand eligibility requirements and expedite smaller
real estate loans to help farmers strengthen their
operations.
Microloans provide up to $50,000 to qualified
producers, and can be issued to the applicant directly
from the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).
More: www.fsa.usda.gov/microloans, or contact your local FSA office.
Find your local office at http://offices.usda.gov.
-- USDA press release
• Milking and pasteurization equipment
• Maple sugar shack and processing
equipment
• Livestock, seed, fertilizer, utilities, land
rents, family living expenses, and other
materials essential to the operation
• Irrigation
• GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), GHP
(Good Handling Practices), and Organic
certification costs
• Marketing and distribution costs,
including those associated with selling
through Farmers’ Markets and Community
Supported Agriculture operations
• Pay for qualifying OSHA compliance
standards (federal or state)
Music and wine flow every
summer weekend at Talon
Winery’s Lexington and
Shelbyville locations. The
Talon locations are holding
musical events every
weekend during the summer.
The calendar of events is at
talonwine.com/events.php.
(Talon photos)
Kentucky Proud distillery
marks one-year anniversary
LOUISVILLE (The Courier-Journal) — Kentucky
Peerless Distilling Company, 120 N. 10th St.
in Louisville, celebratd its one-year-in-operation
anniversary with a day-long event.
Marketing director Lisa Yennes said the company
operators are running smoothly and even expanding,
to the point the distillery is ready to amp up tours and
events.
Peerless is a Kentucky Proud family business that
dates to pre-Prohibition times; Corky Taylor and son
Carson Taylor revived the name in their downtown
distillery, where they produce craft spirits from grain to
bottle under one roof.
courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurant/2016/05/23/
peerless-distilling-celebrates-1-year/84800544/
Nicholasville winery certified as
nation’s first commercial vineyard
NICHOLASVILLE — First Vineyard & Winery
in Jessamine County has been certified by the U.S.
Department of the Interior as the first commercial
vineyard and winery in the U.S.
Incorporated 216 years ago, the impressive
certification places the winery on the National Register
of Historic Places, signifying its importance to U.S.
history.
The achievement of this recognition is due to the
research of Tom Beall, amateur historian and owner
of the winery. Beall pieced together an impressively
detailed history of the somewhat unexpected birthplace
of the wine industry in the U.S. for presentation of the
application.
www.lanereport.com/63738/2016/05/nicholasvillewinery-certified-as-the-first-commercial-vineyard-in-u-s/
Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016 •
5
KENTUCKY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Compiled from the listing of county
fairs and ag events posted at the
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
website, www.kyagr.com; and the
Kentucky Festivals Schedule page at
ohiofestivals.net.
Events are subject to change or
cancellation; check with site before
attending.
JULY
4-9:
4-9:
4-9:
4-9:
6-9:
8-10:
Hart Co. Fair – Munfordville
Henry Co. Fair – New Castle
Lincoln Co. Fair – Stanford
Trimble Co. Fair – Bedford
Fleming Co. Fair – Flemingsburg
Highland Renaissance Festival – Eminence
7-9: St. Francis Picnic – Loretto
7-10: The Whippoorwill Festival – Berea
8-9: Lebowski Fest – Louisville
8-9: Master Musicians Festival – Somerset
C A NC E L L AT I O N S
Among the schedule of returning
fairs and festivals comes notice
of long-time festivals shutting
down, at least for one year.
The Kentucky Farm Fest
set for early July in Crestwood
has been cancelled for 2016.
The group’s Facebook page says
they are still trying to find a
farm large enough to handle the
crowd that attended the two-day
2015 festival on a 20-acre farm.
The Heartland Festival
in Elizabethtown has ended
its 32-year run, said city events
coordinator Sarah Vaughn in
a report by Gina Clear in the
Elizabethtown News-Enterprise.
a decline in interest led the city
to cancel the festival, Vaughn
said.
6 •
Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016
July - August 2016
How to get your event listed here
Email details, with the word
“Event” in the subject line,
to jim . trammel @ ky . gov.
8-10: Bacon, Bourbon & Brew Festival
– Newport
8-10: Craft Festival – Berea
8-10: Poorcastle Music Festival – Louisville
9:
Duncan Hines Festival – Bowling Green
9-23: Logan Co. Fair – Russellville
11-16: Jessamine Co. Fair – Nicholasville
11-16: Kenton Co. Fair – Independence
11-16: Hardin Co. Fair – Glendale
12-16: Boyd Co. Fair – Ashland
12-16: Franklin Co. Fair – Frankfort
12-16: LaRue Co. Fair – Hodgenville
12-16: Laurel Co. Fair – London
13-16: Breckinridge Co. Fair – Hardinsburg
14-16: HeART of Summer Arts and Music Festival – Grayson
14-24: Lions Bluegrass Fair – Lexington
14-16: National Corvette Homecoming – Bowling Green
14-16: Shriners Bluegrass Festival – Olive Hill
14-16: Whitley Co. Fair – Williamsburg
14-23: Barren Co. Fair – Temple Hill
15-17: Forecastle Festival – Louisville
15-17: Super Moon Music and Arts Festival – Whitesburg
15-23: Lions Fair – Tollesboro
15-23: Harrison Co. Fair – Cynthiana
15-23: Spencer Co. Fair – Taylorsville
16: Olde Time BBQ & Chili Cook Off
– Glendale
16: Oldham Country Day – LaGrange
16: Robfest – Shelbyville
16: Sweet Corn Festival – Georgetown
16-23: Ballard Co. Fair – La Center
17-23: Pendleton Co. Fair – Falmouth
18-20: Marshall Co. Fair – Benton
18-23: Nelson Co. Fair – Bardstown
18-23: Owen Co. 4-H Fair – Owenton
20-26: Henderson Co. Fair – Henderson
21-23: Red Lick Valley Bluegrass Festival
– Irvine
22-23: Riverfest Regatta – Augusta
22-24: Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival – Louisville
22-24: BreyerFest – Lexington
22-30: Madison Co. Fair – Richmond
23-24: Native Dawn Flute Gathering
– Lawrenceburg
23-30: Meade Co. Fair – Brandenburg
25-30: Mercer Co. Fair – Harrodsburg
25-30: Pulaski Co. Fair – Somerset
26-30: Hopkins Co. Fair – Madisonville
27-30: Monroe Co. Fair – Tompkinsville
27-30: Daviess Co. Fair – Philpot
27-30: Sandy Lee Songwriters Festival – Henderson
28-30: Lawrence Co. Fair – Louisa
28-8/6: Crittenden Co. Fair – Marion
29-30: Cruisin’ the Heartland – Elizabethtown
29-31: Fandomfest – Louisville
30: Snappin’ Chaplin Turtle Derby
– Perryville
30-31: Dead Fest – Louisville
30-8/6: Cumberland Co. Fair - Burkesville
31-8/6: Southern Ky. Fair – Bowling Green
AUGUST
1-6:
1-6:
1-6:
1-6:
4-7:
5-7:
5-8:
6:
6-7:
8-13:
10-13:
11-14:
11-14:
12-13:
12-13:
12-13:
12-14:
12-16:
13:
13:
13:
13:
13:
13:
Germantown Fair
Grant Co. Fair – Williamstown
Little World’s Fair – Brodhead
Montgomery Co. Fair – Mount Sterling
Glier’s Goettafest – Newport
Powell County Corn Festival – Stanton
Cannastock – Democrat
Fancy Farm Picnic – Fancy Farm
Jane’s Saddlebag Kids Festival and Art/Craft Show – Big Bone Lick
Boone Co. Fair – Burlington
NIBROC Festival – Corbin
Great Inland Seafood Festival
– Newport
Salvisa-Versa Music Festival – Salvisa
Bluegrass in the Park Folklife Festival
– Henderson
Fire Department Street Fair/Festival/
Fish Fry – Bromley
Oktoberfest – Maysville
St. Joseph End of Summer Celebration – Crescent Springs
Carlisle Co. Fair – Bardwell
Caribbean Wine Festival – Louisville
Festival on the Lake at AJ Jolly Park
– Alexandria
Grand Rivers Marina Day Celebration
Kentucky Fried Zine Fest – Lexington
NolinFest – Leitchfield
Twilight Festival – Versailles
CALENDAR (continued)
A U G U S T (continued)
13-14:
13-20:
17-20:
17-20:
18-21:
Crave Food + Music Festival – Lexington
Morgan Co. Fair – West Liberty
Hancock Co. Fair – Hawesville
Rowan Co. Fair – Morehead
Laurel Co. Homecoming Festival
– London
18-28: Morgan Co. Fair – West Liberty
18-28: Ky. State Fair – Louisville
19-20: Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival –
Russell Springs
19-20: “Little Green Men” Days Festival
– Kelly
19-21: Birds of a Feather Festival
– Morning View
19-21: Celtic Festival – Berea
19-21: Frontier Days – Glencoe
19-21: Pioneer Days – Harrodsburg
20: Big O Music Festival – Owensboro
20: Multicultural Festival – Owensboro
20: Small Town American Festival
– Mount Sterling
20-21: High Bridge Homecoming Festival
– Wilmore
20-21: Woodland Church Art Festival
– Lexington
21-25 Oldham Co. Fair – LaGrange
25-27: Buttermilk Days Festival – Bardstown
26-27: Blue Moon Bluegrass Festival
– Beaver Dam
26-27: Hot August Blues Festival – Hardin
25-27: Homecoming Days Festival – Jenkins
26-27: Summer Salute Festival – Hopkinsville
27: Connect at Bernheim – Clermont
27: Moontower Music Festival – Lexington
27: Seven Sense Festival – Louisville
30-9/5: Grayson Co. Fair – Leitchfield
30-9/3: Greenup Co. Fair – Greenup
31-9/4: Sacajawea Festival – Cloverport
31-9/5: Alexandria Fair – Alexandria
WET-DRY VOTES ... from page 2
according to reporter Lyndsey
Gough. Beaver Dam had a population
of 3,500 in 2010.
However, Ohio County followed
up the Beaver Dam vote with a
county-wide April vote to stay dry.
Ohio County voters turned thumbsdown on legal alcohol by a 339-vote
margin, 2,512 voting no and 2,173
voting yes, according to a report from
Lee Bratcher of SurfKy News.
Williamsburg voters
expand alcohol sales
By a nearly 2-to-1 margin,
Williamsburg voters decided to
follow suit with what neighboring
communities are doing and allow
alcohol to be sold by the package in
stores and by the drink at restaurants
that seat at least 50 people, reported
the Corbin News-Journal.
“Yes” votes were cast by 448
Williamsburg voters, while 241 voted
“no”.
Williamsburg Mayor Roddy
Harrison spearheaded the petition
drive behind the alcohol referendum.
He said he wasn’t surprised that the
measure passed, but was surprised by
the overwhelming margin.
Louisville precinct stays dry
Precinct C-134 in the Buechel
neighborhood of Louisville remained
one of Louisville’s 14 dry precincts
following an 83-24 “dry” vote.
Slightly more than 100 residents
voted, according to the Jefferson
County Clerk’s Office.
Send your fall activity news
to your state newsletter!
Publicize September and October events
in the next Agritourism Kentucky,
out Wednesday, Aug. 31 ‒ just in time
to boost your activities for Labor Day and
the fall season. Copy deadline: Friday, Aug. 19.
Agritourism Kentucky
A KENTUCKY AGRITOURISM INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER
Published by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Ryan F. Quarles, Commissioner ∙ Amelia Brown Wilson, Director, Division of Agritourism
Agritourism Kentucky • July-August 2016 •
7