Stone Gate is farm of distinction

Nine outstanding agricultural operations have been chosen New Hampshire Farms of Distinction for 2010. The farms were honored at the annual Farm & Forest Exposition on Friday, Feb. 5, in Manchester.

Included on the list is the Stone Gate Vinyards in Gilford, owned by Peter and Jane Ellis.

The Ellis's have owned their property for 29 years and established the vineyard a decade ago, inspired by a visit to the Napa and Sonoma wine regions of California. It is a family affair, as the Ellis’s children and grandchildren are nearby and help with harvesting the grapes each year.

The winery is outfitted with state of the art production equipment and attractive showroom.

Also honored is the Stanton Brook Farm of Center Sandwich. Ralph Ralph purchased this property in 1996, six months before he retired from the U.S. Marine Corp. He has been working on the property ever since, clearing and planting. Ralph produces maple syrup, turkeys and vegetables. He also mills his own lumber for use in construction projects on the farm.

The Farm of Distinction designation is awarded for presenting attractive farmsteads, including neatly maintained buildings and equipment, well-tended crops and fields and healthy livestock. These are farms that present a positive image of the state’s agriculture and contribute to the appeal of the state’s landscape.

Begun in 1997, the Farms of Distinction program is administered by the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food. With the addition of this year’s winners, a total of 114 farms have been recognized. Slides shows of the 2010 winner farms and of all the winners since 1997 may be seen on the NH Dept. of Agriculture website: http://agriculture.nh.gov/publications/index.htm.