About this episode

Shelby Watson Hampton discusses her family's vineyard and winery, agritourism, and parenting challenges.

In this conversation with Shelby Watson Hampton, the first Maryland and first vineyard guest, describes her family’s five-acre estate vineyard and on-farm winery (six grape varieties; planted 2014; winery opened 2017) where they grow, harvest, process, bottle, and sell wine, plus a wedding barn converted from horse stables. Her husband manages the vineyard and works for the county soil conservation district; they have a four-year-old son and she is pregnant with their second child. Shelby explains vineyard labor, harvest timing, and staffing without H-2A, compares agritourism realities, and shares her family’s farm evolution from tobacco and hogs (since 1955) to a tree nursery and early agritourism, then to the current business after her grandfather’s death. She advises on succession planning, zoning/permitting for agritourism, recommends NAFDMA, discusses winery sales/shipping, wedding mishaps, her 2023 book “Grace, Grit, and Lipstick,” parenting challenges, and a recent loss of six pet chickens to a dog. We're glad you're joining us for another episode of Barnyard Language. If you enjoy the show, please tell a friend (or two) and be sure to rate and review us wherever you're…

People in this episode

Hosts: Caite Palmer, Arlene Hunter

Guest: Shelby Watson Hampton

Topics covered

• vineyard management
• agribusiness
• parenting
• agritourism
• succession planning
• winery operations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NAFDMA

Books & works: Grace, Grit, and Lipstick

Places: Maryland, county, five-acre estate vineyard

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