Kids in the Vineyard

As we vacation in the UP and visit other wineries and vineyards, I get a chance to talk to other people who opened their businesses for different reasons. Some just wanted another line of work, some were educated in winery and vineyard management and still others have a romantic affair with their dream of making beautiful wines. To be quite honest, I think everyone has their own reason. One of my main reasons appears in pictures like the one above and in my mind's eye. Our children LOVE the family farm. They do so many of the same things that I did as a child that it is hard to not live through them as they run, ride, swim and even work on the same land that we share with them. For 5 generations, each new set of parents have appreciated the satisfaction of watching their children grow up with the freedom to roam, play and work freely. There is something to be said for the Native American philosophy that the land is not ours to inherit but rather we are only stewards of the land our children enjoy. That, I think is why we are working so hard to grow the best grapes and make the best wine. Is there any better place to be a child?