Part 2 of the SFKT 2014 Farm Tour Series: The Wine Cellar Garden Project and Mighty Acorn

Slow Food Katy Trail’s

2014 Farm Tour Series

Part 2: The Wine Cellar Garden Project & Mighty Acorn

The second tour is on SUNDAY, JULY 13 from noon to 4 p.m. and features:

THE WINE CELLAR GARDEN PROJECT

(This guided tour begins at 1 p.m., but come at noon for a bring-your-own gardenside picnic lunch)

and MIGHTY ACORN

(guided tour begins at 2:45 p.m.)

Both farms are in the Columbia area, so this tour is an easy drive from CoMo. 

Click here to print or download a handy single-page pdf flyer to take with you on the day of the tour.

First stop: THE WINE CELLAR GARDEN PROJECT

Come visit The Wine Cellar Garden Project, the home and farm of Craig and Sarah Cyr, following the directions below (or follow Google map directions to 8151 West Highway UU, Columbia). The farm is a few miles southwest of Columbia, and it takes just 12 minutes or so to get there from the Columbia Farmers Market. Come at noon if you’re lunching there (don’t forget to bring your own picnic lunch), or show up by 12:45 if you simply want to take the guided tour at 1 p.m.

At The Wine Cellar Garden Project, visitors will be welcomed by Craig and Sarah Cyr, co-owners (Executive Chef  &  Sommelier) of The Wine Cellar & Bistro, a tasty locavore eatery in downtown Columbia, since 2003. After 10 years of business, Craig and Sarah decided to start The Wine Cellar Garden Project in 2013 to learn more about organic gardening, and invited customers to join them. They partnered with CCUA (Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture) to teach classes in the garden, every other Saturday, throughout the growing season. Each class includes a short lecture by professional gardeners of CCUA, hands-on gardening experience, a garden-inspired lunch from Chef Craig, and a wine pairing by Sarah. (If you'd like to see Chef Craig making a grilled carrot salad, or learn how to pair food with Missouri wine in a series of three videos, see the cooking video section of the MO Deep Roots web site.)

Since then, The Garden Project has expanded to a fully functioning small farm, which focuses on organic growing methods and sustainability for the farm and restaurant. Craig and Sarah, joined by Liberty Hunter from CCUA, will lead the tour throughout the farm, where visitors can see the large, diverse garden, the 40 heritage chickens, the rain barrel system, and more. There also will be a tasting of organic and biodynamic wines, which Sarah recently has added to the Wine Cellar & Bistro's wine list; those will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle. 

☛ Directions to the Wine Cellar Garden Project (8151 West Highway UU, Columbia) from Columbia: Head west on I-70. Take exit 121 for US-40/MO-240 toward Missouri UU/Fayette. Turn left at the top of the ramp onto MO-240 East/US-40 East, and go .3 mile before turning right onto S. State Hwy. UU/N. Hwy. UU. Continue to follow S. State Hwy. UU for almost 4 miles. Your destination, #8151, is on the right; look for the Slow Food Farm Tour sign.

Next stop: MIGHTY ACORN

Photo by Matt Jernigan.

Next it’s time to visit Mighty Acorn, a small diversified farm just north of Columbia run by John Corn and Sandra Gummersheimer. Arrive at the farm by 2:30 to catch the guided tour that begins at 2:45 p.m. At Mighty Acorn, John and Sandy will show you how they grow the beautiful array of vegetables they sell every Saturday at the Columbia Farmers Market. Their produce has been grown with sustainable inputs since they purchased the property in 2009. A bonus attraction for guests, and on display for the tour, will be John's collection of ingenious farm-built, labor-saving gadgets. 

John and Sandy have been growing for the market for the past five years, and they have established a loyal customer base. Their love of good-quality food extends to their kitchen, where they love to come up with new ways to make the best of their seasonal produce. (Here’s a link to videos of John making his garden pesto and his tomato basil bisque, from the MO Deep Roots web site.)

John says, “We are committed to good tasting, local, healthy food and firmly believe that this is one of the few ways our customers are able to obtain optimum nutrition. One of our greatest pleasures with farming is exposing those who are unfamiliar with fresh tastes to a healthy way of eating.”

The tour ends at 4 p.m. Hope to see you there!

☛ Directions to Mighty Acorn starting from 8151 West State Highway UU: Take a left (head east) out of the Cyrs’ driveway onto State Hwy. UU/W Rte. UU. Continue to follow State Hwy. UU for 3.9 miles. Turn right to merge onto I-70 E/US-40 E and continue for 2.7 miles. Take exit 124 for Missouri E/MO-740/Stadium Blvd. toward Columbia. Turn left (north) onto N. Route E/N. Stadium Blvd. Continue to follow N. Route E (past the golf course) for 3.1 miles. Turn left onto W. Driskel Rd. just after the Perche Creek bridge and continue another half mile. Take the first left onto N. Moreau Rd. and watch for the farm driveway, which is about a half mile down the road on the right. This is just a farm with no home on site, so there is no address, but follow the Slow Food Katy Trail signs. This link will take you to a Google map leading to the farm too. The high tunnel is visible from the road, and that is the landmark to watch for. 

**** Please leave your dogs at home! • Smoking is prohibited on all farms. ****

Slow Food Katy Trail

is the mid-Missouri chapter of Slow Food USA,

and part of a global movement.

Slow Food advocates for food and farming policy that is good for the public, good for the planet, and good for farmers and workers. Food that is good, clean and fair. Slow Food Katy Trail heartily welcomes new members and new energy for the cause. To join our chapter, please go to www.slowfoodusa.org and click on Donate. Send us an email at: slowfoodkatytrail@yahoo.com. Follow us on Facebook. Come talk to us on the tour and learn more!

See the Slow Food Katy Trail Facebook page for more info and updates. 

There is no rain date, so check Facebook or the web site for tour cancellation info
in the event of heavy rain or storms. You can also email laura@modeeproots.com for more info,
or call 573-220-5354 on the day of the tour.