we take pride in being
STEWARDS OF THIS LAND
For 5 generations, the land that Ravine Vineyard sits upon has provided for our family and continues to do so to this day. It is our mission to celebrate our roots as farmers and lovingly preserve our bountiful property. Using bio-dynamics and organics as a philosophy to our farming, we respectfully tend to our vineyards and on-site garden to achieve enhanced quality and flavours in both our small batch wines and fresh produce in a sustainable way. We are proud of and eager to share our harvested bounty with you!
Ravine Garden
Beginning in early spring, our garden begins to offer up a veritable cornucopia of fresh, organic produce that thrives throughout St. Davids’ extended and robust growing season. Early season mizuna and sprouts give way to mixed salad greens, which lead into asparagus, spring onions rhubarb and berries.
As the summer warms, hot peppers, heirloom tomatoes, patty pan squash, melons and ground cherries flourish. Followed, as the nights cool, by several varieties of harvest squash and pumpkins. What does not go directly onto the plate in sun warmed freshness is carefully preserved, allowing our farm-to-table restaurant to showcase local, organically grown fruits and vegetables year round.
Along with these beautiful home-grown fruits and vegetables, our farm continues to grow in other ways as well. The Ravine garden has expanded to include a small greenhouse, a flock of egg producing hens along with their rooster Nugget, a couple of luxurious silkie chickens and their silkie rooster Mr. Mighty, 40 honey producing bee hives, and a very handsome Pygmy goat named Lenny!
Bee Hives
Our honey program is a collaboration between our farm and B&E Honey Fields on Line 8 in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Brian Rowaan and his team of apiarists care for the hives during the season, harvest the honey in the fall and ensure that the bees are prepared for hibernation through the winter. The pure honey is sold under our Lowrey Bros. label and used in other Lowrey Bros. products like our Honey Bourbon Peaches.
Our bees help us celebrate the garden. Our produce cannot thrive without the bees to pollenate, and the bees cannot survive without the nectar from the variety of plants and flowers we nurture here. Our Chef honours this life cycle through his dishes by incorporating our honey into vinaigrettes, granola, desserts and cheese plates; pairing local honey with local produce on the plate to reflect how our bees are paired with our flora in nature.
Meet Our Horticulturist
Laura Torch
A graduate of Niagara College’s Horticulture and Ecosystem Restoration programs, Laura went on to forge a career outside of Niagara that included winning international Communities In Bloom awards and co-hosting a call-in radio show about gardening. It was returning to Niagara however that Laura found “home” at Ravine.
Laura has been Ravine’s gardener since 2016 and right away the position captured and fulfilled not only her heart but her career too. Every year, what this small one-acre garden produces from seed provides Laura with satisfaction and contentment but taking it a step further and seeing what the Ravine kitchen does with that bounty is truly rewarding. Add in the care and company of chickens, goats and bees and it’s a dream job!
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