You might be wondering, what does a vineyard festival in West Texas have to do with wood turning? Well, it’s because this was my first donation of an item to a silent auction!
Brownfield, Texas is the county seat for Terry County, which was designated the Grape Capital of Texas in 2015. With more than 4000 acres of grapevines planted, over 85% of the grapes used in Texas wines throughout the state come from Terry County.
Of course, now you’re asking why was I even there in the first place?
Well, my wife is a wine blogger (gritsandwine.com) who focuses on Texas wines, and going is a great way to really get a feel for not just the wine, but the grapes themselves and the people who grow them. This was our second year to attend, and highly informative as well as just plain fun.
The proceeds of the silent auction, along with a few other events, goes towards scholarships for students in the area. It’s a great cause, and I’m pleased to have been able to be a part of it.
I donated two items for the auction. A figured maple bowl and an osage orange bottle stopper. It’s a wine festival, so you need bottle stoppers, right?
We unfortunately were tired from a day of wine tasting (sacrilege, I know!) and had a bit of a drive to the AirBnB we were staying at where our pup was patiently waiting for us so we ducked out before the silent auction was over. I did note before we left that there was more than one bid on the items, so mission accomplished!
If you ever get a chance to pass through Brownfield, be sure to do so. The vineyards are amazing to see, and the wineries all have good wine with friendly folks. Be sure to support your local farmers and agriculture, as they’re the ones who keep us fed, clothed, and supplied with plenty of wine!
