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Fall in Ohio

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Fall is Here! How many of you have been waiting for Fall weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, sweaters, chill cool nights, and a fall inspired weekend getaway? If you answered yes, we have some cool and fun activities for you! Also, if you have been following Pursuit of Delights in partnership with Ohio. Find It Here.; you know we have been on a journey exploring Ohio and all the goodness it has to offer. While it is time to say goodbye to summer, we welcome Fall with open arms! Ohio is beautiful in the Fall and is such a special time. The weather begins to chill, and you can feel the brisk breeze. Hues of orange, red and yellow take over the trees, and our favorite fall flavors return. It is the perfect time to take a fall-inspired getaway. There is so much to do, explore, and see. We had the opportunity to travel to different areas in Ohio to experience Amish country, taste delicious wine at Breitenbach Winery, go apple picking at Peifer Orchard, and experience fall foliage while exploring Blooms & Berries Fall on the Farm. Let us hop right into Fall in Ohio!

A Visit to Amish Country

Have you ever wondered about Amish country, its people, and their way of life? Maybe you wonder do they still really travel by horse and buggy. If this is something you have pondered, I am here to tell you yes, they still travel by horse and buggy and watching them in their environment is so unique. Remember, Amish people are people like you and I, but their day-to-day life is different as well as what they believe in. One thing I can attest to is that Amish People work very hard! You may think, ok so do I! Most are entrepreneurs and create their own life sustainability with a craft they learn at an early age. Did you know that Amish people only go to school through the 8th grade? They make a way of living on an 8th grade education and are successful. They have big families to help with labor whether it be on their farm or running their family business. They are close knit people. They also live and have their businesses at the same location. Most Amish with businesses live on acres of land to be able to house the family in a house, and the business right next to it. How cool is that? You and I may think wow, I would never live where I work. However, they live in an environment with low crime and having people come to where they live is a second thought. They generally stay within their sects (or area) and do not travel outside of that area often. Occasionally they will travel to fish, hunt or on vacation, but remember they do not drive. Now you are asking how they get around, well horse and buggy and bikes (both electric and pedal). No, they do not take the horse and buggy for a road trip. It would take 2 hours to go 20 miles. Bikes have become a new way of life for them. They can travel around town faster and more efficiently. What would take 2 hours on horse and buggy, takes 45 minutes on an electric bike. What is the moral of the story here? Do not take small things such as bikes for granted. What we may see as an everyday item, is a commodity to other groups of people and their cultures. Depending on how you get around has to be approved by the Bishop, head of the church. There is so much to learn and see about the Amish that a day trip is perfect, and you will find yourself in awe.  

While you could explore Amish country on your own, Amish country is huge in Ohio, so where do you begin?  I got to explore Amish country through an amazing tour called Troyer’s Amish Tours in Sugarcreek, OH. They have quite a few different tours to choose from. I choose to go on the Down the Road 3-hour tour. It was an amazing and informative experience and I learned so much. The amazing tour guide, Rich, took us through the backroads of Amish country. No two tours are alike! You learn about the history of Amish people and where they originated. You get to see how they live as well as make some stops to a few of the local thriving businesses. We met a few family members of those businesses while stopping by their shops. The entire tour is narrated. It is a unique experience and keeps you engaged the entire time. Trust me, I know. Myself and the small group I was in asked plenty of questions. The more Rich spoke, the more we became intrigued and wanted to know LOL! Amish country is certainly one for the books. Grab a buddy and hit the road to explore Amish Country and what it has to offer.

TIP: Most Amish businesses do not accept credit card so bring cash.

FUN FACTS:

-Chicken houses hold 25,000 chicken and chicken come in at 8 hrs old from the hatchery

-Amish do not drive, Mennonites do

-Amish can not have a cell phone with a data package or a car

-Amish do not have tvs

-Amish keep up with the news through newspaper

-3 Orders and 11 sects

-Amish do not take pictures of themselves. They do not have family portraits. It is against their religion

-Amish only go to school till 8th grade

-Amish do not vote for people that can dictate life and death on a person (i.e. president, judge, etc.)

-Amish land is expensive (for 5 acres $50,000 an acre)

-Teachers only have an 8th grade education (salary ranges from $1200-$1500 a month)

-Generally Men do not teach due to income level

-Usually single women teach. Once they court, date or get married the women will quit work and focus on their marriage

-20 miles would take you 2 hours on a buggy, and 45 minutes on an e-bike

-$8,000 for a buggy and 125 man hours

-Wheels will last 7 years

-Schrock’s Buggy is the oldest buggy shop on Holmes County

-If you’re getting married, you grow a beard

-One Amish man raises camels for a petting zoo

-They milk camels

-Camels milk is very nutritious

-Largest wood working facility in the state

-Amish are great wood workers

-Wood working is the largest industry in this community

-Most Amish do not wear shoes. They go barefoot because they say shoes are heavy.

-Old race horses are brought to Amish country to be street safe/trained

-Mom and Pop wood working shops are huge

-All Amish kids are not Rumshpringa (roam around and leave the culture for awhile)

Breitenbach Winery

Did someone say WINEry? LOL! I love a good glass of wine and a cute winery! Located a short distance from Troyer’s Amish Tours, nestled among the rolling hills of Ohio’s Amish countryside, Der Marktplaz, is home of Breitenbach Wine Cellars. “Breitenbach” is German, meaning “bright or broad stream”, and is the name of the stream that runs through the winery grounds. Breitenbach produces an array of extensive award-winning grape, fresh fruit, and berry wines, and what they are most known for, Dandelion wine. They produce 40 varieties of grape and fruit wines resulting in about 150,000 gallons. WOOOOW! That’s a lot of wine, but hey someone must make it for us wine lovers.

When I drove down the road to get to Breitenbach and was greeted by the purple and red accent colors popping off the building and wine barrels lined along the base, I knew I was in for a real treat. I got out of the car and immediately started taking pictures. What I love is that they grow their own grapes and make their wine on site. What really caught my attention was the purple “Winemakers Barn”. It was so cute! While I did not go inside, the outside was enough to make me say how cool. I am not sure about you but I love a good snack like cheese or a charcuterie board while drinking wine. When you walk in, there is a cheese section along with all the wine to purchase. After this is the sampling area! I stopped to talk to the lady behind the sampling bar, and then walks up Anita. Anita, is one of the daughters of the founder. We chat for a few minutes then she invited me over to sample some wine. They have plenty of flavors to choose from and man did I indulge. They also have a great tasting offer. You can sample 4 wines for $1.00. Yes, you read that correct! I ended up sampling 12 wines. I am a sweet wine drinker so I did not try any of the dry wines. I also like fruit wines and they have 15 flavors to choose from. I grabbed a cheese and cracker plate and enjoyed my wine tasting. I enjoyed the hospitality Breitenbach shared and enjoyed the wine they offer. They are doing some amazing wine making! Also, make sure to try the Dandelion wine. It is unique! By the time wine tasting ended, I left with 5 bottles of wine and 2 candles. What can I say, I am a girl who loves her wine and candles! I highly encourage experiencing Amish country and then relaxing at Breitenbach Winery! The is the perfect day trip.

TIP: Aside from the wine tasting, Café, and gift shop, you’ll also find many events occurring throughout the year at Breitenbach. Festivals, outdoor concerts, special tasting and cooking events, live music and barbecue, and other events happen year-round.

The most popular event is the Dandelion Festival, which typically happens the first weekend in May every year.

Peifer Orchards

Have you ever been apple picking? As a girl from the south, I am familiar with canning veggies and shucking corn, but I have never been to an orchard until now. As they say, it is a first for everything. This Fall I wanted to experience something with my family that was different but that we could all enjoy. Apple Picking it is! When I was looking for Fall activities for us to do, I came across Peifer Orchards and knew this was being added to the to-do list. I grabbed my husband and our girls, dressed them in cute gingham dresses and on our way, we went to the orchard. Peifer Orchards is located in Yellow Springs, OH. There is plenty to do in Yellow Springs. Yellow Springs could be the perfect getaway that includes Peifer Orchards, shopping, biking, hiking, and restaurants. Also, I loved that there is an orchard located not far from where we live.

What I loved about the orchard is when we arrived, it immediately gave us all the Fall and southern vibes. Pumpkins, a cute country store, gravel road, and an experience I will never forget. There is a long walk to the orchard but it was great family time walking and talking. It was hilarious to listen to our little ones talk about apples and what they thought the orchard would look like. We finally got to the end of two-lane gravel path, and there stands acres of apple trees. WOW! The girls and I were in awe. None of us had ever seen an orchard in real life and boy were we amazed. It was a field of green trees with the cutest apples hanging off of them. Some of them even looked like Christmas trees. This was such a picturesque backdrop! They have a few different apple varieties as well as apple colors. My kids enjoyed apple picking to the core! They immediately ran down the rows and started picking apples off the trees. We had our buckets and were ready to fill them with delicious, crisp apples. We all picked a few apples and tossed them in the buckets. The kids did more than their fair share of picking, but they enjoyed themselves and that’s all that matters! I’m not sure that we were supposed to be eating the apples while picking, but my youngest, sweet Robyn, did not waste any time indulging. Let’s just say she snagged the best apples for her afternoon snack. LOL! Once our buckets were full, which did not take long we headed back down the gravel road to head back. We could not leave without heading inside of the country store. They have food, plants, and all things Fall. We even tried their Apple Cider Slush which was amazing and bought some Amish baked goods! Needless to say, our time at Peifer Orchards was nothing short of amazing. Grab your family or friends and set out to enjoy some apple picking! If you want to make it a getaway or a day trip, explore all of Yellow Springs. It is an amazing city.

Blooms & Berries’ Fall on the Farm

It is Fall, and that means pumpkin patch, pumpkin spice and everything nice and Fall on the Farm! I do not know about you, but I grew up going to pumpkin patches and now made it a tradition with my husband and girls. Every year at Fall, we visit a pumpkin patch and fully indulge in this special time of the year. The past two years, we have been making our way to Booms & Berries’ Fall on the Farm. Fall on the Farm is a family-fun event at Blooms & Berries Farm beginning September 18th through October 31st daily. There are so many fun things to do at the farm such as: hayrides, pumpkin patch, pony rides (only on certain weekends), corn maze, beer garden, sunflower patch (very picturesque), farm animals, play areas, a huge pumpkin balloon bounce, caramel apple float, and so much more. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as we went from area to area and all around. They really enjoyed the big slide that they have as well as just roaming around and soaking in all the crisp Fall air. We really enjoy Fall on the Farm as a family and there is so much for the kids to do. I love that there is something at every corner. My kids never got bored. It is a time we experience as a family full of excitement and joy! As you can tell, my family and I really enjoy Fall. If you are looking for an amazing pumpkin patch with tons of things for the family to do, Fall on the Farm is for you!

While summer has ended, that does not mean the fun has to stop! Grab family or friends and explore Ohio’s beauty in the Fall. Experience the best fall foliage in many of Ohio’s different cities. Enjoy the cool crisp air while watching the leaves on the trees change. Enjoy all the Pumpkin Spice you can bare and create the best memories in such a wonderful season!

A City Full of Charm

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Summer is nearing its end and it is time for pumpkin spice and everything nice. The weather is changing, and the leaves are falling full of color. Fall is here! Give us all the fall vibes – lattes, spices, cooler air, and sweaters. If you have been following Pursuit of Delights along, on our partnership with Ohio. Find It Here.; you know we have done a four-month long journey exploring Ohio and its businesses and what they have to offer. While we have enjoyed every minute of it, as they say good things must come to an end. September is the last month for this amazing partnership. What better way to end one season and open another, than to plan an exciting day trip to an Ohio charming city, Chillicothe. Chillicothe is a city full of charm. Located along the Scioto River 45 miles south of Columbus. This is the perfect location for a getaway trip within 100 miles of Cincinnati. It is the perfect location to welcome fall. It is that hidden gem that no one ever told you about. It is perfect for all ages, couples, and families. There is something for everyone. Some of the activities include hiking, biking, eating, wineries, Adena Mansion and Gardens, Triple Crown Family Fun Center, Hopewell Culture Park, and Scioto Park. All these activities may be done while practicing social distancing and wearing a mask. Safety First! 😊 Let us hop right into a fun filled day!

You cannot start a day trip without a delicious meal. With us being foodies and bloggers, food is always at the top of our agenda! We visited R Kitchen on Paint for lunch. R Kitchen is located on the main street called Paint. Paint is a street filled with restaurants, stores, and little Knick Knack shops. R Kitchen has delicious food and a super cute outdoor patio. If you know Tiff Squared, we love a good outdoor patio. We sat outside and enjoyed the cool breeze and calm chill weather. The day we went felt like fall. Their food is flavorful, and their drinks are delicious. I had their yummy and tender Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Peas. Tiff D. had their Crab Cakes and Tomato Soup. This was the perfect fuel to jump start our afternoon. 

  • Ross County Caviar
  • 1st Capital Meatloaf Stack
  • Crispy Crab Cakes and Tomato Soup
  • Pineapple Paradise

Now that you will not be hangry (hungry and angry, LOL), it is time to walk some of that food off to do a little shopping and exploring. We both love to shop. How convenient was it that there was a clothing store, Rustic Gals, literally right next door to R Kitchen?! Can we say cha-ching! Rustic Gals was a cute little clothing boutique full of cute tops, shorts, pants, blouses, shoes, and more. We walked around and looked. Tiff D, was lucky and found some pieces she liked and purchased them. SCORE! We had a fun time browsing around this cute boutique and we think you will too. Next, we walked up and down Paint exploring the other shops and just becoming more familiar with the area.

Now that you have shopped for clothes, it is time to shop for desserts. Who else has a sweet tooth, like me? If you raised your hand, you are in luck. A little way down the street from R Kitchen, is the cutest cake shop called High Five Cakes. I have the biggest, sweet tooth so any bakery sighting is always a win. Believe it or not Tiff D. is the one who spotted out this shop. I was super happy she did. When we walked in, we were greeted by friendly staff and the most welcoming ambience. It screamed girly, cute, come in with your girls, cake shop. It even had the cutest kid area that was cut out into the wall. The colors and decor were warm and modern, the kitchen was an open concept and the smell of the desserts won us over. We both ordered three cupcakes and a Salted Caramel Bacon Brownie. MMMMMM! Yes, it was as good as it sounds. We also met the owners Stef and Shana. They call themselves S&S. Stef has been on the Food Network competing in a few cake competitions before such as Duff Till Dawn. This is one cake shop you do not want to miss.

  • Stef and Tiff Squared

If shopping and sweets are not your thing, and you are more of a nature and history person, no worries we have just the activities for you. We stopped by the Hopewell Culture Park.  We enjoyed the fresh air, while walking around learning about the broad network of beliefs and practices among different Native American groups over a large portion of eastern North America. The culture is characterized by the construction of enclosures made of earthen walls, often built in geometric patterns, and mounds. Below you can see, me, Tiff B. standing next to the Mica Splendor sign with the mounds behind me. It was a cool experience and a good way to learn about Native American culture. 

If you want to continue your knowledge of the Native American history as well as the history of Chillicothe and its former governor, Thomas Worthington, visit Adena Mansion and Gardens. Did you know that Chillicothe is Ohio’s First Capital? This is pretty cool! Also, Thomas Worthington served as the sixth Governor of Ohio. Adena was the house that Governor Worthington and his wife, Eleanor, built just outside of Chillicothe. Tiff Squared visited Adena and the Gardens. We walked the grounds of the mansion and garden. The property is huge. We entered through the visitor center where there is a mini museum loaded with tons of history about Adena. It was interesting to learn and visit such a historical site. This is certainly a history lover’s dream. The garden is still in use and veggies are harvested from the garden every day. In the visitor center they had a cart of fresh veggies that could be taken in exchange for a donation. If you are a history bug, this is the place for you.

Now that we had our history lesson for the day, we decided to lighten things up with some delicious ice cream. We went back to Paint St and had ice cream from Highland’s Ice Creamery. Your plans can never go wrong when ice cream shows up. This cute little creamery was perfect for a refreshing, creamy, cold treat. What we loved most was the way they had their ice cream flavors listed. Every flavor was listed on a clipboard on a colorful sheet of paper. It was the cutest! They had a lot of traditional flavors as well as flavors with a fun funky twist. Tiff Squared each enjoyed two scoops of ice cream on a waffle cone. I had the Blueberry Pie and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream. Tiff D. had Birthday Cake and Blueberry Pie. If you are looking for a good ice cream experience with a cute vibe, you will not want to pass up on Highland’s.

Lastly, no day trip is a trip without a winery. We are girls who love our wine. After all the shopping, sightseeing, sweets eating that your heart can handle, it’s time to wine down! We headed to one of the local wineries about 25 minutes outside of Chillicothe called Na zdravie Vineyard and Winery. This winery is located on 10 acres of land with vineyards rolling across hills. This winery had a very homely, comfort feel. We decided to try their wine flight. It was perfect! A flight includes 6 1-ounce wine samplings for the price of $5.72. You cannot beat that. I had the sweet wine flight, while Tiff D. had the dry wine flight. After our flight and a few laughs, it was time to head back.

While this is the end for us, it does not have to be for you. Grab a friend and go check out the charming Chillicothe. There is plenty to do and see for all ages and every interest. There is even enough to turn a day trip into a weekend getaway. If you decide to visit Chillicothe, please let us know in the comments below or on Instagram. This concludes our partnership with Ohio. Find It Here. We hope you have enjoyed all the great finds shared in each month’s blog post. Be sure to check out the previous months post as well as both Pursuit of Delights and Ohio. Find It Here. on Instagram.

Vinoklet Winery

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Summer is here, and what better way to spend summer afternoons or nights than at a winery drinking local wine?! Wine made right at the winery! Not to mention, June is also Ohio Wine Month. This is certainly a win, win! If you haven’t began celebrating, you can start now! It’s never too early or late for a good glass of wine. Pursuit of Delights has partnered with Ohio Wines for the second year in a row, to visit one of their official wineries. This means that the wine is made in Ohio as well as the grapes are grown in Ohio. This year Tiff Squared decided to visit Vinoklet Winery located in Hamilton County. We welcomed our summer with the perfect pours of crisp white and red wines, made from fresh grapes grown right on their property, on the perfect breezy afternoon. The flowers were blossomed and vibrant in color and the waterfalls were rolling. HEEELLLOOOO SUMMMMEEERRR!!

Vinoklet Winery is the only working winery in Hamilton County Ohio. It is located in Colerain Township in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is home to 12 award-winning wines and is proud to represent the Greater Cincinnati area in local and regional wine competitions. Vinoklet Winery has been established since 1986. It all started when the founder, Kreso Mikulic, planted its first vines. In its 34 years of business, it has expanded to now over 12,000 vines across 30+ acres of rolling hills and ponds. At 86 years old, Mr. Mukulic still gets up and works at the winery every day.

What Tiff Squared found interesting is they plant their own vines, harvest their own grapes by hand in 5-gallon buckets, hall them down to the winery, and produces wine. Ohhh, did we mention the size is quite huge. You enter through the restaurant and the vineyards and winery are out back. It is gorgeous. It also over looks a huge pond. Its location and scenery is perfect for weddings or other celebratory events. They have a nice selection of dry and sweet wines to choose from. If you are unsure of what to get, we recommend starting with a tasting. That is what we did. The tasting we did consisted of 12 different wines, white and red, starting with dry and progressing to sweet. We always have fun at tastings because Tiff D. likes more of a dry wine whereas Tiff B. likes sweeter wines. We always share a good laugh as the tasting starts and finishes. You will receive an entire flight of award-winning wines consisting of 12, 1 -oz cups & a souvenir glass for $12.15 plus tax. Don’t let the 1-oz fool you. Lol! Tiff D.’s favorite was the Tears of Joy, a dry wine made similar to a Chardonnay. Crisp and full of flavor, yet soft to the palate. Tiff B.’s favorite was the Strawberry wine, a sweet wine popping with the taste and aroma of fresh strawberries.

Now we can’t come to a winery and not talk about the food! Let’s take a moment to explore their food options. This winery totally gave me country club vibes with a beautiful view. Their food is American and has a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. They even offer what they call Grilled to Perfection offered only on Fridays & Saturdays. Grill to Perfection is where guests can come in and select certain menu items and grill their food themselves with a Grill Master; all while enjoying the ambiance of the unique dining room and vineyard while staff caters to their needs. How cool is that?! They also offer different dinner specials on different days of the week. We began with a cheese and charcuterie board. This is always a good choice paired with wine. You can’t go wrong with this. For entrees, we did the Baby Back Ribs (Thursday special) and the Grilled Norwegian Salmon. They were served with Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and a Dinner Roll. Both meals were really good and cooked perfect.

This was a super cute winery and we were happy to visit! We were pleasantly pleased with their different wines and how beautiful their property is. Although there is only one weekend left in June, we hope that you will visit one of the 300 wineries to celebrate Ohio Wine month. We highly recommend Vinoklet Winery for its charm, great wines, and beautiful views. It could certainly make the perfect date night or night out with the girls. Let the good times roll and give summer the perfect greeting. Cheers to a wonderful summer and Happy Wine Month!

You can find more details of Vinoklet Winery and a full wine list here.

June Is Ohio Wine Month!!

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Did you all know June is Ohio Wine Month?!! Well, ladies and gents, it sure is! If this was news to you too, no worries! You’re just in time to start celebrating for the second half of the month! Pursuit of Delights partnered with Ohio Wines to visit one of their official wineries- which means the wine is made in Ohio and grapes grown in Ohio.  It was so hard to choose just one, as there are over 300! In the end, we kept it local and visited the top-rated wine shop in Cincinnati… Henke Winery. How we’d never been there before is still a surprise to us, but we are so glad we finally did!

Henky Winery is an urban winery located in the West Side of Cincinnati. They have been established since 1996. When we entered, it felt as if we walked into one of our family member’s home (who happened to be serving delicious wine ). They’ve grown to become one of the top urban wineries and have won a multitude of medals such as one of their most recent- Top 10 Urban Wineries by Wine Enthusiasts! How impressive! The size is also quite surprising. It is much larger than it appears to be with multiple rooms. Accommodating many guests would be possible even though it may not look it from the outside.

What we love about them is all their wines are made in their own cellar. I assumed they would have a small selection, but there are multiple dry, sweet, and sparkling red and white options to choose from. If you’re unsure of what to get, start with a tasting! You will receive five selected wines for $10 and get to keep the glass! Whoop! My favorite white was the Chardonnay which won a double gold in the Ohio wine competition. For red, my favorite was the Norton, which is made from an American grape. Thomas Jefferson said this was probably one of the best American grapes to make wine from. These grapes are grown in Winchester, which is about 75 miles away. Henke certainly would’ve made Thomas Jefferson proud with their Norton! As if your selection was not hard enough, they also have 3 more coming back soon: The Sparkling Wine, Rose´, and Cranberry Apple (I personally cannot WAIT to try this one!)

I want to also take a moment to talk about the food options offered. Their food is American/eclectic with a variety of appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts. We began with the cheese and charcuterie board, which you really can’t go wrong with. It’s a great way to snack while continuing with your tasting. For entrees, we ordered the Atlantic Cod Filet (which came with a side and salad) and the Linguini Carbonara. They were both fantastic and cooked perfectly. The carbonara could have easily been two meals for anyone. I would also recommend adding a bread basket considering you may be drinking a decent amount of wine!

This was such a cute winery to visit! I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing wine and rich food. You can see their full wine selection and food menu by visiting their website. In preparation for the weekend, we hope you take the time to visit one of the Ohio wineries in celebration of Ohio Wine month! We highly recommend Henke Winery, as it’s charming, has great wine, and the owner Joe is extremely personable and certainly knows his wine! Their metals decorate every room so as soon as you walk in the door, you’ll know you’re in for a great treat!

If you want to explore additional locations, you can find a full list of the certified Ohio Wineries here. Maybe we’ll even see you at one! :)

 

Cheers and Happy Wine Month!