Agricultural Stops in Wayne County Indiana
Fall is the perfect time to enjoy agricultural stops like orchards, fall festivals, wineries and more. With the changing of the leaves harvest is in full swing. The cooler air tempts us to get outdoors. Let’s enjoy the weather before winter hems us in. There is no better place to enjoy what fall has to offer than Richmond’s Wayne County, Indiana.
Annie Jansen and I were hosted by Richmond’s Indiana – Wayne County. Nancy Sartain planned wonderful ag adventures for us!
Dougherty Orchards
The first stop on our agricultural journey was Dougherty Orchards. Established in 1883, Dougherty Orchard, is Indiana’s oldest family-owned orchard. The orchard is owned by the 6th generation Andra Solis and her husband Junior. Their children are the 7th generation.
Besides running the orchard, Andra is also a preschool teacher, and the primary decorator for the shop, which is filled with a colorful array of décor. We noted the beauty while waiting to meet with Junior. He caught up with us and shared a bit of history.
The History
William Henry Dougherty returned home after the Civil War and purchased 160 acres of land. He planted five acres of apple, cherry, and peach trees. Passed down the family improved and expanded growing Dougherty’s to 300 times its original size. Improvements included buildings, an irrigation system and automatic grading system. The current apple cooler can hold15,000 bushels of apples. They upgraded their cider press and can press 25,000 gallons of cider in the fall season.
In 1983 Dougherty celebrated their 100th anniversary. Another highlight over the years was that Andra’s parents, Sandy and Joan, received The Hoosier Homestead Award and the Centennial Business Award. With their unexpected deaths in 2004, the orchard was left to their children Andra, Shannan, and Tyler. In 2016, Andra bought the orchard from Shannan and Tyler.
Changes.
Annie and I were impressed how much Junior and Andra have added to the orchard. In 2016 they added their 1883 Winery and Bar. “We decided how to make it better slowly,” Junior said. “We introduced apple wine made from homegrown apples. Since then, we have expanded and now offer 15 different wines and a variety of craft beer.“
In 2017 they added a tent, then this last year built a permanent pavilion. They added restrooms and changing rooms. Today they can now accommodate up to 200!
Junior said, “There is also a little chapel area for weddings.”
Dougherty’s celebrated their 140th year as a family-owned orchard by adding a greenhouse and butterfly garden. This year, they added 500 lavender plants. They offer cut flowers.
Family friendly
With a 1964 GMC truck and a cool Allis Chalmers crawler out front, there are lots of photo ops. Today the orchard consists of apples, and pears. “The crawler was used to spray apple trees,” Junior shared about the vintage machine.
The animals!
At Dougherty Orchards they also have chickens and a petting zoo that is open daily. There is a highlander sheep named Lavendar. A Valais Black Nose sheep named Ollie that goes for rides on the gator, a tortoise, and sika deer. There are coatimundis which are like raccoons, peacocks, donkeys, koi fish and more! What a fun place!
Pilgrimage Winery & Vineyard
It was a joy to visit Scott Eckart at Pilgrimage Vineyards. Located outside of Cambridge City, Annie and I enjoyed watching the Amish pick grapes and learning Scott’s story. The winery sits on farmland that his grandfather owned. With the vineyard spreading across 8.5 acres. Scott and his wife Emma have planted ten different varieties.
Their story
Their story is a romantic one. “We were both military pilots and stationed overseas.” It was wine tasting in Sicily where their interest in wine peaked. “The Italian countryside is our inspiration.”
Trying wine in the Midwest was an eyeopener. Scott said he had not realized wine was made here.
Scott was working with white wine the day we visited. “We planted our first set of vines in 2019,” Scott said. “This is our 7th year.”
Navy is in the blood
Like at Dougherty Orchards, there is a lot of history here. “Dad graduated from high school here, then he went to the Navy. He was also a Navy pilot. I grew up in Florida, Scott said. “Then, I came back to take over the farm. We always moved around.”
Coming back to Indiana was literally, returning to his roots.
His mother was also an inspiration. She passed in 2022, but he said, “She was a big wine lover.”
The Equipment
On the farm it was fun to see his Uncles Massey Ferguson 231. Scott’s dad bought it from his uncle, and they use it for mowing on the farm.
The Wine, the experience
The tasting room is beautifully outfitted with a Euro vibe. “Our tasting room is an immersive experience,” Scott said. “One of my customer’s built the table.” A beautiful slab of wood that is very distinctive.
There is a beautiful outdoor area. They have a few very cute dogs, and one took especially to Annie.
On the weekends they often have a food truck and music. A musician himself Scott said, “We are open year-round. We are doing a lot of stuff, we are making drier wines and bringing in artists that are touring.”
The wines have a high-end taste with an affordable price. Their wines are award winning. They just learned they received seven medals at the Indiana State Fair. Congratulations!
Jones Family Farm
Our last agricultural stop was at Jones Family Farm. Located in Milton, this young family thrives on the farm life. Home schooling her children, Pam Jones said they have a pumpkin patch and vegetables fresh from the farm. On their website is the motto they go by. “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you.”
On the website they share a bit of history. “The Jones family and farmers are extremely passionate about how they care for the land, the soil, and the crops. For 150 years, each generation has worked tirelessly to further improve the land and the soil for the next generation.”
Their story
After Pam married her husband Adam, she said, “We came to live in this house. I grew up with uncles that farmed sweet corn for two weeks during the County fair.”
Remembering that sweet taste that she could never replicate, Pam decided to try to plant sweet corn at different times of the year staggering it to make it last. With extra, they opened a farmstand. “Everything we sell here, we grow here.”
In 2017 they had to make a decision. “One of us needed to treat this like a business, so I started doing this fulltime,” Pam said.
With more time on the farm, she added in green beans and tomatoes in 2018. “I got to talk to the customers,” she said, loving the interaction. Before this, they just had pick up and pay by honor. This year they were received a 2025 family farm award.
Expansion
“People like the heirloom tomatoes,” Pam said. Growing items for their groceries for her family, she also expanded for her customers. “We pick varieties that taste good.”
In the spring they offer U-Pick pick strawberries. “This will be our 3rd year for U-Pick.”
While they used to sell at farmer’s markets Pam said they made the decision to only sell from home, a decision she has never regretted. The farm brings the family and those that come much joy. This year she had a 94-year-old customer in her strawberry patch. That brought a smile to her face. “We start with green tomatoes and flowers in the spring and fall. We have U-Pick, and I make bouquets.”
She has recently added in Eucalyptus products and plans to add beef tallow soon, mixing eucalyptus with the tallow for soap and lotion.
Annie and I were sad to miss the amazing pumpkin house that was under construction. Thankfully Pam sent a picture of this marvel! While everything they sell is grown on site, Pam did say they brought pumpkins in for the house.
The machinery and more!
There is a lovely old 1946 GMC truck in the pumpkin field. “I used to take it to the farmer’s market,” Pam shared adding, “we have a little 8N Ford we use around the farm. Why get new if the old is fine?”
Adam said the GMC was a barn find.
They once had a thresher and steam engine. About the 8N tractor, Adam said, “Her grandpa was a wheeler and dealer. He used this to farm, it was his favorite, he kept it, and it retired here. The 8N tractor is easy to work on.”
While Pam says the pumpkin farm with the 200 different varieties and the HUGE huggable pumpkins is a bit of agritourism, they are mostly about the ag, slowing down, and feeling where food is grown, and where it comes from. “It is a place to hang out. You can pick pumpkins, flowers, immerse yourself in a farm.”
She said people travel long distances to visit like the father and son from Cincinnati, and that is what it is all about. “I like serving, and will do it as long as the community supports us, we will be here.”
Lavender and Sage, a project!
Before stopping at Lavender and Sage for our potting project, Annie and I made a few stops. Shopping with Julie Chance and Nancy Sartain, we loved our visit to Warm Glow Candles & More. I had no idea there was so much there besides the cool candles. We stopped at Luxe Lizzie Boutique and did some antiquing in Cambridge City!
Then on to Lavender & Sage in Centerville.
Annie and I were excited to stop at the charming Lavender & Sage and Home Decor. We got to pot a plant and take it home. Our plants even survived the trip! These workshops are included in Girls Getaway Packages.
Janel Krantz is the owner of the store along with her husband Kevin. “My mom is in a wheelchair, and we were looking for a hobby, furniture etc. We were going to do the thrift thing.”
Being close with her mom, she said the thrifting idea upped the ante even more on their relationship. After finding and repurposing some fun items, Janel started having pop up shops with appetizers in their home. It was working well. “From there Kevin came to me and said I think you are on to something and maybe we should consider a brick and mortar.”
Working a fulltime job, this busy woman still chose to jump in. She and Kevin partnered together, and she said, “Everything fell into our lap.”
The store
Buying a former 1850’s antique store, they learned about it before it was even for sale. Within hours they had an appointment and fell in love with it. “Kevin and I are avid gardeners, one of our homes was on the garden tour. Kevin is well known for making pergolas,” she said laughing that back when his mom said, ‘don’t let him mow the lawn.”
She said he has become a plant guru. With she and her mom loving decor, and she and Kevin loving plants, it all works. “Our next project is a garden center in back.”
They also have an Airbnb upstairs. There is a gift shop that ties it all together. “Women from little tykes love the flowers and to come in, breathe and get away from work and let their hair down.”
“We do showers, bachelorette parties and even had a wedding in our courtyard. Then there are the Girl’s weekend getaway, the tourism bureau helped with that. We also have romantic getaways, and alone ones too.”
The planting
Annie and I picked out our plants, and with assistance, Janel helped us create our very own take home pot! What a fun place!
The wrap
Outdoor activities abound like our visit to Thistlethwaite Falls, which had long been on my bucket list. The falls were created where the river was dammed by Timothy Thistlethwaite with the use of farm teams. They placed large boulders to change the course of the river, then he placed a sawmill at this site. After 80 years the mill is gone, but the falls are a remain.
We along with others enjoyed looking for fossils. With the lack of rain more riverbed was exposed.
On the day we took a bike ride, we saw the Wayne County Veteran’s memorial from a distance.
We stopped briefly at the fun Hayes Arboretum!
Nancy showed us her favorite mural, one of many. There are over 100 to choose from.
Then there are the places of beauty like the Richmond Rose Garden, and The Reid Center with its Tiffany Windows!
Agriculture, outdoor stops, beauty, culture and public art. How do you narrow down your favorite fall activity in Wayne County Indiana?
