newby farm & vineyard
PERFECTING THE
PERFECT CROP
The 4 ½ acres of farmland on Billy Pyle Road has been in the Newby family since 1950. When the next generation of owners, Shannon and Billy Newby, took over the land, they searched for the ideal crop to plant. In 2015, they planted the first grape vines and have been renovating and perfecting the crop since. 30
The first vines planted were Blanc du Bois, a white grape developed partly by the University of Florida. “After planting, there was not really anything to harvest for the first two years. But by the fourth year, production was in full swing,” said Billy. The farm later added their other primary variety, Lenoir grapes. Both of these varieties are hardy and disease resistant, which has led to a successful harvest. Newby Farm and Vineyard currently has over 2800 vines harvested by hand. Billy said, “When it is time to harvest, it is all hands on deck. We are fortunate that family and friends are bridgesmagazinerome.com
