ALEXANDRIA, Ky. – A unique riding stable, a compact flower farm, a multi-faceted mini-farm, and a pair of exquisite vineyards are just a few of the eye-catching stops visitors will find during the upcoming Campbell County Backroads Farm Tour in northern Kentucky.

The Campbell County Backroads Farm Tour is each July and bridges the gap between the urban and rural communities of the county by highlighting local farms and agritourism operations. The tour is in its 14th year.

This year, the tour is July 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no starting point as drivers can create their own stops.

A must-see is Homegrown on Haubner Hill. This sixth-generation farm has over 50 varieties of flowers packed into a 1/8-acre flower field, proving that a small space can be transformed into a cutting garden.

“We’re a family of gardeners who grow and preserve our own produce to feed us throughout the summer and winter,” said owner Angie King, who tends to an assortment of vegetables and chickens as well as her extravagant flower garden. “We have several gardens, and we incorporated a flower field into the farm. We believe that flowers make people, bees and butterflies happy.”

And much more than just pleasing to the eyes, the flower farm was also created for on-farm events such as u-picks and workshops along with grower bucket orders and DIY options. The family started their flower farm early in 2024.

At Mason Greenhouse, Richard Mason started with a tiny 4-by-4-foot raised bed garden 14 years, then expanded to a pair of 2-by-29-foot raised beds and a 4-by-22-foot raised bed. The farm is now home to a 24-by-48-foot greenhouse filled with raised beds and trellises for vegetable production. The highlight here, however, is his use of cattle panel greenhouses to protect his vegetables.

“My main problem was dealing with dear and rabbits,” Mason said. “I tried many remedies, including plastic deer fencing but these were a short-term answer. I finally came up with a garden greenhouse combination.”

Visitors can see how Mason utilized four relatively inexpensive materials: T-posts, cattle panels, treated lumber and greenhouse plastic.

“We just put the greenhouse plastic on in the fall and take it off in the spring,” Mason said.

Mason, a retired Campbell County teacher, is now an avid horticulturalist and ag advocate. He utilizes unique and low-input approaches. He starts all his seeds inside his home, has composted cardboard and household waste to improve the soil and is catching rainwater from their roof to water the garden.

Dennis Walter, owner of StoneBrook Winery, offers the opportunity for customers to sample and purchase wines in his tasting room as well as a tour of the production facility and vineyards.

“In 1871 the farm had a stone building that housed a blacksmith shop that served local farmers,” Walter said. “Pigs and truck crops were once part of this farming operation, as were dairy cows. By the mid-1950s the farm business turned to beef cattle, but since the wine industry has grown so rapidly the beef cattle have been phased out.”

Walter created commercial vineyards in 2000 and wine production began this year.

Danny and Sandy Geiman will host visitors to Yellow Star Acres, one they call their “mini farm.” Danny is a fifth-generation farmer with a background in raising tobacco, beef cattle and many gardens. Sandy grew up with a love for sewing, gardening and animals. They will explain to visitors how they combined their interests to farm on just six acres.

They raise Longhorn cattle, goats, chickens, tend to several gardens and have a small craft business.

There are seven other stops, including 12 Mile Beef, where visitors can learn more about this family-owned beef business and purchase the “12 Mile Beef Burger” right off the grill. Visitors might want to bring a cooler to this stop as the Bezold family will sell retail cuts and bundle boxes to those interested.

If honey wine is your forte, then Allfather’s Meadery is your stop. This farm family will offer a diverse selection of meads, wines and ciders. Co-owner Jason Catanzaro offers his Norse mythology-themed meadery that produces small-batch mead with locally sources ingredients like honey, fruits and spices.

At Seven Wells vineyard and winery visitors can tour both the vineyard and winery, and head to the tasting room to try samples of wine and cheese. A bottling demonstration will be offered.

If you love horses, then TC Farm is your stop. This small family horse farm is home to alfalfa hay and quarter horses. TC Farm raises quality performance quarter horses for show and sale. The family will be conducting a 20-minute on-ground training demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with both young and seasoned horses.

Neltner’s Farm will interest those wanting to learn more about hydroponic tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, beans, berries, squash, pumpkins, apples, peaches, blackberries, corn and more. Then, test their goodness with jams and jellies made from the produce.

Camp Springs Tavern is this tour’s watering hole. Here visitors can test domestic and premium beers, seltzers, wine and a wide assortment of bourbon.

The final stop is the Campbell County Ag Complex, a multi-purpose facility that provides various services to the agricultural community. Officials there will discuss how they support those in livestock, forage and crop production operations. Learn how the Extension office provides a wide range of other services, such as cattle pregnancy testing, crop scouting and disease identification.

For more details about this tour go to: https://campbellkyconservation.org/backroads-farm-tour.