- ELFS FARM IS REBUILDING
March 1, 2012
While we are rebuilding our processing building we have had time to pay attention to the wine festival that did not happen last year. The 2012 ADIRONDACK COAST WINE CIDER & FOOD FESTIVAL will be held Saturday, October 6, 2012. The location will be at the City of Plattsburghs’ Crete Center on the beach of Lake Champlain.
Early bird tickets will go on sale April 1 at various locations and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Center. Ticket prices are $16. per person/$30 couple and will increase after the early bird date.
The festival which is also a NY Farmers Market will feature local Wineries, Cideries, Farmers, and unique gift and food items. Unlimited sampling, live music, demonstrations and fun will be included in the ticket price.
For more information visit www.acwcf.com. The festival is supporting the efforts for the establishment of the Adirondack Coast Wine Trail.
ELFS FARM NEWS
March 1, 2012
The temporary tasting room construction is underway. The finish date goal is March 25, 2012. We are looking to be open and tasting wine by tax day, April 15, 2012
Our construction plans and scheduling call for the building of a new 4000 square foot processing building. Our old processing building was just about 1000 square feet and also housed our lab room. The new building will have 20 foot ceilings so we can house our new larger tanks for both wine and cider.
We just obtained two tanks for our new building, one is 3000 gallons and the other is 1700 gallons which can withstand several atmospheres of pressure, to help us make carbonated cider. These two tanks need the higher ceilings due to their size.
During our fire induced hiatus the elfs have been all over the country, obtaining production equipment for our rebuilding effort. We traveled to Colorado and back in a seven day marathon to pick up a “new” cider press. This squeeze box press will increase our efficiency and output by 400 %. It is also much greener, operating on one 120 motor, instead of the four motors our antique press worked on.
We traveled several times to the Finger Lakes to a number of wineries in search of available equipment. We found a crusher/destemmer at one and an updated automatic bottling line at another. We made a trip to Niagra-on-the-lake and found three larger wine tanks. All in all we probable traveled 15,000 miles looking for equipment to replace what we lost in the fire. We made many friends in the wine and cider industry and extend our thanks to all who have helped us towards this rebuilding.
We are underway with our rebuilding efforts. The goal is to open a tasting room in late spring, early summer. Please check back for updates
SATURDAY JULY 30th 2011 9:45pm, THE FIRE WAS FIRST NOTICED BY A NEIGHBOR. DESPITE VALENT EFFORTS BY SEVERAL LOCAL DEPARTMENTS THE WINERY WAS LOST!
Fortunately, all of the ELFS were safely evacuated and nobody and no elf were injured. All of the wine and the entire building was lost. Fire investigators found no specific cause but were looking primarily at the rear second floor office where the fire was first spotted. The office had several office items including computer and printers.
The winery and cider mill will be closed indefitinitely. The Frey family would like to thank all of the community for their well wishes and special thanks to all of the first responders for their selfless efforts.
Meanwhile the ELFS are working even harder on the Autism benefit scheduled for Columbus weekend. Please visit www.acwcf.com to find out about the Adirondack Coast Wine Cider and Food Festival at the Crete Civic center. God Bless!
Elfs Farm Winery is open from March 15th to December 24th. Wine Tasting’s are held every day except for Monday which is the only day we are closed. Store hours are 11AM to 6PM , except for Sunday when we are open 12PM to 5PM.
Please contact us at 518-563-2750 or info@elfsfarm.com. You can make a request us if you would like us to put you on our email list. This list is our way of communicating about winery events, specials and sales.
ELFS Farm is a small family owned farm winery and cider mill located in Plattsburgh, NY. Several types of cold climate grape wines, fruit wines including our specialty line of Apple Wines and a hard apple cider known as ADK Hard Cider are made on completely on site. You can find out more about our hard cider at www.adkhardcider.com.
Elfs Farm began in 2004 as a roadside farmer market, selling fresh vegetables. In 2005 the first grapes were planted. An antique cider mill was purchased and refurbished over the next two years. In the fall of 2008, the first fresh cider was produced and sold from the farm. In September of 2009 Elfs Farm recieved it’s NY State Farm Winery license and became Plattsburgh’s first winery.
2010 was the first full year that Elfs Farm operated as a winery. Because of its antique cider mill and its experience with making cider it was a natural that Elfs farm specialized in making Apple Wine. In the summer of 2010 ELFS Farm entered two different styles of Apple wine in two different wine contests. The results were extremely rewarding for this new winery with it’s first batch of wines.
At the NY Wine and Food Classic the Appleachian Trail wine, a semi-sweet was awarded a Double gold and Best Fruit Wine award. The Lady Di’s was awarded a Silver Medal. Elfs Farm also took a Silver Medal with it’s Pear-Honey Wine, and a Bronze Medal with it’s Cayuga White. Due to it’s excellence in Fruit Wine’s Elfs Farm was awarded the “Specialty Winery Award.”
The following month at the International Cold Climate Wine Competition which is held in Minnesota the Applelachian was awarded another Double Gold and the Lady Di’s was given a Gold medal.
For a list of all of ELFS Farm wines please visit the wine section.
ELFS Farm is proud to be a sponsor and strong supporter of the Adirondack Coast Wine, Cider & Food Festival, Columbus Day Weekend, October 7 – 8, 2011. Visit http://www.acwcf.com .
This fall harvest festival, craft fair, farmers market and music venue is excited to be the home of the North American Cold Climate Wine Classic. The NACCWC is a contest featuring both amateur and professional classes for adult beverages produced with fruit grown in Zone 4 and colder climates. Special classes include Ice Cider, distilled beverages, fruit wines, hybrid grape wine and cider.
Visit http://www.NACCWC.org.