A Trip to Kentucky
Business trips are always most enjoyable when they are packed with activities that are informative, interesting, and fun.
Earlier this week, I traveled to eastern Kentucky for an important in-person conference at AppHarvest, a 60-acre state-of-the-art greenhouse facility in Morehead that specializes in controlled environment agriculture - an advanced and intensive form of hydroponically-based agriculture where plants grow within a controlled environment to optimize horticultural practices and save natural resources. It is an extraordinary and innovative company. While I was busy at the meeting, my head gardener, Ryan McCallister, toured the surrounding areas and visited three interesting businesses - Pemberton's Greenhouses and Justins' House of Bourbon in Lexington, and Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort.
Here are some of the photos Ryan took. And be sure to check in tomorrow for more on our visit to AppHarvest.
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- A trip anywhere would not be complete without a visit to a garden or nursery. Pemberton’s Greenhouses is a seven generation family owned business which has remained in operation since 1871. It offers annual bedding plants, indoor and tropical plants, citrus, poinsettias, tropical trees, and so much more.
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- Ryan toured some of the greenhouses. In this one, aisles of begonia and geranium cuttings ready for production.
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- In another area are hundreds of geraniums in six-inch clay pots – all perfectly arranged and spaced.
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- Pemberton’s also offers a huge variety of assorted succulents.
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- This is Pemberton’s tropical greenhouse with another large selection of houseplants including the white Bird of Paradise in the lower left of this photo. I also have Birds of Paradise, Strelitzia nicolai. It is a species of banana-like plants with erect woody stems reaching a height of more than 20-feet.
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- Here is a section of assorted begonias. I have a large collection of interesting begonias at my farm. Ryan picked up three more – Begonia cleopatrae, Begonia foliosa, and a Begonia Golden Swallowtail.
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- And here’s the greenhouse kitty – looks a little like Blackie, don’t you think?
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- Next, Ryan toured Castle & Key Distillery, historically known as “The Old Taylor Distillery” which started operations in 1887. Inspired by European architecture, the distillery included a castle, a classical springhouse, and sunken gardens. The site was abandoned for many years before it was restored. Behind this sign is Taylorton Station where visitors can order food and cocktails at the window.
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- This is what it looked like before the restoration. The vegetation had grown so much, it was difficult to see the buildings and grounds. (Photo provided by Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens)
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- This is the entrance to the “Peristyle” before it was restored to its original beauty. In Hellenistic Greek and Roman architecture, a peristyle is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. (Photo provided by Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens)
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- Entrepreneurs Will Arvin and Wes Murry purchased the property in 2014 and set out to revive and restore the historic distillery. Here it is now – so beautiful. The garden restoration and plants were installed by Jon Carloftis Fine Gardening. (Photo provided by Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens)
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- And here is the restored “Peristyle.” “Peristyle” was built over a natural spring water source and was used for making bourbon. The shape is a large keyhole from up above, hence the name Castle & Key.
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- This was the old boiler room for the distillery. It is now the entrance into the gift shop.
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- This is the “Sunken Garden.” The pathways and fountain are original to the late 1800s.
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- This is a garden folly that was built in the “Sunken Garden” in the late 1800s. A garden folly is usually considered a building or structure designed for decoration with no other purpose than to add a touch of whimsy or extravagance to the surrounding landscape.
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- This is called “Warehouse E” – the concrete barrel house built in 1953.
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- These were original train tracks built by Colonel E.H. Taylor to deliver visitors, coal, and charred bourbon barrels to buyers. The tracks were uncovered during renovation and incorporated into the design.
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- Barrels are filled, and then rolled across the road to be stored.
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- These are the original Taxus shrubs. Taxus is a genus of coniferous trees or shrubs known as yews in the family Taxaceae. They are relatively slow-growing and can be very long-lived.
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- Also on the grounds is this allee of ‘Brackens Brown Beauty,’ or Southern Magnolia trees, on the site’s “Botanical Trail.”
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- Next stop was Justins’ House of Bourbon. And here to greet Ryan are owners, Justin Sloan and Justin Thompson. The two opened their first wine and spirits shop in Lexington in 2018.
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- Justins’ House of Bourbon has the largest collection of vintage bourbon for sale in the world.
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- Rare finds from the 50s and 60s such as this Collector’s Item 20 Year on the bottom shelf would be the centerpiece in any whiskey collection.
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- Full gallons of vintage bourbon can top 15 thousand dollars – especially rare Stitzel-Weller finds like this Old Fitzgerald and Weller Special Reserve.
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- And what is so special about this case of bourbon?
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- Private tastings are done in the secret speakeasy located behind it.
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- Tulip-shaped glasses like these wee drams help funnel the scent of the bourbon to the nose.
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- Van Winkle Special Reserve is part of the wheated Pappy bourbon family. It is just as soft and as smooth as it is hard to find.
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- Caroline Paulus, the Whiskey Historian at Justins’ House of Bourbon, gave Ryan a great tour of the house and provided lots of information. Here she is pouring a glass of Wild Turkey Tradition from 1994.
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- With so many to choose from, if one’s budget doesn’t include the rare Van Winkle, there are also lots of flavorful craft bourbons available at a variety of prices. These smaller pint sized bottles are perfect for travelers. It was a great day trip around Kentucky. Be sure to visit this blog tomorrow to learn more about AppHarvest, an innovative company that may be the answer to the many issues facing traditional field agriculture.
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