Looks like Fall in the Mountains...

There isn't much new to report so I thought I would share a few Fall shots of the local mountains...


This is Gerry's Fall located outside Hot Springs, NC


Looking down a road out into the Pisgah National Forest


Beautiful Fall leaf colors


Driving the mountain roads in the Fall at about 3400' elevation

Here is photo looking out from some property we own near the Appalachian Trail

Flooding in our area...

We had more rain this past week in Western North Carolina than I can ever remember. The rain fell for days and days with little hesitation which resulted in several rivers leaving their banks. The French Broad River, which runs near our home, flooded several pastures, greenhouses, and a tree farm. The apple orchards were also affected as they were unable to harvest their crop on time.

For the past couple of years our region has experienced drought, but with this much rain I would say the chance of finishing the year with a rain deficit is very slim!

Here is a shot of the French Broad River as it floods a road.

Flooded animal pasture near our home.

Animal pasture, shelter, and corn under water.

Animals grazing on their remaining pasture.

Tree farm near our home.

Another shot of the French Broad River flooding the tree farm.

Rows of trees at the tree farm flooded.

Local news on the scene to report the flooding.

News helicopter hovering over our house filming the flooding.

Another news team in the area reporting on the floods.

We toured a Blue Agave Farm and Tequila Factory...

Last week we had the pleasure of finding ourselves in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico which is located in the state of Jalisco. Jalisco just happens to be the center of the Mexican tequila industry and the town of Tequila, which gave its name to the famous liquor, is also located in Jalisco. While in Jalisco we toured two agave farms that manufacture tequila on site.

The process of manufacturing tequila is a great example of taking a base plant and turning it into a high quality value added product. We were told we could purchase a blue agave shoot for a few dollars yet some bottles of tequila are sold for $25, $50, or even as much as $2500 a bottle once the right type of aging and processes are applied to the blue agave's juice.

Good tequila requires great blue agave plants and it takes about seven years to grow one to harvest. These plants are harvested by jimadores using a tool called a coa which allows them to cut away the branches of the blue agave and leave only the meaty center called pinas. The pinas are then shredded and the juices are pressed out into fermentation tanks. After the fermented juice has been distilled you are left with blanco tequila. The blanco tequila can then be taken a step further and placed into oak barrels which once contained whiskey or bourbon, then aged for several years to create reposado or anejo tequila. To make sure you are consuming the best tequila your bottle should state that it is "made with 100% blue agave". Some brands of tequila are made with a dilution of the blue agave juice and this leads to impurities which can cause hangovers and headaches, so you get what you pay for!

Overall we had a great time on our tequila tour. It was easy to see the people who produce this product are proud of their heritage and strive to create the best drinking tequilas possible. Most end of up with very distinct flavors and tastes based on an array of variables from the soil the blue agave grows in to the process each manufacturer uses. Some of the tequilas we purchased were even infused with almonds, coffee, and other flavors, something we have not seen available for purchase in America. So if you ever find yourself in the state of Jalisco Mexico, do yourself a favor and take a tequila tour. You too will be impressed by the heritage behind this 400 year old process and the simple blue agave plant.

Here I am standing among some blue agave plants.


Our guide shows us a Coa used by the jimadores to clean the blue agave.


Leigh Ann standing next to Pinas that will be crushed and shredded for their juice.
This machine is the modern way the pinas are shredded.

Here our guide holds some of the shredded pinas called Musto. It tastes like a sweet potato with the texture of sugar cane.
The Tahona is used to press the musto and extract the juice.
The blue agave juice is distilled here in these stainless steel tanks at least twice to produce the blanco tequila.
These old barrels sit for months or years in order to create the reposado or anejo tequilas. Here are the tequilas we purchased on our tour. Many of them have been infused with flavors. Some producers get very creative with their tequila bottles. This bottle has a hand-blown jimadores inside using the coa on a blue agave.

Sunflowers are blooming...

There is not much new to report this month so I thought I would post a few images of our sunflowers. The small birds have really enjoyed them and they help brighten up the outdoors.

These sunflowers are located between our guesthouse and barnhouse.
Several varieties were planted but some did not bloom or were taken out by squirrels.
My favorite is this variety with the dark orange hues.
Here is a twist...we purchased this old propane tank converted to a sunflower at Bele Chere last year.