Hidden Arbor Farm

10/12/2026

Oops, we did it again. We harvested more Pinot Blanc grapes than we have room for in our tanks! We are selling the surplus for $2.50 per pound while supplies last.

These grapes are great for:

- Eating fresh (note: they do contain seeds)
- Making juice or w**e
- Grinding the seeds for oil extraction or baking

Please message me for the address and to schedule a pick-up time. We accept cash or checks only (no credit cards).

Always,

Elizabeth Ziph
Hidden Arbor Farm
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Join the frinds of Hidden Arbor Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/345418667255859

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10/10/2026

Harvest schedule: weather permitting.
09/26/2026 - We harvested Fleuretai . it is now fermenting.
10/10/2026 - we are harvesting Auxerrois and Pinot Blanc. 10/11/2026 = possibly we'll Harvest the Regent
10/17/2026 = harvesting Muller-Thurgau
10/24/2026 = Harvesting Blau Freankische & Cabernet Franc

09/11/2026

You know the song - there's a hole in the bucket, dear liza, dear liza....Sorry, i know you will now be humming it all day. Anyway. We have a lot of grapes that will need to be harvested starting mid-October. They will need to be crushed and put into tanks for fermentation. Stick with me... The tanks are full of aging w**e from the 2025 harvest. We need to bottle those w**es so we can scrub the tanks for the 2026 harvest. We just received the new bottles and corks. Sounds good, no? But where shall we store the bottles? dear Liza dear Liza. Aha! on shelves dear Henry, dear Henry, on shelves. Where shall we put the shelves? dear Liza, dear Liza? In the cellar dear Henry, dear Henry, in the cellar. So here's the problem we have - we have no cellar! oops. Well, we're resourceful. Here's the update - we are building an above ground cellar. Ok we only call it a cellar. It really is a temperature controlled twin barn to our w**ery barn. It's actually being built and we hope that Tim and his crew can get it finished in time so that we can drain the tanks into bottles and store the bottles on new shelves in the new above-ground cellar.. and then we can harvest the 2026 vintage, crush the grapes and store the mush in cleaned tanks for fermentation. (No, we do NOT stomp on the grapes in buckets. Nah! Don't even think about it.)

You are all welcome to come harvest grapes with us; I will post harvest dates as soon as the grapes tell us that they are ready to be picked. We'd love to see you all. So stand by. And I promise to feed you all and hand out some 2022 or 2023 or 2025 bottles. Let me know if you are interested in participating or just watching our joyous endeavors, Hah - bring your folding chairs and sweaters. When you do come, drive slowly & carefully - our hilly, private, gravel road is awaiting renovations.
The photos are after the excavation but before a real barn is visible. Yes, there are only a few sticks above ground in support footers. Watch this space for new photos, she sighs.
❤️ you all. I am looking forward to your cheery & of course encouraging comments. 😎

05/06/2026

2025 harvest
In case I neglected to tell you, we did not have a 2024 harvest. The grapes fell prey to fungicide and rot. It was a bummer.
In 2022 we had planted a few new varieties and replaced those that succumbed to frost and other harms. After 4 years of giving it a chance, we removed all 300 Rkatsiteli vines; they did not like it in our terroir.
Now our roster includes the old vines that we planted in 2019 and augmented over the years: Auxerrois, Pinot Blanc, Blaufränkisch, Cabernet Franc, and the new guard that had to just grow for three years before we could harvest it: Müller-Thurgau, Floretai, Regent, and a few Dornfelder vines.

Feel free to ask questions, here or in the group.

05/06/2026

Progress on the w**ery
Instead of operating in an 80 sq/ft shed we finally have a real 1200 sq feet w**e making facility and it feels luxurious though I am still wondering where to keep the bottled w**e. All those land use permits, building permits and inspections, electrical permits and inspections, Plumbing and HVAC permits and inspections. Oh my. And then, late in November it got cold and we realized that our water pump plant needed to have a shed built around it to protect the pump from freezing. It was not fun. I will say that the decision to add a covered porch that offered shelter from the elements when crushing made a lot of difference.

We had to seal the concrete and wood to pass inspection and I will take some new photos later this month. These were taken last November.

The good news is that once we put in the waste water tank in late October, we passed the EGLE inspection and with that in hand and all the sanitary requirements (five hot water sinks! etc.) installed, we now have an MDARD license. 😇

I was re-finger-printed last week and the paperwork for Small W**e Maker License is on its way to the state, so onward for forward...

Ask questions and comment here or in the group

05/06/2026

09/30/2025

awaiting completion and tank installation

09/26/2025

Barn is almost done!!! Still need insulated garage doors and faucets and bathroom fixtures to get occupancy permit.

Plan A:
We plan to harvest the whites Saturday - October 4th.
Harvest reds Saturday October 18th.
P:lan B:
Push everything one week out.

Volunteers will be fed and get bottles of 2023 w**es.
The weather will be good this coming weekend!
https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/mi/beulah

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08/27/2025

The grapes are ripening

08/27/2025

The floor is sealed. and the septic tank is in