Maize Valley Market & Winery

People

Three Generations Growing together. This photo was taken January 10th 2006 in Las Vegas Nevada at Todd and Samantha's wedding!!

How did all this here get started you ask? Well let me tell you a story...

The gentleman in the back row second from the left is Kay Vaughan and the beautiful lady next to him is his wife of 49 years Donna. His family settled in the Marlboro area in the 1800's and have been living and making a living with the land ever since. They both taught school and farmed together since the 1960's. Donna now works in the market and does all those important things grandma's do. Kay oversees the crop production area of the farm, builds stuff and gives advice. Plus they both take care of Donna's Mom Bernice, who lives with them and has her sights set on that 100th birthday.

Aunt Barb, Kay's sister, is over on the far right. She lives in California and thought it would be good to take the short drive down to Vegas for the wedding. Steve and Debbie are over second and third on the right. Steve is Kay and Donna's oldest son. He was in charge of the dairy herd before we sold the cows. He now sells animal nutritional products and helps from time to time with carpentry projects and drinking any excess wine. Debbie puts the word "elbow" in elbow grease, and used to work at our grain farm. She now works at a local radio station keeping them straight. Even when she stops by the winery to relax she can't help but get up and clean something. We appreciate them a whole bunch. Their son Alex is on the far left, he works for Wells Fargo changing stage coach wheels or investment banking, I can't remember which?

Michelle is in the blue jacket next to the lady in the white dress. She is Kay and Donna's second child. She met the bald guy next to her, Bill Bakan (he wasn't bald then) at Ohio State in 1983. She felt sorry for him and married him in 1985 after they graduated. They have been working on the farm since then throughout all it's changes. Michelle manages the farm market, winery inventory and labor as well as the bookkeeping aspects of the business. Bill does a little bit of everything from being in charge of marketing to weeding the blueberries and grapes. They have three offspring, Cara third from left, Breanne who is holding on to Brett who is about to be attacked by his Alligator. 

That leaves Todd and Samantha. Todd is Kay and Donna's final offspring and our winemaker. He also oversees the greenhouse production and works in the winery's retail area with the rest of us. Samantha has worked with us for several years now and recently has taken over wholesale wine sales and manages the office.

All of our jobs change from day to day whenever the needs of the business do. We range from giving school tours and cutting corn mazes to pouring wines at tastings and shows. You might say our journey has taken us from Corn and Cows to Cabernet. Stay tuned the best is yet to come....