As you begin your trek east on Sound Avenue, the first vineyard that comes into view is the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard. The idyllic setting began as an east end farm, owned and tended by Sam Rubin, whose lifelong passion for natural farming blossomed into an endeavor to grow grapes from imported French vines. With son Richard’s business plan and vineyard management, they began producing wines and then opened their tasting house in 2007. Today, the 14-acre vineyard is a family run venture, and Sam, who is now in his 80s, continues to devote his passion to toiling the soil and tending the grape vines that produce a portfolio of over a dozen wines.
The tasting house occupies a charming farm home, circa 1861, which is situated between the vineyard and some paddocks. Around the time when the tasting house was celebrating their grand opening, there were three very special guests who are now permanent residents of the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard. Their names are Angel, Mirage and Prince. Richard Rubin and his sister, Sharon Levine, co-founded the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue with the goal of encouraging legislation that will halt the slaughter of horses. The non-profit organization rescues horses in need, provides them with a safe haven, nurtures them and strives to restore their emotional health, and attempts to find loving forever homes for some of them. Animal-loving visitors to the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard will not want to pass up a weekend tour of the paddocks to meet these amazing creatures.
To date, there are over two dozen horses that happily greet hundreds of vineyard guests every weekend. Some are retired racing horses with impressive ancestry, some are thoroughbreds, some are majestic Arabians, and there are also miniature horses, a Clydesdale and a Paso Fino. What they all have in common is the horrific tale that, although healthy, they were once all slated for slaughter. Thanks to the determined intervention and the loving and dedicated efforts of the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue, they now live their lives in peace, security, comfort and contentment. One conversation with Sharon and her love for the horses is instantly apparent. They are exceptionally well cared for. They are even kept indoors when the clouds above decide to drizzle.
In addition to their sizable portfolio, the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard has produced three wines, shown above with Liberty, that are dedicated to supporting the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue’s cause. Mirage is a luscious red blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, and it earned the gold medal for 2013 New York State Commercial Wine. Angel is a partially oak-aged Chardonnay. For rose drinkers, there is the fruity Savannah Rose. Miniature bottles of all three of these wines are also available, providing an excellent option as a party favor. All proceeds from the sales of these horse rescue wines are contributed to the rescue group to support their efforts and to the care of the horses.
The Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue offers pony rides and hosts pony-themed birthday parties for the younger generations of Long Islanders. The profits from these events all go back into the group’s continuous sanctuary expansion and rescue efforts.
On your next journey into the north fork wine trail, stop at the first vineyard on your route for a leisurely sampling of the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard’s wines in the tasting house, and be sure to pay a visit to the magnificent four-legged residents of the paddocks. The happy cows can have California. Happy horses live right here on our eastern north fork and attract animal lovers and wine aficionados alike to their abode.
The Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard is located at 2114 Sound Avenue in Calverton, just east of Edwards Avenue and west of the Cooperage Inn. For directions, hours of operation and to find out more about the wines, the horses or what you can do to help end the barbaric practice of horse slaughter, visit www.baitinghollowfarmvineyard.com.
The tasting house occupies a charming farm home, circa 1861, which is situated between the vineyard and some paddocks. Around the time when the tasting house was celebrating their grand opening, there were three very special guests who are now permanent residents of the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard. Their names are Angel, Mirage and Prince. Richard Rubin and his sister, Sharon Levine, co-founded the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue with the goal of encouraging legislation that will halt the slaughter of horses. The non-profit organization rescues horses in need, provides them with a safe haven, nurtures them and strives to restore their emotional health, and attempts to find loving forever homes for some of them. Animal-loving visitors to the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard will not want to pass up a weekend tour of the paddocks to meet these amazing creatures.
To date, there are over two dozen horses that happily greet hundreds of vineyard guests every weekend. Some are retired racing horses with impressive ancestry, some are thoroughbreds, some are majestic Arabians, and there are also miniature horses, a Clydesdale and a Paso Fino. What they all have in common is the horrific tale that, although healthy, they were once all slated for slaughter. Thanks to the determined intervention and the loving and dedicated efforts of the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue, they now live their lives in peace, security, comfort and contentment. One conversation with Sharon and her love for the horses is instantly apparent. They are exceptionally well cared for. They are even kept indoors when the clouds above decide to drizzle.
In addition to their sizable portfolio, the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard has produced three wines, shown above with Liberty, that are dedicated to supporting the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue’s cause. Mirage is a luscious red blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon, and it earned the gold medal for 2013 New York State Commercial Wine. Angel is a partially oak-aged Chardonnay. For rose drinkers, there is the fruity Savannah Rose. Miniature bottles of all three of these wines are also available, providing an excellent option as a party favor. All proceeds from the sales of these horse rescue wines are contributed to the rescue group to support their efforts and to the care of the horses.
The Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue offers pony rides and hosts pony-themed birthday parties for the younger generations of Long Islanders. The profits from these events all go back into the group’s continuous sanctuary expansion and rescue efforts.
On your next journey into the north fork wine trail, stop at the first vineyard on your route for a leisurely sampling of the Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard’s wines in the tasting house, and be sure to pay a visit to the magnificent four-legged residents of the paddocks. The happy cows can have California. Happy horses live right here on our eastern north fork and attract animal lovers and wine aficionados alike to their abode.
The Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard is located at 2114 Sound Avenue in Calverton, just east of Edwards Avenue and west of the Cooperage Inn. For directions, hours of operation and to find out more about the wines, the horses or what you can do to help end the barbaric practice of horse slaughter, visit www.baitinghollowfarmvineyard.com.
Want to help? It's easy. Click Take Action Now! to access a letter that you can copy and paste to your senator's contact page, urging a stop to the practice of slaughtering healthy horses.
All photos courtesy of Sharon Levine and the Baiting Hollow Farm Horse Rescue.