Creepy Crawlies

Japanese beetles. Popillia japonica. Pest. Call them what you will, they've descended upon the Piedmont with a vengeance, and grape growers (vineyards) are taking the wrath of this ravenous beast. OK, maybe beast was a little much but one vineyard owner we talked to today said, "they eat, and eat, and eat, and never get full." According to the University of Kentucky Entomology website a single beetle may not eat that much but a group feeding can cause major damage.

My partner in grime, Brent Campbell and I, set out to find this menace and here in the western part of the Piedmont we have no shortage of vineyards to hunt for the flying nuisance. A couple of phone calls to local wineries and we struck gold at Laurel Gray Vineyards. A beautiful little spot in Yadkin County right in the middle of the Yadkin Valley, now famous for it's vineyards.

Brent and I were greeted by Kim Myers, co-owner of Laurel Gray. She and her husband, Benny have been in the business of growin' grapes for the last four years but after talking to Kim, you'd think they'd been at it all their lives. She was what we call in the business a "sound bite machine." After little more than 45 minutes of looking over the vineyard and showing us how the beetles have begun to decimate the tops of vines she had given us enough sound for a mini-series. (yep, we'll be coming back to her in the future)

As we left, and my stomach was telling me we were cutting into lunch time, Kim and her mom told us to head down the road to the Amish Community in Hamptonville and get the best deli sandwich this side of Pennsylvania. They weren't wrong, I polished off the turkey and farmer's cheese sandwich in nothing flat. If you're ever in the area you should definitely stop in the little country store run by the Amish. Traveling west on Hwy. 421 just take exit 267, that's the one just past I-77. Take a left at the top of the ramp and go about 4 miles to Shiloh Baptist Church. The store is behind the church and it's only about 30 minutes from Winston-Salem. They have plenty of other things to tempt your palate, like fried apple and peach pies, assorted jellies and homemade breads. So, next time you're in Yadkin County, visit a local winery and don't forget to go to the Amish Country Store.