FOCUS - OCTOBER 2017 19 1920Whitfield Rd., Port Perry (Follow Simcoe Street, just 3 kms north of town) 905-982-0118 www.tradingpostqualityfoods.com TRADING POST QUALITY FOODS ....WHEN IT MATTERS AAA Butcher Shop Beef, Chicken, Pork, Lamb, Fish & Seafood • Gourmet Foods Condiments & Hot Sauces • Yankee Candle Outlet Area’s Largest Selection of K-Cup Coffee To celebrate, during the month of October we invite you to come in, fill out a ballot and enter our draw for a chance to win one of our Celebrating FIFTEEN YE A R S GOURMET GIFT BASKETS added more trees and changed the varieties of apples to the varieties most in demand.” But ultimately, a career of Holsteins and apples – certainly the road most easily followed – wasn’t in Irwin’s future. “Music was my passion,” he said. “I played the piano and sang – as a kid, I had lessons in both – and I’d always wanted to operate my own business dealing in musical instru- ments and accessories. So in 1978, I opened a music store in Port Perry where I could help young musicians.” The fledgling business prospered. But eventually, Irwin found himself at a crossroads. “We had a contract with local schools, and beyond my in-store work, I found myself on the road 3 or 4 days a week, servicing and tun- ing band instruments. I had to make a decision at that point: expand the business or leave it behind.” Fate interceded to illuminate his path. “My father was getting older in the 90’s, and looking to retire, so I had a golden opportunity to return to the farm. That timing made for a smooth career transition.” Apples were the farm’s sole source of income on his return. “There was more than enough land to expand, so I added some more trees.” The swelling apple crop, he learned, soon exceeded the farm’s public sales, sparking a new initiative. “It made sense to process those ex- tra apples on the farm. So we started a winery, using an old barn which was sitting empty. In the end, we had a new revenue stream, and the attraction of the winery also brought people in who would buy apples in the same visit.” Wine made from apples, he ex- plains, is a relatively new industry in North America, compared to its more prominent cousin, the grape. “Apple wine – fruit wines in gen- eral – are more common in Europe. But there’s a place at the dinner table for it, especially with dishes like pork. And at Christmas, fruit wines actu- ally outsell ones made from grapes. They make great gifts.” Irwin experimented with other fruits and planted grapes to round out the winery’s portfolio. “Turned out, my high school chemistry was useful!” he jokes. Just as the music store had years before, the Ocala Winery prospered. Ironically, Irwin would face the identical situation as he had with the music store. The final decision would Irwin, Joanne Cerovitch and Alissa during an Ocala wine tasting in February 2000. Smith Farm (continued from page 17) ...................... Please turn to page 25