House Tours on Tap for Barksdale Cancer Foundation’s First Ever Wine Festival

By April Hall, Staff Writer

PHENIX – October is Virginia Wine Month, and since Charlotte County is located in the Southern Virginia Wine Region, what better way to celebrate than to hold a wine festival? That was the premise when Barksdale Cancer Foundation began discussing an annual fundraiser to help its cancer patients. “Miss Janie’s Sit & Sip” wine festival will be held on Saturday, October 6, from noon until 6 p.m. at the Gil-Har House in Phenix.

Jimmy and Pat Harding, owners of the home, say they are delighted to share their beautiful federal-style house with others, and at the same time raise money for cancer patients in Charlotte County.

“What a wonderful way to raise money and to reach out to the public at the same time,” says Mrs. Harding. “We are honored and pleased to be able to host such a unique fundraiser in our county, and for our patients.”

Mrs. Harding will be giving $5 tours of the house on the day of the event and sharing some of the many stories she has been told over the years about the Gilliam family, owners of the home from 1924 until the Hardings purchased it in 1995.

The home took several years to construct, as it was built using selected heart pine which was sawed and sized at Mr. Gilliam’s planing mill. Some unique features of the home are the main staircase, which was fashioned after one in a home in Farmville, and the layout of the house. Each floor contains five large rooms, a small service room, bathroom, and hall. Eddie Gilliam wanted a fireplace in his room and brought a parlor mantle from his birthplace in Prince Edward County to complete it, and it remains today. The floors, unfinished in 1924, were sanded by the Hardings when they bought the home and are superb. The home is furnished throughout with many period pieces and numerous antiques.

Barksdale has booked two local bands to provide entertainment for the festival, each one with a large following, and each with a member who has had a close brush with cancer. The Stoney Ridge Band from Keysville, featuring Spider Gilliam, whose grandfather built Gil-Har, will perform from noon until 3 p.m., at which time JB and the Get Down Browns from neighboring Mecklenburg County will take over and provide the remainder of the day’s music.

“We are extremely pleased to offer such a high caliber of local talent for our fundraiser,” says Wendy Lankford, president of BCF. “They lend many years of talent and musical experience to our fundraiser.”

Keeping the day’s event running on schedule will be Bill Baker of Clarksville, well known deejay, auctioneer, realtor and musician. The Charlotte County Lion’s Club will provide food for the festival.

Numerous artisans and craftsmen will be offering everything from “reloved” antiques and yard art to glassware, jewelry and handbags. The Budweiser wagon will be on site all day.

A beautiful queen-size quilt, made exclusively for BCF by South Central Parish Quilters, will be raffled the day of the festival. Tickets will be sold throughout the day and are available for purchase at locations around the county and surrounding areas.

Five wineries will be represented at the festival, all from neighboring counties. Following are brief descriptions of the participating wineries and a little about their offerings.

AMERICAN WAY COUNTRY WINES, CHASE CITY, VA

Located on Highway 47, about halfway between Chase City and South Hill, this winery has been making wines since 1970 … “the finest country wine you will find!” This is truly a “craft winery” which produces small batches of tightly controlled fine fruit wine, estate grown and bottled on the farm.

BRIGHT MEADOWS FARM, NATHALIE, VA

Nestled among the rolling hills of historic Halifax County on the site of a 19th century tobacco plantation sits this small family-owned and operated winery. A restored 115-year-old barn offers country wines.

The winery opened its doors to tasters and sales in March of 2007. Their specialty wines are Bright Meadows White, Bright Meadows Red, Burley Red, Halifax Red, apple, blackberry, B.A.G., Bright Leaf White and Dan River Noir.

SAN SOUCY VINEYARDS & WINERY, BROOKNEAL, VA

Rooted in the idyllic slopes of Brookneal, this vineyard and winery was the first farm winery in Campbell County, “the heart of Virginia’s garden spot.” Indicative of a family’s love for wine, they grow a variety of vinifera and hybrid vines on five acres and have additional acreage planted with heirloom apple trees.

Wines they offer include Oak ‘n’ Berry, Rose, Gold Leaf, blackberry, Cabernet, Franc, Petit Verdot and sangria.

THREE SISTERS OF SHINEY ROCK, CLARKSVILLE, VA

Nestled in Clarksville’s backyard is this vineyard farm owned by the Powell family sisters. The winery is operated by The Three Sisters and their supporting families, who take care of all operations, including picking, processing and bottling.

Licensed in 2011, current offerings include muscadine and scuppernong wines.

TOMAHAWK MILL, CHATHAM, VA

In 1888, a few miles from Chatham, James Anderson opened his Tomahawk Creek grist mill to serve local farmers. One hundred years later the mill was closed, and the first grapes were planted on the hill above the mill pond.

The winery started with Chardonnay and Concord varieties and sometime later, Pinot Noir, Johannisberg Riesling, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes followed, and the first Chardonnay vintage was produced in 1990. Other varieties produced now include Vidal Blanc, apple, Earl of Chatham Mead, Cabernet Franc, Sergeant Anderson’s Red, and Tobacco Road Blues.

Tasting and non-tasting tickets for this event may be purchased online through Paypal or by credit card by visiting the website, www.barksdalecancerfou.wixsite.com/mysite and clicking on the upcoming events tab.

Locally, tickets may be purchased by calling the following: in Charlotte Court House, Terri at 434-470-1225; in Drakes Branch, Pixie at 434-391-4726; in Red Oak/Wylliesburg, Wendy at 434-470-1538; in Phenix, Pat at 434-547-2864; in Cullen, Felicia at 434-395-0000; in Brookneal, Crystal at 434-547-5051. Tickets are also available at Keysville Hardware, Chase City Florist and Central Insurance Agency in Clarksville, or from any BCF member.

Barksdale Cancer Foundation is a grassroots organization founded in 1999. Its sole purpose is to give monetary and services support to cancer patients in Charlotte County. The foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit manned by volunteers. If you know of someone who is in need of these services, please call Wendy Lankford at 434-470-1538. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, it may be mailed to BCF, P.O. Box 225, Charlotte Court House, VA 23923.