Raleigh Relocation | Moving to Raleigh | Triangle NC Relocation Information: North Carolina: Silk Hope

365 Things to Do in Raleigh | Tour a Winery

Silk Hope Winery - Over 15 Wines to Sample

 

You may be surprised to learn that North Carolina is one of the most active wine-producing areas of the United States. For example, the annual "Great Grapes" fair in Cary draws dozens of wineries and thousands of attendees wanting to experience what NC wineries have to offer.

 

Last weekend we visited an up-and-coming winery that first planted in 1997 and had its first vintage of wine in 2000 - the Silk Hope Winery. The trip was on a whim, but we ended up pleasantly surprised by both the winery and the wines themselves.

  

 

You first drive up a long gravel entry road to the Silk Hope Winery itself, 2.5 acres located on top of one of the largest hills in the area - great climate for producing high-quality wines.

You are invited into a metal building that serves as a processing center, warehouse, and showroom for the Silk Hope Winery. You can tour through boxes of wine ready to purchase, fermentation equipment, or head straight to the back, where they have tables, chairs, and a bar prepared to welcome visitors.

With over 15 wines to sample, I recommend at least two trips to the Silk Hope Winery, or else you might not remember the second half of the wines as much as the first.

  

 

The Silk Hope Winery sampling menu is helpfully divided into red and white wines, and you can choose to mix and match how you like. Bonus: you get to keep your glass, labelled with the logo and name of Silk Hope Winery!

Grapes being grown at the Silk Hope Winery include, but aren't limited to: Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Norton, Vidal Blanc, and Traminette.

Silk Hope Winery is planning on opening more outdoor drinking and relaxation areas, including a gazebo and picnic facilities out in the middle of the vineyard.

 

 

 

Directions to Silk Hope Winery

From Raleigh: Take Highway 64 East just past Pittsboro. Exit onto Highway 87 North (to the right), and then left onto Silk Hope-Gum Springs road. There is a large white sign on your left at the entrance to Silk Hope Winery.

 

You can visit Silk Hope Winery's website for more information on their wines, as well as additional links and contact information.

More about the Silk Hope Area

What is Silk Hope, NC? Find Out More About This Beautiful Chatham County Community

Cattail Creek - New Homes on Acreage in Silk Hope

Horizon - New Homes on Acreage  

Wine Tours | More 365 Things to Do in Raleigh

Join Stanton Homes for more adventures in the "365 Things to Do in Raleigh" Series!

Local NC Wineries | Wine Tours Near Raleigh | Dennis Vineyards

Fresh Local Menu - Market Restaurant - Some Place "Different" to Eat in Raleigh 

Falls River Books | Rare and Used Books | 365 Things to Do in Raleigh

ReTails Thrift Shop in Raleigh | 365 Things to Do in Raleigh

Escazu Artisan Chocolates | Unique Gifts and Tours | 365 Things to Do in Raleigh

Tasca Brava Café | Best Place for Tapas in Raleigh | 365 Things to Do in Raleigh

Harrys Guitar Shop | Best Place to Find Guitars in Raleigh | Guitar Lessons

365 Things to Do in Raleigh - Horseback Riding - Dead Broke Horse Farm 

 

Raleigh Recreation - Festivals and Events

Old Fashioned Farmers Day

Labor Day Weekend 2008

The Old Fashioned Farmers Day event can actually be a bit misleading - this country festival actually runs across 3 days, and offers lots of home-grown farm fun just 40 minutes from Raleigh. 

If you love going to the State Fair, but long for the simpler days, this festival is bound to be lots of fun.

What to Do at the Old Fashioned Farmers Day Event!

View Local Crafts and Products

Over 200 vendors came to hawk their ways for the 2007 event, and participation should be close this year!   Visitors can look at homemade jams and jellies, clothing, wood crafts, metal crafts, pottery, and more.  Not only that, but there's a huge antique presence with a great "flea market" feel to the presentations. 

Eat Great Food

You'll find southern BBQ plates, hot dogs, chicken, and more - and that's just the main event!  Snack on cotton candy, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, funnel cakes and more. 

Try Some Southern Homemade Ice Cream

This ice cream is so good, over 7000 cups were served last year!  An antique steam engine will churn away throughout the day, serving homemade ice cream.  You'll want to come back for seconds!

Listen to some Bluegrass

Concerts are held both Saturday and Sunday, and midday and at 7pm.  Come for some great gospel and bluegrass music.

Here's a brief schedule of events for Old Fashioned Farmers Day in Chatham County:

Friday August 29th

• 6pm - Gates Open

• 7pm - Tractor Pull

Saturday August 30th

• 9am - Grand Opening Session, Raising of the Flag by Boy Scout Troop 911.
• 9:15am - Saw Milling
• 9:30am - Shingle Milling
• 10:15am - Rock Crushing
• 10:30am - Junior Dairy Show - Showmanship and Fitting
• 11:00am - Threshing, Baling and Corn Shredding
• Noon - Whistle Blow and Lunch Break (home cooked pintos, fried chicken tenders, pork barbecue, homemade ice cream!)
• 12:30pm - Outdoor Music Begins!
• 1:00pm - Shingle Milling
• 1:00pm - Junior Dairy Show - Type Classes
• 1:30pm - Saw Milling
• 1:30pm - Kids Games, Kiddie Tractor Pull
• 4:30pm - Threshing and Baling
• 6:00pm - Supper (home cooked pintos, fried chicken tenders, pork barbecue, homemade ice cream!)
• 7:30-10:30pm - Evening Music on the outdoor stage

Sunday August 31st

Sunday the 31st has a similar schedule, with a raffle drawing schedule for 7 pm.

Music will be offered by:

• The Rocky River Ramblers - Originally a father/son group, the Rocky River Ramblers are based in Siler City and play bluegrass with a touch of gospel.
• A Touch of Blue - Bluegrass band
• Nu-Blu - Mixture of traditional and contemporary bluegrass
• The Circuit
• The Harvesters - The Harvesters Quartet has been performing gospel music since 1954, and is well known in the gospel circuit.  Will perform on Sunday. 

• The Blackwelders

Admission and Directions:

General Admission is $5.00 per day per person, children under 6 FREE.

Parking is free.

Old Fashioned Farmers Day is held just northwest of Pittsboro, in the Silk Hope area.  About 25 minutes from Chapel Hill by the back roads, or about 40 minutes on the highway, Silk Hope consists of beautiful, rolling wooded countryside, dotted by family farms.

Located between Siler City and Pittsboro, on Silk Hope Gum Springs Road at the intersection of Silk Hope Lindley Mills Road.  From the Raleigh area, take 64W to Pittsboro, then right on 87N (exit 381), travel 2 miles.  Left on Silk Hope Gum Springs Road, travel 7 miles. 

Head on out for some Old Fashioned Family Fun!!  Just another example of the wide variety of activities - and the heritage - of the Raleigh area!

Sponsored by Silk Hope Ruritan Club. Proceeds used in support of Community Service Activities.  General Information Contact: Buddy Lemons at Baker Limestone (OFFD Chairman) 919/742-4881 Vendors: Ned Gaudette 919/ 542-2224 Campers: Harold Rogers 919/ 742-4406 David Hobson, for the Publicity Committee Email: silkhoperuritan@yahoo.com

 

You may also be interested in:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

 

Where (and What) Exactly is Silk Hope, NC?

 

Silk Hope, NC - If you haven't ever heard of this town, it may be because it's really just a country crossroads, a thriving, beautiful community, that's never officially been named a "town." 

But look on a map of the Raleigh/Chapel Hill area, and the words "Silk Hope" will jump out, northwest of Pittsboro and northeast of Siler City.  

 

 

 

 

 

It's hard to describe how beautiful the area is.  These pictures don't begin to do justice to the rolling meadows nestled between large stands of woods, both evergreens and seasonal.  The backroads roll too, and are a pleasure to drive.  

There are farms, horse boarders, even Chatham County's first winery tucked into the gentle curves.   The folks that have found homes here feel fortunate. 

Land is still affordable, and while values are expected to rise as Pittsboro and Chatham County continue to grow, it's not just the value and the investment that bring folks here. 

 

 

It's coming home to a view of woods from private porches and decks, not a view of the neighbor's wall or fence. 

The homes that are being built in this area are, for the most part, offered on acreage - and heavily wooded acreage at that. 

Homeowners work in Pittsboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Apex, and even Durham and Hillsborough.  Some are enjoying a peaceful retirement, putting the front porch to good use, growing gardens and letting the grandkids run outside as much as they want. 

 

 

Community involvement is welcomed.   The Silk Hope Ruritan Club organizes the annual Old Fashioned Farmer's Day on Labor Day Weekend, which includes a huge collection of operating antique farm machinery brought by collectors from all over North Carolina and even beyond.  Civil War reenactments, homemade ice cream, live music, arts and crafts, a flea market, and famous Southern BBQ are all part of the fun.  The Farmer's Day event is held at the G.T. Petty Memorial Grounds across from the Silk Hope Community Building.

The Ruritan Club has a lot of activities, but isn't the only community organization.  The Volunteer Fire Department and the Silk Hope Elementary School offer other ways to be involved in local society. 

Silk Hope Elementary School is one of the top rated schools in North Carolina, and has a lot of parent involvement.  Some students are second and third generation attendees, children of farmers who have lived in the area all their lives. 

There was even a book written about the area, Silk Hope, NC by Lawrence Naumoff.  The story is about the daughters of a Silk Hope farmer, but locals say the book doesn't necessarily portray the real Silk Hope. 

 

There are plenty of opportunities for sports, including the Chatham County Soccer League.  Several Silk Hope teams play in this league, which has both competitive and "fun" teams for different age groups. 

The first winery in Chatham County was the Silk Hope Winery, just off Silk Hope Gum Springs Rd.  

The Silk Hope Winery offers one of the highest points in Chatham County, with a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside.  Some of the award-winning wines produced include Seyyal Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Villard, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin Blend, and Silk Hope Blend.   

The Silk Hope Winery is open on weekends or by appointment.

 

 

 

The Emmaus Baptist Church is a beautiful and popular church, along Silk Hope Road not far from Hwy 87.  This church is another place where Silk Hope community members connect. 

The Emmaus Baptist Church was actually founded in 1833, though the building is obviously much newer! 

Also right in this area is the Silk Hope Nursery.  Check out their website - they include detailed descriptions of the modern and historical plants they offer, as well as updated price guides so that you know what to expect. 

If you're a garden fanatic,  or a weekend landscaper, this nursery is worth a visit. 

 

For golf enthusiasts, there are plenty of nearby opportunities. Golfers enjoy hitting balls at the Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club, the Chapel Ridge Golf Club, and the UNC Finley Golf Club, among others.

Pittsboro and Chapel Hill, NC are nearly equal distance away. 

Pittsboro is a small town currently, at the crossroads of Hwy 64 and Hwy 15/501.  But there are so many proposed commercial developments that growth is almost inevitable.  Pittsboro Commons is a planned 425,000 square foot shopping center that should include a grocery store, shops, and restaraunts.  Bellemont Point and Bellemont Station will offer mostly commercial space. 

Pittsboro Place is the largest proposed development, and may be the longest to come to fruition - plans include 1.3 million square feet of retail/office space, a movie theatre, and a bowling alley.  Some of these have been approved, others are still in the planning stages. 

There are many reasons why Chatham County has become one of the top destinations in the Triangle area, and the community of Silk Hope demonstrates many of them - it's peaceful, it's beautiful, it's friendly, and it's still close to everything Raleigh and the rest of the Triangle has to offer. 

Here's a map of Silk Hope and some of the features of this Chatham County community as well as some nearby attractions.

 
View Larger Map

 

Interested in new homes in the Silk Hope area? 

There are many different wonderful lots and new home neighborhoods available for your new Chatham County custom home.

Just click here to ask for the most updated information - we'll send you some great options!

 

You may also be interested in these Chatham County, NC new home resources:

Additional Chatham County New Homes, Lots, and Land

How to Build a Custom Home in Four Easy Steps

Chatham County NC Property Tax Rates 2011-2012

Build On Your Lot in Chatham County, NC

How to Determine a Reasonable New Home Budget

Chatham County Accessible Home Builders

Golf Community Homes in Chatham County