Nearly 20 Dames and
guests paid a July 14 visit to Chateau Hough, the ambitious urban-agriculture
project of journalist and community activist Mansfield Frazier.
Settled at the
intersection of East 66th and Hough, the reclaimed property is home
to nearly 300 vines growing red and white grapes. Planted in 2010, the vines
were specially selected for their ability to withstand cold Ohio winters; and
if the bounty of beautiful bunches hanging from the vines is any indication,
they have surely acclimated to their Northern
home.
Our gracious and
gregarious host told us that his first wines (supplemented by grapes from other
vineyards) were bottled in 2013, and earned praise from Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine as well as snagging a
second-place ribbon in the Great Geauga County Fair. While the wine is
currently made off site, plans call for eventually transforming a nearby
abandoned building into a working winery. We enjoyed samples of both the red
and white wines. As Mr. Frazier joked, “No wine snobs allowed! It’s all so
subjective, just drink what you like!”
We also got a tour of
the one-room biocellar, a beautifully constructed, below-grade space built on
the foundation of an abandoned home. The first of its kind in Ohio, the
biocellar uses passive solar heating to maintain a steady year ‘round
temperature; the addition of a rain garden and water-recycling system keeps
large quantities of runoff out of the city sewers. Although plans originally
called for growing mushrooms in the biocellar, Mr. Frazier says that tests have
shown the space is too airtight, and that mushroom spores in the air could
create health hazards. Currently tests are underway to determine what crops can
be safely grown in the space.
As impressive as all of
this is, the real story, we learned, is that Chateau Hough is a nonprofit
organization with a mission to improve the economic health of the neighborhood.
Mr. Frazier’s goals are to foster urban food production;
employ local residents with disadvantaged backgrounds; and re-purpose vacant
homes and idle urban lots to create wealth-building opportunities. As the
venture begins to make money, Mr. Frazier hopes to turn the property into a
cooperative, turning over ownership of the facilities to the workers. Meantime,
vineyard construction and maintenance, along with various learning programs,
has provided work for many neighborhood residents.
Following the tour and discussion, most of the membership
headed to Li Wah for dinner. The food, the service and the fellowship was
wonderful, and another fine Les Dames event was enjoyed by all present.
