Joshua Farm & Vineyard – a Small Family Farm in Lubbock

On a recent trip to Lubbock, I found myself with a spare hour before meeting the family for our celebration of our niece’s graduation from Texas Tech (no, unfortunately, she’s not in viticulture). With this extra time on our hands, we wanted to visit some under-the-radar wineries in the area. We ventured just about 15 minutes northwest of the Lubbock airport and found our way to Joshua Farm & Vineyard.

As we took a right onto the red dirt road, we dodged some big mud puddles from the rains the night before. Turning into the driveway, we then dodged free-range chicken and turkey to a small building with a WINERY sign.

Three large dogs and the owning couple greeted me when I entered the door to the barn. The dogs were friendly and happy to smell that I’m a dog person, and Charise and Ted were happy to welcome a visitor.

I learned both are artists – she works in metals, and he works in clay. Metal art adorns the walls, and clay bowls and plates are for sale on a display shelf. The couple purchased the 11-acre farm in 2022. They started the winery in 2016 and shared the 2017 Pinot Gris made from grapes sourced from Willamette Valley, Washington.

Charise poured me wines made from fermented honey, also known as mead. Many of the options were dry and not sweet, with a wide variety of flavors. I learned they have one acre of Orange Muscat grapes that should be ready to make wine this year. Another five acres were recently replanted to Tempranillo and Montepulciano. We talked about their commitment to growing their grapes organically and how challenging that can be. They make homemade cheese from the milk of their dairy cows and offer it complementary with gluten-free crackers to everyone enjoying a tasting or a glass of mead.

I enjoyed the Blackberry Mead, made simply from honey, water, and blackberries from South America that are completely organically grown. Other flavored meads included strawberry, peach, and prickly pear. The family is raising bees hoping to source honey from these eight hives later this year. I enjoyed hearing about their philosophy of keeping the land and water safe for animals and people – and the future.