Bacon & Barrels @ Buttonwood Farm
Annual Pig and Booze Fest Finds New Home in Longtime Organic Farm and Vineyard
The annual pork-meets-oaky-booze extravaganza known as Bacon & Barrels needs bigger britches this third time around, so the gluttonous gaggle is leaving the lawn of Los Olivos for the fields of Buttonwood Farm this weekend. There, amid the tomato rows, grapevines, olive trees, and peach orchards that Buttonwood’s late founder Betty Williams started planting in 1968, pig meat aficionados will sample bacon-y bites from more than 100 booths, which also include an array of wineries, bourbon makers, and craft brewers. The event, which was founded by Holly Holliday in 2013 and expanded to San Diego last year, will raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters this year.
“Not only is there more room to move around than there is in Los Olivos, but Holly’s vision is similar to Betty’s, which was about a whole farm concept of sustainable living, healthy produce, peaceful surroundings, and beauty,” said Buttonwood’s winemaker Karen Steinwachs. “It isn’t just bacon and booze; it’s talking about farming and how that fits into everything.”
Along with her many other estate-made wines, Steinwachs is excited to share something new in the VIP area, explaining, “We’re going to test-drive our dry-hopped sauvignon blanc.” She’s also looking forward to the Friday-night dinner at Buttonwood, cooked by the Ballard Inn & Restaurant’s renowned Chef Budi Kazali. “The menu is incredibly inventive,” said Steinwachs. “I can’t wait to enjoy it.” The morning-after crowd can keep the pork pumping with a Sunday brunch at Liquid Farm with Valley Piggery’s Jake O. Francis.
See baconandbarrels.com for tickets.
