I come from a family of entrepreneurs who owned small businesses. My grandfather Hepler owned his own carpentry company and my father started Hepler Geothermal heat pumps and air conditioning in central Pennsylvania before being green was considered cool. My brother now runs it and is slaying – without any advertising needed. My grandmother on one side was a nurse and the other was working for a bit as a paralegal, without the formal education. We’re natural born hustlers and even my niece when she was in elementary school started a side hustle selling slime!
Pecan And Wine Festival
So supporting small businesses in Camp Verde, Arizona was pretty important to me to give back at the Pecan and Wine Festival. Driving in from snowy adventures in Northern Arizona earlier that week, it was a relief to have the sun shining and the blue sky back with fluffy clouds above. But even if I came from home, it would have only been about an hour – without the snow causing chaos up North. Yet again, SO happy I chose North Phoenix. It’s literally like a different planet with saguaro cactus only a half hour away until the highway reappears and you sense city life again.
Camp Verde, Arizona
Not really knowing what I was getting into – the fuck around and find out fun of life – this was a very cool event and wish I had more energy to stay longer. But after a full week of exploring while working and creating content, I was on the last fumes I had left in my energy tank. It is work after all, you’re not just having vacations where you just lay around. So I zoomed around as I do, meeting new faces and enjoying this new to me place. Just when I thought I knew almost every vineyard in Arizona… surprise there were like ten I never heard of! The Verde Valley tourism board was kind enough to give me tasting tickets although I only used one of them. Most were legit just a tongue tip to taste – minus one or two I was tempted to enjoy but sadly poured out to be a responsible driver. The pours are generous and you’ll end up literally running into people at some point… That said, let’s get into the festival below!
Welcome to Camp Verde, Arizona!Fresh snow covered mountains in the background of the Wine and Pecan Festival sign in Camp Verde, Arizona.The first creature I saw while looking for the front entrance is this goat at Camp Verde, Arizona enjoying the grass. So cute!I’m pretty sure this is my brother and most of my friends lately at Camp Verde, Arizona.Healing Earth Apothecary at Camp Verde, Arizona keeping it all natural.Riley’s World’s best salsa at Camp Verde, Arizona was pretty darn tasty.
The goat mom at Camp Verde, Arizona was Goat Milk Etc.And the soap from Goat Milk Etc. which honestly I prefer goats milk and cheese over any other!Follow your nose to the incense with Lynnsey Reynolds Soul Studios Art from Jerome, Arizona which has an art walk monthly!No festival is complete without hand crafted Native American jewelry in Camp Verde, Arizona.Some shy vendors like Arizona Handmade Soap didn’t want to be in the photo in Camp Verde, Arizona.Fields of Glory CBD will cure what ails you in Camp Verde, Arizona.This amazing crew of veterans explained that since my dad is one, I can come to their clubs all over the USA in Camp Verde, Arizona. Who knew!People were loving the weather in the sunshine but freezing in the booth in Camp Verde, Arizona.These gals at Arizona Artisan Jewelry that matched their chair by mistake – or not in Camp Verde, Arizona.Gia’s Toffee was tasty in Camp Verde, Arizona and passed down from generations.My first taste of pecans was the sticky bun sample that melted in my mouth from Pure Delights AZ in Camp Verde, Arizona. So good!Wrapping around the building we popped over to this wooden crafts tent galore in Camp Verde, Arizona.And so the pecan hunt began in Camp Verde, Arizona with Just a Wee Farm!You could buy a huge back of crack your own nuts in Camp Verde, Arizona for a steal.Or buy bags of already or partially cracked shells in Camp Verde, Arizona for the lazy folks.A musician was on stage serenading the crowd in Camp Verde, Arizona.We thought this was funny and smart marketing in Camp Verde, Arizona by Fatman and the Redhead.The prettiest hummingbird wind catcher in Camp Verde, Arizona.We love a new age store in Camp Verde, Arizona! Mystic Muse was calling…Mystic Muse is located in Camp Verde, Arizona. There is Love…Back to bags and bags of pecans, these had a sugary sweet coating and were delicious in Camp Verde, Arizona from Copper Mountain Confections.Let’s not forget Camp Verde Pecans in Camp Verde, Arizona. So many nuts and not a website to be seen! Ya’ll hit me up, I can help.A slew of cocktail mixers ready to go at Camp Verde, Arizona from Alpenglow cocktail mixers.This booth was without its owner but we loved these amazing candles in Camp Verde, Arizona.Who knew? Well, now you do in Camp Verde, Arizona.First stop in the wine tents was Laramita Cellars from Willcox, Arizona.The owner, BLAH, poses for a photo at Pecan and Wine Festival.Trying some chocolate from Carolina’s Chocolates was a perfect pairing at the Pecan and Wine Festival.Clearcreek Vineyard and Winery in the middle of a conversation at Pecan and Wine Festival.A very nice white from Clearcreek at Pecan and Wine Festival.The gals from Alacantra Vineyards which I am a fan at Pecan and Wine Festival.I told everyone just a splash and everyone is like here’s a big pour like Alacantra Vineyards!One of my favorites from Alacantra Vineyards with hand model/owner.The line was always 10 people long for Page Springs Cellars which is one of my Arizona favorite white wines at Pecan and Wine Festival.We did a drive-by quick taste for Cella Winery from Kingman, Arizona too at Pecan and Wine Festival. People were getting tipsy at this point!Arizona Stronghold is a classic wine in AZ at Pecan and Wine Festival.I’m always looking for new flavors and this ice wine style Saguaro Blossom is a top 3 for sure at Pecan and Wine Festival. Notice the huge pour again, this time I have it to an eager lady behind me!Also, these bubbly wine in can is brilliant at Pecan and Wine Festival. I have one in my fridge!An award winning wine from Cella Winery at Pecan and Wine Festival from Kingman, Arizona.And one I have never, ever heard of at Pecan and Wine Festival, 1764 vineyards.And this is probably why, it’s in a tiny town at Pecan and Wine Festival. Road trip!Did you know there’s a whole wine making school in Arizona called Southwest Wine Center? I learned all about it at the Pecan and Wine Festival.A couple of the wines made from the Southwest Wine Center with photography labels which I loved.I bumped into some professional wine drinkers that brought this glorious snack container at Pecan and Wine Festival. So smart!The fun couple enjoying the snacks that their friend packed at Pecan and Wine Festival.Men working at Omphalos Winery at Pecan and Wine Festival.Reds is where it’s at with Omphalos Winery.The award winner at Omphalos Winery flanked by trophies.These guys were tons of fun at Pecan and Wine Festival from Salt Mine Wine.This was a tasty wine and artsty bottle at Salt Mine Wine.A couple of smartly placed vendors inside the wine tents at Pecan and Wine Festival.Very nice gentleman from Pierce Winery at Pecan and Wine Festival in Willcox, Arizona.The trifecta of yummy wines at Pecan and Wine Festival. I will have to visit Willcox again!Another brand new to me vineyard at Pecan and Wine Festival, High Lonesome Vineyard. I liked the shirts vibe here!I was super curious about this wine slushie at the Pecan and Wine Festival.The wine lineup at the Pecan and Wine Festival.The wine slushie from High Lonesome Vineyard was my favorite at the Pecan and Wine Festival.They also had this old man dog with his personal heater and I’m a sucker for elderly animals at the Pecan and Wine Festival.Because cheese goes so well with wine, Peace Love and Smoked Cheese at the Pecan and Wine Festival.Tearing through those bottles at Davine’s Vineyard at Pecan and Wine Festival.Quite the lineup from Davine’s Vineyard at Pecan and Wine Festival.Cove Mesa who I worked with before also had a long line at Pecan and Wine Festival.Another well placed pecan table of snacks from Arizona Cowgirl Candy Company at Pecan and Wine Festival.I could eat this whole row at Pecan and Wine Festival!Olive oil galore at Three Rivers Gourmet at Pecan and Wine Festival.And last but certainly not least, the friendly faces at Oak Creek Winery at the Pecan and Wine Festival.The winemaker himself pouring me his favorite white he made at Pecan and Wine Festival.If you’re feeling squirrel – or nutty I guess at the Pecan and Wine Festival, drink all three!
By the time I left, it was getting a little rowdy and I’m pretty sure I got nudged by a Karen so watch out those white women will cut a bitch for some wine! They even had police officers strapped and ready to rumble which was kind of amusing to me. If you want to learn more about wine in Arizona, check out this winemaking women in Arizona post that went viral. Next year, I’ll be back but staying over somewhere walkable so I can indulge and make even more new friends – of the furry or human kind!
