For five generations, the Thistlethwaite family has farmed 210 acres in Morgan, about two miles north of Jefferson in northeast Greene County.

The farm dates back to 1892 when Eli Thistlethwaite, pronounced "Thistlewait," purchased the land.

"Over the years, we'd been engaged in the traditional farming practices in Southwestern Pennsylvania -- raising dairy and beef cattle, sheep and hogs, and growing corn, hay, wheat and oats," said Jamie Thistlethwaite, Eli's great-grandson, who grew up on the farm.

However, when it came time for Jamie to take over the farm's management, he came up with a novel idea -- growing wine grapes as a means of keeping the business solvent.

"When I turned 25 back in 1994, I left for Annapolis, where I eventually owned a utility construction business," said Mr. Thistlethwaite. "However, in 1999, my grandfather signed the farm over to my Dad, Rick, a retired state trooper, who called me back home to discuss what I might do when I took over."

The younger Thistlethwaite said he loves his family homestead, calling it both peaceful and beautiful. The farm's long, two-story brick house was built even before his great-grandfather bought the property, and the farm had been in the family for so long, he was determined to keep it going.

"I thought wine grapes might be the answer," he said. "Even in tough economic times, people drink alcoholic beverages."

Mr. Thistlethwaite returned home in 1999 and, after convincing his father that it was the right way to go, planted 600 vines of four grape varietals on a one-acre tract a year later.

"In our area, which gets cold enough on the average of once every nine years to kill off viniferas like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignons, I had to find vines that not only made good wine but were also winter hardy," he said.

After putting in his initial plantings of Leon Millot, Marechal Foch, Vidal and Vignoles, he decided to do volunteer work at the Christian Klay Winery in Farmington, Fayette County, where he learned a lot about grape growing and wine making.

He also gathered practical information by visiting wineries across the state and in the Niagara region, and in 2001, decided to work at the Sugar Creek Winery in Defiance, Mo., which is a similar family-run operation in a state with a long wine-making history and a climate similar to that of southwestern Pennsylvania.

A year later, the winery owners made him their cellar master, a position he held for three consecutive years.

Every spring and fall he returned home to plant and to get the vineyards ready for winter hibernation. The vineyard has grown to 5 1/2 acres with additional plantings of several other grapes.

For the past eight years, Mr. Thistlethwaite has been honing his winemaking skills, making small batches of wine on a trial basis. During that time, he said, he's been getting very ripe fruit with high sugar content, partially because he "drops a lot of grapes" so that the vines can maximize flavor and quality.

Last year, his 2007 harvest produced 900 cases of wine, all of which was made from grapes grown on the property. In February, he obtained his license to sell and has been open for tasting and sales seven days a week ever since.

"As far as I can tell, Thistlethwaite is the first commercial winery to operate in Greene County with grapes grown solely on its own land," he said.

The tasting room where patrons can sample his ten varieties of wine is housed in the farm's old stable. Originally, the wine maker intended to install it in the barn, but when his grandmother, Betty, heard that he also planned to bulldoze the stable, she insisted that he preserve it somehow.

After tearing off the siding, gutting the building, putting on a new roof, and making several additions, the old stable is getting a new life as a handsome tasting room with flooring, a bar, two walls and wine cabinet made from cherry wood harvested on the property.

"Dad and I felled the trees, brought in a portable saw mill and dried the lumber for three years before using it for construction purposes," said Mr. Thistlethwaite.

The winery sells its product only on site, and has already been featured at several local festivals. In the future, Mr. Thistlethwaite plans to build a large pond and erect a gazebo on its banks for patrons to enjoy.

Already they can picnic on the property, tour the vineyards, and hike through 50 acres of woodlands. A grandstand for blues, jazz and bluegrass concerts is in the planning stages, as is the planting of another fifteen acre vineyard.

"I think it's very cutting edge to have a winery here in Greene County," said county Commissioner Pam Snyder. "In the past, residents had to drive elsewhere to visit a winery. Now they have one in their own back yard."

"Additionally, I feel the winery is good for the county, for the economy and for tourism," she said. "It's been a real pleasure watching it come to fruition, and, most importantly, discovering that its wine is excellent."