Jones Family Farms Winery

Philip James Jones, a Welsh-Irish immigrant, purchased the land from the Jeremiah Shelton family and engaged in general farming. He sold beef, lamb, eggs, and apples from his horse-drawn cart to the city folks of Derby. Philip James loved these Connecticut hillsides and his motto, “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you,” has motivated all succeeding generations of Jones farmers. His son, William Henderson Jones, joined him in farming and he eventually established a dairy farm. Philip James and William built our oldest farm buildings in the Christmas yard area, including the family homestead, the dairy barn, the carriage house, and the ice house. They were constructed in the late 1800’s. Many of our stonewalls were also built at that time.