Sheila: Our farmland near Tabor City has been in the Suggs family for nine generations, and we all grew up on or near the property. After our parents gifted it to my sister Amy and I, we were walking along the ditch bank, trying to decide how to make the best use of it, when Amy said, “If only we could get something to grow as good as these grapes! I’m constantly having to mow and getting tangled up in these vines…” That led straight to some brainstorming with our dad, who told us how his uncle had grown grapes and made wine here, for “personal and medicinal consumption.”

Byron: Lots of research and labors of love later, Sheila and Amy opened Grapefull Sisters Vineyard to the public in 2007. We grow the only native American grape, the muscadine. By blending its varieties, including scuppernong, magnolia and nobel, we produce nine different types of wine, ranging from a sweet dessert to a bone-dry white. They’re all delicious, with something for everyone’s palate.

Grapefull sister Amy

Sheila: The muscadine is 40% higher in antioxidants than any other grape. Its health benefits are well-documented, so when we say “Cheers to your health,” we mean it! Come sit at our wine bar and gallery any day but Sunday, from 1 – 6 p.m., and Amy and our bartender Kim will entertain you with stories about our wine, while you enjoy a wonderful tasting. Every Saturday the porch is open with live entertainment, and everyone has a good time! We’ll treat you like honored guests, and you’ll feel like family. We built our B & B, the Inn ‘D Vine, which looks like a tobacco barn, but has luxurious amenities, for those looking for a peaceful getaway.

Byron: We kept expanding, and in 2008 my wife, Christine, and I opened CarrollWoods RV Park. We’re a short drive to Myrtle Beach and the Brunswick beaches, and can accommodate any size RV, with full-service hook ups at each site. There are hiking trails, a swimming pool, sand volleyball, concerts nearly every weekend, and of course the wine tasting! We even have art classes on the lawn. Sheila is an accomplished artist, and she’s taught our daughters, who sell their art now too. They also help us run the campground. Our most recent addition is a 6,700-square-foot event center, The Cellar, that can accommodate groups as small as 48 or as large as 285. It’s very well appointed and great for everything from weddings to corporate events.

Sheila: No matter why they come to visit, people say “I feel like I can breathe here.” It’s so peaceful, with big starry nights. It’s good to let your body calm down a little and get lost in your thoughts. Our grandfather would plow with his mule, up and down the rows, just singing and praying, happy as can be, and that blessing we believe is still in the land and here with us today. You should come see for yourself!