When I asked Ashley Meyer Howe about her favorite memories of growing up on a farm, she started to cry (and soon did I) as she fondly recalled moments of cutting bales of hay in the summer and tending to the cows first thing on Christmas morning, giving them treats of salt before she could open her presents.
Now, with Ashley at the helm of Farmcraft Brewery, part of her family’s cherished property enters its next chapter—a place where a new generation of memories is ready to bloom.
The bar and restaurant, nestled on 10 of the 300 acres of the family’s farm outside of East Aurora in Wyoming County, seamlessly blends the rich heritage of the land with its future. Moreso, it’s a reflection of Ashley and her husband, Darryl Howe: her passion for events and florals, his expertise in beer and their shared vision for the land.
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Ashley’s family on the Meyer side were Dutch immigrants who settled in the area, and her great-uncle started working the land as a chicken farmer. The property was passed down through the years and her parents, Joseph and Amy, ran a dairy farm for two decades.
“They have since sold the dairy operation, but keep the farmland growing with vegetables, wheat, soybeans, corn, animal feed [and] maple syrup,” she explains. “Like them, my husband and I wanted to create for future generations, but we wanted to go bigger than farming.”
So bigger they went. What was once a cornfield is now a two-story, 11,000-square-foot brewery and restaurant, designed by Darryl, an industrial designer and long-time owner of Aurora Brew Works in East Aurora.
Farmcraft features NYS-produced alcoholic beverages and will start brewing its own beer this spring using a 15-barrel system, incorporating flora from the farm.
Since its soft opening in November, Farmcraft has become a Western New York destination. With breathtaking views of the surrounding farmland, it delivers a spectacular glimpse of local agriculture. The brewery features New York State wines, beers, liquors and seltzers and will start brewing its own beer this spring. Visitors can tour the brewery onsite, as well as enjoy a locally crafted menu.
“We built a menu with a sense of ease to create and joy to eat, keeping it simple—pizzas, macaroni and cheese, salads, chicken fingers, pulled pork sandwiches,” Ashley says. “In the spring and summer we can showcase menu items with the produce we are growing here on the land—basil, tomatoes, sweet corn.”
With three event spaces accommodating up to 90 guests, the brewery hosts a variety of private and public events throughout the year. In the spring, visitors can enjoy Maple Weekend (March 22–30) at the Meyer farm’s maple house, complete with a pancake breakfast or an Easter Bunny visit (April 6 and 13). Summer brings the lively Sunday farmers market starting in June and a vibrant flower festival in August, along with other you-pick cut flower events.
“The land is stunning, and we sometimes take it for granted because we see it every day,” Ashley says. “Opening Farmcraft Brewery allowed us to share its beauty with the community—a space for people to come together, enjoy the land and experience the charm of Wyoming County."
