By Kevin Koeninger

This week’s installment of the corny, but likeable “Kentucky Life,” with host Dave Shuffett, takes an eclectic look at the thriving cultural diversity found within the state. The show’s first stop is the Smith-Berry Winery, located in New Castle (Henry Co.), Ky.

Kentucky’s first established wine production facility, the Smith-Berry Winery, is owned and operated by a family of farmers, namely Chuck Smith and Mary Berry. The couple has cultivated a variety of crops and cattle their entire lives. The inspiration for creating a winery was purely economical.

Smith realized that the rolling hills of his property were perfectly suited to produce several varieties of grapes. Coupled with the fact that the wine industry is an incredibly lucrative and time worthy endeavor, Smith felt the risk of producing wine in the Commonwealth was one worth taking, and he couldn’t have been more right.

The Smith-Berry Winery now grows four varieties of grapes and produces several styles of wine, from red to white and sweet to dry. The entire family, including Smith and Berry’s children, pitch in to bottle, cork, label and pack the wine for shipping. All in all, they have done a magnificent job in creating a productive and profit-filled business, ensuring their future as a Kentucky farming family.

Shuffett then shifted his focus in the direction of theater, more specifically the Woodford County Community Theater, located in Versailles, Ky. This revolving ensemble of players, producers and stagehands, founded in 1987, present their local community with four theatrical productions a year. Until just a few years ago, the group was forced to consistently relocate their theater to a wide variety of locales, including local high schools and churches.

Nevertheless, by way of a dedicated fundraising campaign, they were able to construct a multi-million dollar theater complex, complete with prop rooms, scene shops, and a “green room” for reclining actors.

The group itself consists of a variety of amateurs and professionals, comprised of a wide range of skills and talents. Local carpenters aid in the process by creating sets and props, while college-educated directors give back to the community in which they were raised. All in all, the theater presents locals with a chance to experience quality, family entertainment right in their backyard, without having to venture to nearby, larger cities, such as Louisville, Lexington, or Cincinnati. Anyone interested in the theater’s upcoming productions should visit their Web site, found at http://www.woodfordcountytheater.com.

Shufett’s final stop on this week’s “Kentucky Life” was the shop of Karen Scates, a woman who has been carving meticulous miniatures in Warren Co. for most of her life. Her miniatures, which are normally on a one-twelfth scale, can be crafted to resemble just about anything. She is most well-known for her miniscule musical instruments. The details contained in these instruments are remarkable, ranging from the f-holes on a violin to inlaid fret markers on a guitar.

Karen has been carving since she was twelve years old, ever since she witnessed her grandfather crafting chairs in his garage. Her attention to detail is what really fuels her passion for woodworking, and it shows in the quality of her finished products. Interestingly, Karen uses a number of surgical instruments to do her work, although it really should come as no surprise, given the intricate details found in all of her miniatures.

“Kentucky Life” certainly proves that there is no need to travel out of our own great state to find unique and worthwhile experiences. Each week, the program invites viewers to discover hidden-away treasures that make Kentucky such a superb place to live.

The show can be seen on KET 1, Kentucky Educational Television, Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4:30 p.m..