Turning into the entrance of Boordy Vineyards felt like you were entering a different world. After the 40-minute drive along the backroads from Freeland to Hydes, the long grapevine-lined driveway led to open fields for parking and a huge, modern but rustic barn and a large picnic area where crowds would gather for tastings and events. Behind the barn was the quieter part of the property, where employees parked and where the working farm supported the operation and production of the wine.
My name is Jillian Van Dorpe, and I am an Agribusiness major from Freeland, Maryland. This summer I interned at Boordy Vineyards in Hydes. Boordy is the oldest bonded winery in Maryland and is still owned by the Deford family. Boordy recently celebrated its 80th anniversary, and every day felt like stepping into a place where history, agriculture, business, and hospitality came together. That feeling has helped shape how I now see my professional future.
Throughout the summer, I worked across nearly every part of Boordy’s business operation. I poured wine flights, served glasses and bottles, did point-of-sale transactions, restocked inventory, and helped set up and clean up from events. Every day was different, and the variety of the experiences was what I enjoyed most. I worked weddings, wine club events and member gatherings, a 5k race through the vineyard, opera, symphony, and jazz performances, and even a Drunk Shakespeare event. Each event brought different crowds, different challenges, and plenty of opportunities to learn new things.
Two experiences stood out the most. I was one of three employees selected to work the owner’s son’s rehearsal dinner and wedding weekend, where I greeted high-status guests, handed out glassware, and served wine throughout the two evenings. I also worked a Drunk Shakespeare event with just my manager, which pushed me to multitask under pressure and communicate confidently with guests. These moments helped me build professional communication skills with people of all ages, backgrounds, and personalities. This connects directly with what I have been learning in my agribusiness courses around communication, customer relations, and sales strategy.
As the summer went on, I continued to learn about Boordy’s wine styles so I could guide wine tastings, make recommendations to guests, and answer questions with confidence. I learned how to manage time during fast-paced events with sometimes very demanding customers, how to improve operations to keep things running smoothly, and how to build relationships with customers and coworkers. One of the most meaningful moments came when my supervisor, James, told me, “You’re my favorite new employee, and there's a full-time job waiting for you when you graduate.” Hearing that made me realize how much I had grown and how much I enjoyed the work.
By the end of the internship, I knew I wanted to stay connected to the agribusiness and winery world while I figure out what to do for my long-term career. I plan to continue working at Boordy in future summers because I genuinely enjoyed the fast-paced events, the customer interactions, the hands-on nature of the work, the people I worked with, and the beautiful setting I got to work in every day. The experience also showed me how much I enjoy working in sales and the hospitality side of agribusiness, and I am excited to see where these experiences and opportunities may lead. Working at an 80-year-old family-owned Maryland winery made the experience really meaningful. I left with new confidence, strong relationships, and a clear understanding of the skills I want to keep building as I continue my education. And who knows, maybe I’ll take James up on that full-time job down the road.
