If you’re looking for a day trip, head about 50 minutes south of the city to Monongahela in Washington County, the oldest settlement in the Monongahela River Valley. The town, like Pittsburgh, was developed near a confluence, and named after the nearby river that joined with Pigeon Creek. The Monongahela tribe was indigenous to the area prior to colonized settlement in 1769. Monongahela means “falling banks.”
Vintners Richard Ripepi and his daughter Janelle D’Eramo guide visitors around their family spot, Ripepi Winery, in Monongahela, Pa. (Megan Harris / City Cast Pittsburgh)
Eat & Drink
Sip something fresh (or aged!) from Ripepi Winery, a boutique family winemaker founded in 1987. Look for happy hours the second Friday of every month featuring live entertainment, food trucks, antipasto trays, wine specials, and more. The next one is this week, Aug. 11, from 5-8 p.m., with made-to-order pizzas from The Wooden Peel.
Go, See, Do!
Summer and fall are the perfect seasons to visit Triple B Farms, a pick-your-own farm and market. Check their website for what picking produce is in season. On my latest visit, I had a blast harvesting a bushel of peaches, lavender, and a bouquet of zinnias from their fresh flower garden. If you go this weekend, you can pick sunflowers benefiting Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Triple B Farms market in Monongahela, Pa. (Francesca Dabecco / City Cast Pittsburgh)
Shop Local
Don’t leave Triple B Farms without getting a basket of goodies from the market: fresh produce, baked goods, jams, salsa, pickles, and more. For some secondhand shopping, check out Red Boot Antiques or Main Street Antiques.
