MINDEN, Iowa — It’s a warm day in southwest Iowa as Andy Morse mows around several acres of grape vines hugging the slopes of his family’s vineyard.

Clusters of grapes adorn the vines, meaning wine-making season is on its way at Breezy Hills Vineyard & Winery.

HERMANN, Mo. — For winemakers, the production cycle requires them to think long term. On a hot day in Gasconade County, Parker Puchta checked on some recently planted grape vines on his farm.

“It’ll take four to five years for us to get our first harvest off of that,” he says.

CARTERVILLE, Ill. — Since the emergence of the industry in Illinois, many wineries have grown from vineyards bottling their product for sale to full-fledged entertainment destinations. Walker’s Bluff is taking it to a new level.

After years of planning, the owners launched a major complex that will include a casino, hotel and conference center. That’s something few would have predicted a few short decades ago.

Turning your farm into an entertainment destination can be a profitable move. But an accident could not only eat into the profits but spell the end of the business.

Fortunately, such cases are rare. Still, it pays to be prepared. Some make the mistake of believing routine business liability will suffice. But inviting members of the public to a farm can also invite risks.

One way to measure the growth of the wine industry in the Corn Belt has been the creation of AVAs.

American Viticultural Areas are federally designated regions that have exhibited a unique profile of grape-growing and winemaking. Missouri has three AVAs within its borders, including the Augusta AVA, the first in the nation. Others are the Hermann and Ozark Highlands AVAs. The state also has parts of two other regions — the Loess Hills District and Ozark Mountain.