Recent content by bilbo-in-maine

mainshipfred, I got it from MoreWine as Jim noted. It is an 8 g. packet good for up to an 8 gallon ferment. I wouldn't expect payment for it since it cost only about $2.50. I'd just be happy to see someone using it so I don't have to dispose of it.

Yep, I miscalculated the amount of yeast I needed for this season and have the one Clos packet remaining unused. I'd be happy to mail it to someone if interested. Let me know via the forum.

Dang Rich, I thought for sure you would explain all! How odd that you're seeing it too. It's definitely not the look of black rot - I know it well (mancozeb to the rescue.)

Anyone have any insight in to why a small number of Marquette clusters wither? The stems appear to pinch off and everything below dies. Only happening on Marquette. Sorry, can't get the photos to rotate but you can see the issue.

Boy, THAT must add weight to your trellises.

Things ARE looking good there Dave. This must be the year for considering barrel storage for the mini-grower - I'm thinking of buying my first one too. Kind of depends upon how much the various critters leave me:ft

I guess I forgot all about the cold snap you had Dave, it sounds like it had a permanent impact. What do you do now at harvest, pick all the varieties and ferment together for one crazy batch since there's so few or are you doing them separately? Well, whatever, keep having fun there. I wouldn't...

Dave, just wanted to let you know. I jumped the gun by half a year and pulled up a bottle of my 2010 Foch this evening. It was verrrry pleasant, certainly no fruit bomb but completely free of any unpleasant taste characteristics that some people ascribe to Foch. My wife thought it was a Pinot...

Rich, that's amazing to hear of your losses to mold and rot. I would have imagined that your careful spray program would have kept things in check. It is a testament to how bad the weather events have been right from the start last spring, wet and cool then, soaking wet at the end now. That is a...

Rich, I imagine you are busier than a one armed paper hanger at the moment. Even with my tiny operation I just don't have the time to attend to all that should be done on a number of different fronts. You must feel overwhelmed. This weather doesn't help either. No problem waiting to see what you...

Those are gorgeous Dave! Such a change in three years, no? When is the harvest? Sounds like it will be dependent upon temperatures rather than dampness and rain.

And what a damp, rainy end of growing season it has been! Disease pressures have been non-stop since the end of August and hurricane Irene. I just completed harvesting this weekend, hand sorting good from bad. Even though everything needed more hang time, berry rot and splitting were getting out...

I was able to get the spraying done at the end of the day I bought the fungicide. Man, I didn't know just how bad a disease downy mildew is. The two affected varieties now have totally blasted looking leaves that look like some corrosive liquid was sprayed on them, and it wasn't the fungicide...

Thank you Wade. Like you, our area is getting much more rain than is needed or wanted. The soggy ground lets the posts loosen up with the breezes, just like Rich was describing at his place. Rich and Al, I managed to find a phosphorous acid based product called Phostrol, just picked it up this...

Thanks for that info Rich. I'm calling around but having no luck so far with the local greenhouse supply or garden center type places. Do you know where you would go for one of those products?