Champlain Valley - Grapemans' vineyard - Planting to small winery

[Scott B]

Looks Great!!!!

 

[Flem]

Beautiful. Everything look so perfect.

 

[fivebk]

Looking good Rich, Hope it dries up soon

BOB

 

[Rocky]

Rich, I don't know if you have ever heard of them, but I used to live across the street from Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport, New York. Your pictures remind be of their vineyard in eary Spring.

 

[grapeman]

Rocky I have heard of them, but have never visited them.

 

[AlFulchino]

for a grape grower those pictures do not get much better than the ones you have shown

 

[DBell]

I love the way the 4AK looks at the early growth stage. That 1st pic is really nice.

 

[OilnH2O]

We're a couple of weeks behind you, Rich. But we have one thing in common... STILL RAINING!

 

[ibglowin]

He lives!

for a grape grower those pictures do not get much better than the ones you have shown

 

[grapeman]

Well our spell of semi-dry weather has ended after two days. So far we have been under a tornado watch all afternoon, had two inches of rain, hail golf ball size not far from the vineyard (none in it yet) and now there are two tornados as well as warnings a bit to my east in Vermont of all places. It is eerily calm outside with 150 percent humidity

. The sky looks greenish yellow and whenever it is like that, no good comes out of it.

 

[Runningwolf]

Good Luck Rich. We had all of that including the watches last night and earlier this evening. Pretty calm now but still under sever thunder storm watches. At least the tornado watches are gone and we did not get any hail either.

 

[Rocky]

Dan,


That is probably the same storm that blew threw Columbus at about 6:00 PM. We got a lot of wind, some very heavy but short rain fall and then it cleared. Good luck.

 

[Runningwolf]

We actually had a touch down last night about ten miles from me. I think it was just a small one. I few houses damaged and a lot of trees up rooted. Watching the news a woman reported wating a snowmobil trailer being picked up and thrown. It ended up in a tree and they showed pictures of it.

 

[grapeman]

Here we go again.....................


I was at a Farmer's Market this afternoon and go home just before the rains arrived. Now there are flash flood warnings for the area I just came from and the storms have now arrived here.More heavy rain and it is just beginning. Somebody made reference to this guy this AM saying he looked like Moses and was he going to lead us to safety. We need him about now or else Noah to show up at the doorstep. More severe storms for tomorrow and I will be in a tent at a Farmer's Market just off the lake......................................


It is enough to make a guy want to drink some wine while he whines a bit.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Rich, What are you usingon the grass under your vines that has turned it brown?

 

[grapeman]

I know some of you cringe at it's use, but the Roundup works on grasses and perennial weeds and helps keep the vines alive and healthy. If I use a string trimmer, some would get girdled and kill the trunks. I would need harsher chemicals, etc. I also mixed in 2 ounces per acre of Matrix which kills germinating weeds and grasses for a couple months.

 

[grapeman]

The weather has improved somewhat with more normal rainfall the last week and temps warming up well. We had one day of 90 and the rest in the 70's and 80's this last week. We are expecting more of the same, so I expect bloom later this week.

Here are some more pictures of the vineyard- mostly the younger vines to show how they are shaping up on the 4 training systems for comparison.

Top Wire Cordon

Modified Geneva Double Curtain

Vertical Shoot Positioned

Scott-Henry

These are all the same variety - Mn1200 which is a sister vine to Marquette from the University of Minnesota.

A shot of all four next to each othr. Hard to get them all in.

Some other assorted pictures.

 

[Flem]

Boy, your vinyard is just beautiful. So perfectly manicured. I'm glad the weather is improving for you.

 

[ibglowin]

Looking good and GREEN from all the rain!

What is the distance from the ground on your TWC vines?

 

[Rocky]

Looks really great, Rich. Do you have any problems with "critters" in your area? I know that Andy (Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport) always had problems with raccoons and deer. Also, do you do any selection of the grape bunches on the vine? Andy used to go through on his prime varieties and clip off bunches that did not look promising so that the energy from the plant went to the remainder.