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A few of you may have noticed me missing a couple days. I traveled across Lake Champlain to Burlington Vt. I was invited as a representative to the Lake Champlain Grape Grower's Association and representing my work at the Willsboro Cold Hardy Trial.
I was attending the first planning session being held to help formulate ideas and a plan of action for the Cold Climate Grape growing regions to unite in support of the industry. Representatives from most of the involved states Extension and Research were there along with Wine Industry Representatives. There were reps from NY, Vt. New Hampshire, Conn, Mass,and Pennsylvania there. Then there was also folks from Iowa and a couple other midwestern states and a good representation of Minnesota,
The idea behind this is to formulate a plan of action for further research and aide to vineyards all the way from planning, vine breeding, growing vines, and after picking how to treat the wine from these grapes while making wine. Ideas were also put forth formarketing and economics. We even had a Farm Social Scientist there to help with tying the industry further into communities, etc.
There were many good ideas brought forth. The ideas were condensed and pioritized today. A second planning session will be held in Minnesota in February. These will be used as the basis for forumlating stratedgy for support and grant submission.
This was another great meeting to attend by invitation. Attendance was about 60 researchers and vineyard and industry people. I had a chance to meet many very interesting people once again that I have read about and now got to meet them in person.
Yesterday's session was topped off with a tasting of about 100 of the best cold hardy grape wines made. Then 15 of us meandered the streets of Burlington in search of great food.
I just thought I would share this with others to let them know that there are programs and people out there who genuinely care about the industry and further it.
I was attending the first planning session being held to help formulate ideas and a plan of action for the Cold Climate Grape growing regions to unite in support of the industry. Representatives from most of the involved states Extension and Research were there along with Wine Industry Representatives. There were reps from NY, Vt. New Hampshire, Conn, Mass,and Pennsylvania there. Then there was also folks from Iowa and a couple other midwestern states and a good representation of Minnesota,
The idea behind this is to formulate a plan of action for further research and aide to vineyards all the way from planning, vine breeding, growing vines, and after picking how to treat the wine from these grapes while making wine. Ideas were also put forth formarketing and economics. We even had a Farm Social Scientist there to help with tying the industry further into communities, etc.
There were many good ideas brought forth. The ideas were condensed and pioritized today. A second planning session will be held in Minnesota in February. These will be used as the basis for forumlating stratedgy for support and grant submission.
This was another great meeting to attend by invitation. Attendance was about 60 researchers and vineyard and industry people. I had a chance to meet many very interesting people once again that I have read about and now got to meet them in person.
Yesterday's session was topped off with a tasting of about 100 of the best cold hardy grape wines made. Then 15 of us meandered the streets of Burlington in search of great food.
I just thought I would share this with others to let them know that there are programs and people out there who genuinely care about the industry and further it.
