Hill House Vineyard
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rrawhide
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well all
there are so many grapes in California - many folks just consider them weeds!!!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!
Here you go from USDA:
Summary
- Released, March 30</span></span>
<div align="justify">California’s
2009 wine-type grape acreage is estimated at
531,000
acres. Of the total acres, 489,000 were
bearing and
42,000 were non-bearing. Table-type grape
acreage totaled
93,000 acres with 84,000 bearing and 9,000
non-bearing.
Acreage of raisin-type grapes totaled 219,000
acres,
of which 216,000 were bearing and 3,000 were
non-bearing.
I guess that this is alot - what do you think, guys?
rrawhide
</span>
there are so many grapes in California - many folks just consider them weeds!!!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!
Here you go from USDA:
Summary
- Released, March 30</span></span>
<div align="justify">California’s
2009 wine-type grape acreage is estimated at
531,000
acres. Of the total acres, 489,000 were
bearing and
42,000 were non-bearing. Table-type grape
acreage totaled
93,000 acres with 84,000 bearing and 9,000
non-bearing.
Acreage of raisin-type grapes totaled 219,000
acres,
of which 216,000 were bearing and 3,000 were
non-bearing.
I guess that this is alot - what do you think, guys?
rrawhide
</span>
rrawhide
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About a week ago verison (sp) started and now there are lots more rows in color. We are at 2300 elevation and things are a little slower there. We are looking at harvest late Sept or early Oct.
and these are some of the critters just waiting SO
we are flying the 'eagle' - about a 5 foot wingspan and makes lots of noise. One 'bird' is supposed to protect up to 1 acre. hummmmm!!
and
we put up 700 feet of horse fence around the whole vineyard. On top of this we will run 2 hot wires attached to a solar fence charger. And. the owner bought and electronic 'bird guard' for us to mount too!! Since he has not had any grapes or wine for several years he is willing to do/spend anything we ask him to. I guess that he likes what we are doing. Vineyard looks great and the crop is heavy this year (so far!!!)
By the way, we have 2 raccoon traps to install too!!!
Hope it all works!!!
Now, if we can only make some decent wine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
more later
rrawhide
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Rick, looks good, like the pictures! Are those turkeys we are looking at?. The blueberry farm by my house has those eagles and a hawk flying around on poles also. Plus they use the bird speaker. Sounds like a junglr when you go by.
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Are you guys trying to keep rhino's out of the vineyard? That is one rugged looking fence guys
It is amazing to see that you are just starting with color. We are ahead of you now and you began bloom a month or two ahead of us! What kind of grapes are those?
I know you can make good wine. It will be interesting to see what kinds you get and make.
It is amazing to see that you are just starting with color. We are ahead of you now and you began bloom a month or two ahead of us! What kind of grapes are those?
I know you can make good wine. It will be interesting to see what kinds you get and make.
dragonmaster42
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They got some tough turkey's out there in CA! LOL Too bad turkey season isn't until November.
AlFulchino
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pulling for you...lots of work that the public never gets to see
That pic takes ALL of the romance out of the vineyard fantasy for sure!
Good job Rick!
Good job Rick!
He did say that fence WILL be electrified! .......
That is quite the fence - if you where in Wyoming I'd say it was to keep out the buffalos. 
Lots of hard work that is for sure - but it looks great.
Just out of curiousity - is the fence for coyotes and badgers? I just read an article on how destructive they can be.
Lots of hard work that is for sure - but it looks great.
Just out of curiousity - is the fence for coyotes and badgers? I just read an article on how destructive they can be.
rrawhide
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Hi Rudy
Well, let's see, We have raccoons; wild turkeys; wild pigs and the occassional coyote. The steel pipe and cable fence has always been there and the critters just crawl right through. NOW, hopefully, we can keep the crawlers out!!! We also are going to add 2 strands of hot-wire (440 volt if I could BUT cannot!!!) so just a regular fence controller. The 'bird-guard" has been received and we will stand this week as well as the 'scare-windmill'. So, with the addition of the raccoon traps and all this other stuff - hopefully, we will be sorta secure. The 'eagle' seems to be holding off the tweety birds at this time but the sugar is still low. The orange muscat will be the first to sugar up and we may just net this one. I'm glad the owner seems to want to spend some $$$$ for stuff that we think he needs. I think that it is over $2000 so far. Anyway, this is the long answer to your question.
ps: this is 2x4 non-climb horse fence that are in 100' rolls. Not too hard to install - just roll out - stand up next to fence - stretch - and fasten. Yeah, right - we crawled back to our trucks after installing 700' feet last week!!!!
rrawhide
Well, let's see, We have raccoons; wild turkeys; wild pigs and the occassional coyote. The steel pipe and cable fence has always been there and the critters just crawl right through. NOW, hopefully, we can keep the crawlers out!!! We also are going to add 2 strands of hot-wire (440 volt if I could BUT cannot!!!) so just a regular fence controller. The 'bird-guard" has been received and we will stand this week as well as the 'scare-windmill'. So, with the addition of the raccoon traps and all this other stuff - hopefully, we will be sorta secure. The 'eagle' seems to be holding off the tweety birds at this time but the sugar is still low. The orange muscat will be the first to sugar up and we may just net this one. I'm glad the owner seems to want to spend some $$$$ for stuff that we think he needs. I think that it is over $2000 so far. Anyway, this is the long answer to your question.
ps: this is 2x4 non-climb horse fence that are in 100' rolls. Not too hard to install - just roll out - stand up next to fence - stretch - and fasten. Yeah, right - we crawled back to our trucks after installing 700' feet last week!!!!
rrawhide
rrawhide
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Morn'
Just got back from vineyard and this is what I found
SCAT
errrrrrrrrr - raccoon s _ _ t!!! You can see the seeds and grapes that passed throught the little rascal!!!
SO put in the 2 traps today - we will see tomarrow morning what is there - will not be relocated.
Just got back from vineyard and this is what I found
SCAT
errrrrrrrrr - raccoon s _ _ t!!! You can see the seeds and grapes that passed throught the little rascal!!!
SO put in the 2 traps today - we will see tomarrow morning what is there - will not be relocated.
rrawhide
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The animal trap is kinda cool - mounts to a 5 gallon bucket or can be secured to a building or cage or ??? There is a 'foot' at the back of the bucket and behind this is where you put in your bait. I am using dry cat food and they have to scratch to get to it - they pull the foot (just slightly) and the door drops and locks. We will see in the morning.
This is one of two of the weatherproof speakers that we mounted. Vineyard now sounds like a jungle. All kinds of programmable and variable sounds come out of this system. Haven't seen many tweety birds the last day or so. Hope this works for most of the flying things.
and the eagle hangs or flies depending on the wind. Sure is noisy and whips around too!!
This is one of two of the weatherproof speakers that we mounted. Vineyard now sounds like a jungle. All kinds of programmable and variable sounds come out of this system. Haven't seen many tweety birds the last day or so. Hope this works for most of the flying things.
and the eagle hangs or flies depending on the wind. Sure is noisy and whips around too!!
rrawhide
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Now, if we only can get the grapes to harvest!!!!!!??????????? Brix is anywhere from 10.5 - 16 at this time. Still have 45 days or so. Fence is done and now we are thinking about the hot wire. That's all we can do - except camp there!!! Vineyard is 17 miles away for me and 35 for Steve so?
Some of the upper section of the rows were a little stressed because water runs downhill and there is not enough water/pressure to do 400-600 emmitters at a time without falling off so fixed that today too. Put in a shut-off on the water line which allows us the flexibility to water the entire row or just the upper end. We will monitor this close - we are on a well and are pushing it pretty hard. These are 1 gph emmitters so we do use quite a bit of water.
Anyway, that's what's up on this end. Just starting to get the primaries cleaned and ready and putting together the list of supplies we need.
THEN, of all things, one of our local vineyards has 400# of pinot noir grapes that he offered to us at .40/#. Ready to harvest soon. Do not know if we want these or not since we are gonna have a lot of wine soon but pinot noir???? Just what we need - more!!!!!!!!!!!
later
rrawhide
Some of the upper section of the rows were a little stressed because water runs downhill and there is not enough water/pressure to do 400-600 emmitters at a time without falling off so fixed that today too. Put in a shut-off on the water line which allows us the flexibility to water the entire row or just the upper end. We will monitor this close - we are on a well and are pushing it pretty hard. These are 1 gph emmitters so we do use quite a bit of water.
Anyway, that's what's up on this end. Just starting to get the primaries cleaned and ready and putting together the list of supplies we need.
THEN, of all things, one of our local vineyards has 400# of pinot noir grapes that he offered to us at .40/#. Ready to harvest soon. Do not know if we want these or not since we are gonna have a lot of wine soon but pinot noir???? Just what we need - more!!!!!!!!!!!
later
rrawhide
AlFulchino
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you have quite the undertaking going on there...gonna all be worth it down the road!
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Looking good Rick! A 22 will work real nie on that 5 gallon bucket and whatever ends up in it. Hope you don't get a skunk. I trapped many of those before in a havaheart trap. When I worked for a contractor we use to trap them around the apartments and then take them to a competitors and release them. Ah the good old days when I was young and dumb! Nothings chaged!
Ah the good old days when I was young and dumb! Nothings chaged!
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It is all out WAR with the aminals and boyds!
As my grapes ripen more, they are beginning to tempt them here too. I have two vines of Reliance. They had some nice grapes on and hadn't turned as of a few days ago. I went out to check them along with others today- and bingo. A nice ripe looking pink cluster ..... and a bunch more empty stems............... grrrrrrr.... Why do they always go for the tastiest ones in short supply first???!!!!!
I was planning on beginning with the nets tomorrow- I guess a few days late....
Best of luck with your battle Rick and let us know how all of them work out.
As my grapes ripen more, they are beginning to tempt them here too. I have two vines of Reliance. They had some nice grapes on and hadn't turned as of a few days ago. I went out to check them along with others today- and bingo. A nice ripe looking pink cluster ..... and a bunch more empty stems............... grrrrrrr.... Why do they always go for the tastiest ones in short supply first???!!!!!
I was planning on beginning with the nets tomorrow- I guess a few days late....
Best of luck with your battle Rick and let us know how all of them work out.
rrawhide
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Went up to the vineyard this am and both trap doors were down!!!! One had a local kitty cat and the other a raccoon so we are 1 down. ???????? to go!!! Tomorrow is another day - except it costs me about $8 every trip i make up there. Oh well!!!!
later
rrawhide
later
rrawhide
rrawhide said:Morn'
Just got back from vineyard and this is what I found
SCAT
errrrrrrrrr - raccoon s _ _ t!!! You can see the seeds and grapes that passed throught the little rascal!!!
SO put in the 2 traps today - we will see tomarrow morning what is there - will not be relocated.
Let em eat them buddy.......gather them droppings up and ferment them. You can then sellthe winefor "oodles and oodles" of money like they do the coffee beans as described below:
The Luwak (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) denizen of the coffee (kopi) plantations of Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi, eats only the ripest coffee cherries.
Unable to digest the coffee beans, the Luwak graciously deposits them on the jungle floor where they are eagerly collected by the locals.
The stomach acids and enzymatic action involved in this unique fermentation process produces the beans for the world’s rarest coffee beverage. These rare and exotic beans can fetch as much as $300.00 a pound.
