New Member From Canada

[Clint Johnson]

I have made a couple batches of wine using saskatoons (serviceberry), have a huckleberry wine clearing in a carboy, and have just picked a 5-gallon bucket of saskatoons and am ready to start the next batch. I would really like to grow some grapes for making wine, but in zone-3 we are very limited. I joined this community to learn more and, once I get enough experience, share what I learn.

 

[BigDaveK]

Welcome to WMT!
I think you'll like it here!

 

[Rice_Guy]

Welcome to WMT

There are a number of folks on here from Canada. Zone 3, you could try haskap. It makes a nice wine. I like June berry which is low acid mixed with a more acidic fruit like cherry or gooseberry or rhubarb.

 

[ChuckD]

Welcome to WMT.

Zone 3 would be tough nut to crack for sure. There are some northern hybrids that are listed as hardy in zone 3 but thats the lower limit. You could look into ways to improve your micro climate… I have even seen where people used greenhouse tunnels to protect the vines from spring frosts.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Jovimaple]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[Clint Johnson]

Our property has a quarter-acre bowl that is open to the lake and south facing, it bares off from snow weeks before the rest of the property and is probably nearly a zone 4 microclimate. I have a mini-excavator and I'm thinking of terracing that area if I were to get serious. Probably get 3-4 terraces, each about 200 feet long... maybe start with a single row down at the bottom to see how well it works before trying to cultivate a couple of hundred vines.

A guy I work with has a small haskap farm that produces a couple of tons each year; I need to talk to him about the excess berries near the end of his season and see if I can work out a good price.

That is getting to be enough for small commercial production if I'm crazy enough to take that route.

 

[ChuckD]

Our property has a quarter-acre bowl that is open to the lake and south facing, it bares off from snow weeks before the rest of the property and is probably nearly a zone 4 microclimate. I have a mini-excavator and I'm thinking of terracing that area if I were to get serious. Probably get 3-4 terraces, each about 200 feet long... maybe start with a single row down at the bottom to see how well it works before trying to cultivate a couple of hundred vines.

A guy I work with has a small haskap farm that produces a couple of tons each year; I need to talk to him about the excess berries near the end of his season and see if I can work out a good price.

That is getting to be enough for small commercial production if I'm crazy enough to take that route.

Just jump right in with both feet huh? … are we related?

 

[ChuckD]

This is a pretty good book for northern grape growers.

If you terrace you could build stone walls and plant vines close to them. If the walls/terraces are tall enough you could even cover the vines and make temporary passive solar greenhouses!

It’s something just hare-brained enough that I would try it if I had the topography.

 

[sour_grapes]

@Sage has done some nice terrace work. Maybe you can find his stuff, or he can give you a pointer.

 

[David Violante]

Welcome to WMT!

 

[Clint Johnson]

Hey, I have almost learned to walk... time to try to run an ultramarathon!