New Micro Vineyard

[USDragoon]

Well we finally done did it!

I just ordered my first vines thisevening. Six vines for our farm in the Wet Mountains of Colorado, at9200 feet, and four vines for our county community garden in the townof Westcliffe at 7880 feet.

The variety I chose is the Marquette-potted vines from Red Dog Nursery. They should be here between Mid-May and early June. Plenty of time to set things up.

I'm going to place these vines on agentle south face slope with good soil. I still have prep work to dowhen the snows melt. The cordon/ trellis type, I'm still decidingupon. I'm think of double trunks, painted white due to the extremesin weather and intense sunlight.

Any ideas are welcome!

If the snow melts enough this weekend,I'll post some pics of the intended vineyard.

The reason I'm only doing six plants,is for an experiment to see what will happen. I've heard of somesuccess stories in the high altitude vineyards here in the RockyMountains, perhaps we will be one of them!

Does anyone have suggestions oncompanion planting with vines- like legumes or such to assist ingrowth?

Excited!

Randy Hansen

 

[mjrisenhoover]

I watched a video earlier today about Fetzer Winery in California and they plant four different legume cover crops between their vines, I think one of them is called Crimson Clover I don't know if that helps ya much or not.

 

[ibglowin]

I am growing Marquette, Corot Noir and Noirette at 6500ft south of you with great success. Not sure how well you will do at that altitude but nothing ventured, nothing gained they say. We got an insane cold snap the first winter (2011) they were planted and we had 3 days of -20F. All 30 vines survived and I got my first crop last summer. Enough to make 3G of finished wine. You can follow my Chateau Michaelena Vineyard if you are interested.

Welcome to Winemaking talk BTW!

 

[grapeman]

Just to let you know I will be watching this thread with interest. I can't add much yet since I am not at high altitude like you and Ibglowin (although Mike did get the vines from me a few years ago). I wasn't sure how they would do, but they seem to be doing alright for him, so why not you also. Good luck!

 

[USDragoon]

Thanks for the encouragement!

Red Clover seems to do well here- so long as there is water. I'm thinking about bush bean as a possible as well.


Grapeman,

I look forward to posting my experiences here. I hope this will become a viable enterprise and encouragement to others living in the more extreme parts of the world.

We just had our first community garden meeting today, and everyone was very happy that I ordered four vines for the garden, along with the six more for myself. I think I'm becoming the first vintner in the county. (if that's the right label)
I think everyone is looking forward to 'pop a cork' once we plant these babies in the ground!

Over the past year or so, I've been adding adobe pamphlets, articles and such that I can find for grape growing in very cold climates. There is a lot of good info out there-it's just not consolidated or easy to find. I'm thinking that when I get our farm website setup one day, I'll see about putting a “public library” in place so beginners, (like myself in diversified farming), may find some good resources.

For Colorado, the only publication I can find for free is from CSU Extension Services. Published in 1998-Bulletin 550-A. It actually contains some good information from a 20 year study. I'm sure, however, with the new varieties of grapes available, and other techniques that are out there now, this publication is dated.

Anyhow, I was going over one of these university studies on training systems from another state. It got me thinking; I'm definitely considering growing multiple trunks, in case of extreme cold/ winter kill. The coldest I've seen up here was a few years ago, when we had -40F, with the windchill dropping us to -80F for a night.

Ibglowin,

With the Marquette, I'm not sure if it prefers training to a high, or low cordon? I'm actually hoping for a low cordon, as it would seem easier (I think?) to shelter the trunks. I've read about the Canadians laying their vines down in the ground to overwinter, and covering with straw or hay. I'd like to avoid doing that if I can.

As for the cultivars/ fruiting spurs in the marquette vine- is hanging, or upright better- or does it matter?

Randy

 

[grapeman]

Marquette is a trailing variety meaning the shoots naturally hang down. So high training is more natural. Vertical shoot positioning can be used training the shoots upright. Some folks like them on VSP, but in my own large training system trial the high wire yields a lot higher and is equal quality juice.

 

[ibglowin]

What he said! LOL

 

[USDragoon]

Mike,

I'm almost halfway through your thread. Very helpful! Although we do live a few hundred miles apart, and I'm almost 3,000 feet higher, We do share some commonalities like, monsoon season timing, hail, the damned wind! and UV light.
My wife wants to go visit a childhood friend soon near Santa FE, NM, Perhaps we could meet and share a bottle.

grapeman,

I just started reading your thread on 'Starting A Vineyard', I believe you have much to share, for sure! I've been going over the website to re- familairise myself with all the information available. I'm sure my apprehension will ease some once I get my vines in the ground, and see buds in 2014.

Randy

 

[ibglowin]

If you find your way down here drop me a line, I will give you the nickel tour of the winery and wine garden. might be able to find a bottle of wine to open as well. LOL

 

[USDragoon]

Mike,

I look forward to it!

 

[USDragoon]

Rich,

Just finished your thread on “Starting A Vineyard From The Beginning”. Very informative!

It's given me some things to think about like;
1) What am I trying to accomplish- A personal or commercial operation?
2) If commercial, how big of an operation can I manage?
3) Do I want to sell off the grapes to a winery, or become a winery?
4) How do I want my vineyard to look?' Rows, spacing, trellis system, aesthetics, etc...

I'm having to consider these things for our planning and zoning office.
In January 2014, I'll have to give a presentation to try for approval of our farm “business” operations. (I hate government!)

For now I'm simply going to attempt to establish six plants this year, and see if they take. Also, I'm going to simply try to learn as much as I can from this experience, and adjust fire as needed.

Although everything is covered in snow right now, I'm going to take photo's tomorrow and post them.


Randy

 

[grapeman]

If you read my other larger thread on my Champlain Valley Vineyard-From the Beginning to a small commercial winery, http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum...apemans-vineyard-planting-small-winery-19820/

you will get a lot more information on all of what you will be going through.

 

[USDragoon]

Rich,

I plan on reading the "tome of knowledge" during this week. If I have another sleepless night like last night, perhaps in one night...lol

Randy

 

[USDragoon]

Sorry. no pictures today. It just became me doing the "honey do" list, and the sun was setting when I finally got home.
I hope to have pictures this weekend though.

 

[USDragoon]

Just planted my first grape vines!

Everyone,

I received my plants yesterday, and just finished planting 6 of the 10 this evening near my garden at 9200 feet . They are the Marquette vines from Red Dog Vineyards. I still have some anti- wildlife devices to install yet. The other four will be going in at the Community Garden in town, at 7800 feet.

I just signed up for the premium membership, so I can figure out how to post pictures now. The reason for the delay, is our house burned down on April 6th. We all are ok, except our 9 year old Pekinese named Shu- shu, who perished.
We lost everything, and are just now able to start the building process. We just bought our materials today, and would have started breaking ground, except for the 45+ MPH winds today.

I'm going to start keeping my log of the grape vine experiment as of now.

Total precipitation since November 1st of 2012 to now= 13 inches
(I calculate from November to November, as this is the actual moisture needed for a growing season and aquifer replenishment)

Last frost = approximately, June 1st

Todays High Temp = 84F
Last Night Low = 42F
Precipitation= 0
Humidity= 2%
Wind = 44

My source is from a private weather station called "Almost Four Corners", about 5 miles south- and at 8,550 feet. The station is through Weather Underground. I hope to have my own one day.

That's it for now...

Randy

 

[grapeman]

Good luck with the vines and good luck with the rebuilding process. You have a lot of work ahead of you to get your life back to semi-normal.

 

[GreginND]

So sorry to hear about your loss. Talk about total life disruption. Glad you are getting your vines in and best of luck in growing them. I am eager to follow your progress as you grow these at your elevation.

 

[jamesngalveston]

you had a 42 degree drop from high to low in 24 hours...that is a big drop

 

[ibglowin]

Randy, so very sorry to hear about the tragedy and especially the loss of your precious pup. Sounds like your on your way now. Best wishes on the rebuilding process. We have had a little of that as well around these parts thanks to the Forrest Service and a little thing called the Cerro Grande Fire.

I hope you have enough growing degree days to bring in a nice crop in a few years. Keep us posted!

 

[robie]

Very sorry for your loses. From a forest fire, last evening several homes burned down just a few miles out of town in a community called Black Forest. The fire is still burning. It just breaks your heart to see these fires.

I have a friend, who has a one-acre vineyard at about 8800 ft elevation up near the mountains. He also has Marquette planted, along with several other cold-hardy varieties. This is their third summer in the ground. We are watching closely to see how they fare. He lost several plants the first winter; we think it was because he stopped watering too soon for such a very dry climate up there. What survived seems to be doing OK. Only time will tell if the season will be long enough to a ripened crop; this year should let us know.

My friend may be someone with whom you would want to share information. His vineyard is very near Florissant, CO., which is not that far from yours. Let me know.