Cayuse Moses Lake | Lake View Home Sites

Shop, With Windows In

2012-02-18T14:42:00.001-08:00

New Construction

2012-02-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

Living room/chimney wall, ready to go up.

The chimney and column bases will be masoned with fieldstone gathered from the property.

Rear Elevation

2012-02-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

A drop-dead gorgeous day, I might add.

Building Inspectors

2012-02-18T14:29:00.000-08:00

House & Shop

2012-02-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

Twas a pristine last day of January. Beautiful calm clear weather. Here are some current photos of the project.
April says the shop is "pointing" to the north. I see what she means.

House & Shop

2012-01-24T21:19:00.001-08:00

Shop nearly framed, house foundation will be poured tomorrow.

Breaking Ground

2012-01-16T15:03:00.000-08:00

We've broken ground on a new house & detached garage/shop on Lot 21. As you can see the shop is half framed already, and the foundation has been dug for the house (has a thermal blanket over it at the moment).

The house is 3,200 sq ft. It sits in the elbow of the vineyard with the great ridge-top view over the field below to the lake & mountains beyond.

I'm more excited about the shop. Now I gotta get a tractor.

Drilling a Well

2011-11-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Construction is beginning on a new custom home on Lot 21. The first step was drilling a well. Mitch Mathews did the drilling. He's been doing it for 32 years in Moses Lake and has a good reputation.

He started at 8 am and was done by 2:30 that afternoon. Drilled 175 feet and hit good water - roughly 85 gallons per minute, many times more than a household can use.

The cost for the well was $7,000, including tax. The pump will cost another $3,300 or so, installed.

Cave B

2011-08-28T08:57:00.001-07:00

Mike & Bum came up and we spent a most pleasant couple of days soaking up North Central Washington.

Spent the nite at Cave B, at the gorge. (This is the view from our room.) After dinner we lay on our backs for 45 minutes and wondered at the stars.

The next day we drove up the river road, the palisades and Rock Island, Cashmere ("I love apricots!"), Leavenworth (Icicle Brewing Co), Blewett Pass and back home.

Gorgeous weather and great company.

2011-08-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

Just starting to turn

Cab Franc

2011-08-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

They'll be turning color - known as "veraison" - shortly.

Jaz in the Vines

2011-07-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

My neice Jazmin (that's her on the right) stopped by and took some nice photos on her way back from summer camp at Chewelah.

Carbon Fiber From Moses Lake Plant Will Equal Current World Output

2011-07-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

BMW/SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers has plans to produce as much carbon fiber in its Moses Lake plant as is currently produced in the entire world, according to a July 25 article in the Columbia Basin Herald.

The plant began producing carbon fiber last week. The first two production lines, employing about 80 people, will be fully operational this quarter. Those two lines will produce 3,000 metric tons of carbon fiber per year - nearly 10 percent of total world production - according to plant manager Steve Swanson.

Swanson went on to say that BMW/SGL expects to see "some huge future growth in this market." The company holds an option for 60 acres of additional land next to the existing plant. "We can put another eight carbon lines on that 60 acres, close to 30,000 tons," said Swanson. "Our intent is to match the world market. That's very close to matching the world market [of 35,000 metric tons]. I can tell you, that's our intent, to get to that point."

Where will all that carbon fiber be used? Currently the company has only acknowledged plans to use the material in BMW's future MegaCity Vehicle, the i3, and the BMW i8, "a full hybrid sports car." Both vehicles are scheduled for launch in 2013.

But the company's vision clearly encompasses much more than those two vehicles. Swanson pointed out that the use of carbon fiber in aerospace manufacturing has grown dramatically in the past two decades. "Why would we think the same doesn't happen in automotive?" he asked. "Of course it will. Carbon fiber is very strong, light, corrosion-resistant, does not show fatigue and just outlasts any type of metal."

The company recycles as much as it can and has the technology to recycle its material and put it back into parts.

"No one else has this technology," Swanson said. "BMW developed it and it's definitely a big part of our business."

Read the full article here

Cayuse Moses Lake Summer Evening

2011-07-23T11:38:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Time of the Day

2011-06-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

In the evening everything seems to quiet down and you hear the sprinklers going ch-ch-ch-ch-ch. The sound of summer, the sound of crops slowly maturing in the sun. All's well.

That's Ethan down there in the field changing a length of handline.

Moses Lake Farmers Market

2011-06-27T20:31:00.001-07:00

You think this produce is fresh?

About Thyme

2011-06-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

Last spring I planted some desert succulents - sedums, creeping thyme, etc - in front of the vineyard sign. They spread quickly and the colors this time of year are spectacular. I'm rooting for the purple thyme to take over, so I'll only water that this summer.

Connolly Park

2011-06-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

This gem of a park is half a mile from Cayuse. It used to belong to the Air Force. The locals still call it "Airmens Beach." When the city acquired it, the feds made them agree they would maintain it nicely by spending a certain amount of money every year. So while other parks are wilting in the budget crisis, Moses Lake continues to pour money into improving Connolly Park.

The most recent improvments: New wading beaches, a nice new entry drive, and hydroseeding the hillside. Lush.

Cayuse Moses Lake Spring Sunset

2011-05-06T18:31:00.001-07:00

Cayuse Wildflowers

2011-05-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

Pablo Wields the Weed-Eater

2011-05-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Spring tasks include getting the irrigation system going, weeding, and planting some replacements for vines that did not survive the last two winters.

I planted a few Riesling vines this year just as an experiment. Want to see how they do compared to the Chardonnay and Cab Franc.

We haven't done any spraying in the vineyard this year, and I don't think we will. It's not that I'm big on all the "organic" stuff but I think the vines might do better without chemicals around. So we hand-weeded the plant wells, we'll keep the rows clean with hand and hoe, and weed-eater the aisles as usual.

Spring Start-up

2011-04-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

It's spring and everything is popping in the vineyard.

Temperature got down to -15 just before Thanksgiving. Did a lot of damage all over the state, and not just in grapes. Like many others, I waited until bud swell before pruning. Didn't want to inadvertently cut away any buds that did survive the winter. Now (late April) I can see where the dieback ends and the live buds begin, and I can prune with more confidence.

The Cab Franc on the southwest slope did best. There are plenty of live buds well up the canes.

The Chardonnay on the west end of the vineyard did poorly. 90% of those had to be cut back nearly to the ground. However, they have good root systems and will send up new shoots this summer that should be trainable onto the wire.

In general, although there was extensive bud damage, I am pleased at how healthy the canes are.

Bottom line is we have to use all available cold-weather defenses: late (double) pruning, multiple trunks, laying canes down in the winter. Can't take any shortcuts. It's labor intensive, but there's no getting around it if we want to have a successful vineyard.

For All You Bicyclists Out There

2011-02-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

Trails Planning Team helps develop bike and foot paths around the Moses Lake area. Check out the article here

Moses Lake Makes Forbes List

2010-12-16T16:05:00.000-08:00

Forbes Magazine names Moses Lake 8th fastest-growing small town in America. Article

Gov. Gregoire says BMW's Moses Lake factory may double in size, jobs

2010-11-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

(Headline in Seattle Times this morning.)

SEATTLE —
A new carbon fiber plant being built in Moses Lake could become the largest facility of its kind in the world because of strong demand for the composites by German carmaker BMW AG, Gov. Chris Gregoire said Friday.

Check out the full story here.

The Governor is in Germany hobnobbing with BMW. They believe all vehicles will be made of carbon fiber in the near future.

When you read between the lines of the statements BMW has made about this project, you get the sense that:

- BMW sees carbon fiber as the material of the future,

- BMW is developing a core competency and infrastructure for carbon fiber, of which the Moses Lake plant will be a significant part, and

- BMW's vision may go beyond using this stuff just for its own vehicles; it may envision selling carbon fiber to other car makers and maybe even to other industries as well.

In other words, carbon fiber is the building material of the 21st century, and Moses Lake will be a carbon fiber capital of the world. Exciting!

Grapes

2010-09-01T20:10:00.001-07:00

The vines won't be mature for a couple more years, so I snip the fruit clusters in early summer so they don't divert energy from the vine. But I left a few to ripen, so I could taste 'em!

Vines in Full Glory

2010-09-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

Last day of August. No more watering from now on. We'll drain the system and let the vines beging the process of lignification and hardening for winter.

BMW Plant Breaks Ground in Moses Lake

2010-07-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

MOSES LAKE — BMW’s Megacity Vehicle begins in Moses Lake with a new carbon fiber plant, a company official said Wednesday.

“What you’re seeing today, are new and innovative ideas, to make carbon fiber for a car that’s never existed,” said Kenn Sparks, a media relations manager for BMW Group. “I think you would be proud to say that, in a lot of ways, it really does begin here.”

The groundbreaking for BMW/SGL Group’s carbon fiber plant was celebrated Wednesday with more than 90 dignitaries attending.

Hiring for about 80 permanent employees begins in 2011 and should increase to 200 full-time positions.

2010-07-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

Farmer's Daughter

2010-04-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

Quinci helped me out with some late pruning, and I gave her driving lessons around the property. Surreal to see her driving off in my pickup.

We had a great day.

Spring in the Vineyard

2010-04-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Spring Cleaning in the Vineyard

2010-03-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Esteban, Gilbert & I (mostly them) have spent the past several weeks cleaning up the rows, getting the rocks out of the isles, smoothing rough spots, burning tumbleweeds, weeding the rows, and digging holes for 400 additional plants (target planting date April 9.) The site looks great.

I'm going to do a late pruning to better assess winter die-back, and to make sure we get through the last of frost season first.

Moses Lake Wins BMW Carbon-Fiber Factory

2010-03-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

BMW and another German company have chosen Moses Lake as the site for a new plant to manufacture carbon fibers to use in building lightweight cars.

By Eric Pryne
Seattle Times business reporter
March 26, 2010

BMW and another German company have chosen Moses Lake as the site for a new plant to manufacture carbon fibers to use in building lightweight cars.

Gov. Chris Gregoire is scheduled to speak at a news conference April 6 in Seattle that also will feature top executives of BMW and SGL Group, which last fall established a joint venture to produce carbon fibers and fabric for the auto industry.

The news-conference notice did not reveal the subject, and an SGL spokeswoman did not return calls Friday.

But Gregoire spokeswoman Karina Shagren said the governor has courted the companies personally and, "We anticipate a positive announcement."

The joint venture also has been considering a site in Canada for the fiber plant.

Gregoire met with company officials in November, and again in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December, Shagren said. Members of the governor's staff and state Commerce Department officials have been in "constant contact" with SGL and BMW, she added.

Moses Lake City Manager Joe Gavinski said he did not know if the companies had chosen his city. "They haven't told us anything," he said.

Moses Lake has several advantages, Gavinski said, including low-cost electricity, an abundance of available land, a big airport and proximity to Interstate 90.

The number of workers the plant will employ wasn't immediately known. But any new jobs would be welcome in Grant County, where the unemployment rate was 13.6 percent in February, according to the state Department of Employment Security.

When they announced their joint venture last October, SGL, which makes carbon-based products, and BMW said a new factory in North America would make fibers that would be woven into fabrics at a new factory in Germany.

They said the construction of the plants would start in 2010, and the two factories would employ a total of 180 workers. They also said the North American plant would use hydropower, a commodity Moses Lake and Grant County enjoy in abundance thanks to Columbia River dams.

BMW's chairman said the automaker planned to use the carbon fabrics in its Megacity hybrid car, expected to reach the market in the next few years.

Panels made from carbon-fiber composites are built up from layers of such fabric and then are baked to hardness. Composites are used to make the fuselage and wings of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

State and local governments have offered the plant — code-named "Project Chinook" — incentives to locate in Moses Lake. In January the state Community Economic Revitalization Board approved a $1.5 million loan and a $500,000 grant to the Port of Moses Lake to help build a substation to provide power to the factory.

The money was contingent on the plant being built, said Matt Ojennus, the board's interim program manager.

The state also is considering subsidizing worker training, said Susan St. Germain, senior business-development manager for the state Department of Commerce.

BMW Parts Supplier Coming to Moses Lake?

2010-01-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 8, 2010
Grant County makes secret bid for BMW plant, is in the race for $200M auto-part factory
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle) - by Steve Wilhelm Staff Writer

Thanks in large part to its inexpensive, carbon-neutral hydropower, Grant County is in the running to win a $200 million factory to make carbon-fiber material for next-generation electric BMW cars.

The factory, expected to cover 200,000 square feet and employ 180 people, would be built later this year on land outside Moses Lake, officials said. Moses Lake is competing against another location, probably in Canada, and a decision is expected this month, perhaps as early as this week.

The factory would be built as part of a joint venture between German luxury automaker BMW Group and SGL Group, a $2.3 billion German maker of carbon-based products.

The plant would be the first to bring major automotive-related production to the state. If successful, it could attract other automotive-related plants keen to use inexpensive hydropower generated by dams controlled by the Grant County Public Utility District.

Project Chinook Could Mean 200 New Jobs

2009-12-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Company Considers Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — Port of Moses Lake commissioners approved a state funding application on Monday to build an electrical substation for a mystery company eyeing Grant County.

If the money is obtained, it would help a company dubbed “Project Chinook.”

The real name of “Project Chinook” hasn’t been revealed publicly.

In October Terry Brewer, executive director of the Grant County Economic Development Council (EDC), described “Project Chinook” as an international manufacturing company expected to create more than 200 new jobs.

He said it was a “well-known” company and a “clean energy project.”

The EDC was working with a site selection company representing the business.

Brewer wasn’t immediately available for additional comment late Monday.

The port’s application to the Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) involves a $500,000 grant and a $1.5 million loan, said Craig Baldwin, the port’s executive manager.

“My understanding is, they’ve made no decisions yet,” Baldwin said about Project Chinook’s location decision.

In order for the port to meet the CERB application deadline, the port went ahead and made the application, Baldwin said.

The application is pending if the project comes to town, he added.

Port Commissioner Brian McGowan made a motion to approve the resolution. It passed unanimously.

After the meeting, Baldwin said he understood the company was looking at two sites in Moses Lake and a site outside the country, possibly in Canada.

The port didn’t have any property available, but is allowed to process state grants, he explained.

Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin Herald
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Asleep for the Winter

2009-10-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

The vines are now dormant. In the last weeks of September growth came to a halt and the canes began to lignify (become woody). I dehydrated the vines to promote this lignification, then after the first frost I gave the ground one final shot of water to help protect the roots over the winter. I then drained the irrigation system, and just in time, too, because the nighttime temperature dropped rapidly and for a short period was in the mid-teens at night.

So now we will see how well the vines survive the winter cold. Winter temperatures in Moses Lake normally differ little from other Eastern Washington locations, including wine-growing regions of Walla Walla, the Yakima Valley and Quincy (30 miles west). However, in those years when the temperature gets freaky cold, a nearby unfrozen body of water can help moderate the extreme lows, and that is why many vineyards are clustered around the Columbia and Yakima Rivers (and Lake Chelan, for that matter). But the biggest single factor for minimizing winter damage is having a site with good "air drainage," where cold low-lying air moves downhill away from your vineyard to pool in lower areas below. And of course, it's important to have planted grape varieties which are relatively winter hardy and cold tolerant. We're in good shape on both counts, and I believe most if not all of the plants will do just fine. I'm already looking forward to spring!

Drip Hose on the Wire

2009-09-16T22:35:00.000-07:00

Oh my aching back.
Also, when you're on a 15-degree slope, what's the trick to keeping the water from traveling down the outside of the hose rather than dropping straight down out of the emitter?

PUD Selling Dark Fiber

2009-09-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

This is potentially a big deal. Grant County has become a favored spot for internet data centers because of cheap available power and relatively inexpensive land. Microsoft, Yahoo & Intuit have put their data centers 30 miles away in Quincy. So far, internet companies have stayed away from Moses Lake because the PUD has inexplicably refused to sell them desireable "dark" fiber which give the companies the reliability & control they demand. The PUD has finally seen the light (pardon the pun) and conceded the obvious.

An LA-based group including some former Microsofties recently purchased a former Air Force missile control center located near Grant County International Airport and have turned it into a state-of-the-art data center facility. (The ultra-secure building, called the TITAN I Data Center, was supposedly designed to withstand a 10-megaton nuclear strike! Good luck with that.) The group expects to sign multiple tenants now that the dark fiber moratorium has been lifted.

Read the article

Nearly Done

2009-09-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

We're close to being done for the year. All the plants are trimmed and tied to the wires. The grow tubes are off. The only real job left is to get the drip hose off the ground by attaching it to its wire.
I don't think I'll water any more this year. I'll let the vines dehydrate as they head toward dormancy, which should help them deal with winter cold.

beaucoup cailloux

2009-09-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

"Cayuse" comes from the French word cailloux meaning "stones." Grapes love 'em. I don't.
Rocky ground is good for grapes for several reasons. First, when the soil is lean, the vine's survival mechanisms tend to direct the limited nutrients to the berry rather than the foliage. The grapes are smaller and the flavors more concentrated and powerful.
Second, the root systems can be deeper and stronger in rocky soil as they dig deep in search of water & nutrients. This makes for a hardier vine.
Rocky soil also ensures good drainage, which is critical for growing good grapes.
Finally, certain types of rock absorb heat from daytime sunshine and then radiate that heat after dark. This warms the ground and can promote the ripening process and help prevent winterkill.
I plan on gathering the rocks in the rows and around the plants as a sort of rock mulch.

Vines on the Wire

2009-09-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

Cab franc, sans "underpants" (as Gilbert calls the plant protectors), tied to the wires after some late-summer pruning. Pruning is ordinarily not done in the fall, but was appropriate this year because I've just gotten the trellis wires up.
I emailed Jeff Cox, author of From Vines to Wines, and asked him about when & how to form the cordons, which will be the permanent horizontal trunks of the vine. He kindly responded and advised tying the main cane up now, trimming all lateral shoots, and then forming the cordon out of two new shoots next spring.
I mostly took Jeff's advice, but I have left a few laterals and some foliage on each plant on the theory that there are still several weeks of growing season til the first good frost and I might as well take advantage of all the photosynthesis I can get (for roots and cane) short of diverting excessive plant energy to useless parts of the vine. In other words, I can't bring myself to totally strip the plant naked yet. On several plants I actually did take a couple of likely-looking laterals and began to form the cordon, just for the fun of it.

First Fruits

2009-09-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

OK, they won't be ripe for a month and won't be useable for 2 more seasons but... we have grapes.

2009-08-31T22:38:00.000-07:00

Tying Up the Vines

2009-08-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

April ties vines to the wire. (Sure easier on the eyes than the motley crew below)
I have a question about how to train the cordon. Option 1: Tie the main cane straight up, prune everything else back over the winter, then next spring train two new shoots out along the wire to form the cordon. Option 2: Take two existing canes and tie them horizontally on the wire now, forming the cordon. I'll figure it out in the next couple days.

The Crew

2009-08-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

Cody, Esteban & his son Gilbert.
Esteban is old enough to be my father & Cody's grandfather, but he puts us both to shame. I call him el Martillo - the Hammer.
Esteban has taken to inviting us over to his casa for lunch. Senora Ramona fixes us frijoles con huevos, onions, queso, homemade salsa, some chile peppers, all wrapped up in fresh tortilla - oh yeah.

Cody Craps Out

2009-08-24T10:34:00.001-07:00

Wires on the Posts

2009-08-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wondered if this day would ever come.

Pulling Wire

2009-08-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Cody & Esteban working our "spinning jenny." You're supposed to put this on the back of a tractor and let it unspool as you drive down the rows, but we just put it at the end of the row and pulled the wire out by hand. You wouldn't want to pull wire without a dereeling device, because you could end up with a real mess.
The wire is 12.5 guage, pretty heavy. We drilled holes in the end posts to run the wires through. We stapled the wire to the post on one end, then ran the wire down to the other end post, through the holes, and secured and tightened it with a "gripple" device. Pulling the wires tight allowed us to easily make straight lines with the line posts. (We had pre-dug the holes but didn't fill them in until the wire was pulled.)
At this time I'm going to put up three wires: one at 24" to attach the drip hose, one at 46" for the cordon, and one at 58" for the canopy. I also drilled holes for a future third wire at the top of the posts.

Cody's Last Hole

2009-08-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

Cody's off to college next week. After a summer digging holes in the rocks, he's committed to getting an education!

My Last Hole

2009-08-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

There were close to 2,500 holes dug for this vineyard, almost all of them by hand because of the rocky soil. This is my last one. For some reason one of the end posts was a foot off, so I decided to move it. I soon discovered why it had been put in the wrong place. There was a 600 lb rock sitting right where the post was supposed to go. But my motto is "the rocks can't win," so I spent 30 minutes digging a hole next to it and then using two pry bars to roll it over. The post is now in the right place.
After a summer of this, you get to know the nature of rocks pretty well. You get so you can tell the size, shape and orientation of a rock by the sound it makes when the the pry bar hits it. Rocks are tough, and heavy, but they have one big disadvantage: they can't think.

Agua!

2009-08-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

Cody shows his best hustle getting to the water cooler

Sparkling Summer Morning at Cayuse

2009-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

We got early starts this week to beat the heat. Beautiful out there in the cool of the morning.

2009 Babe Ruth World Series

2009-08-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

16-18 year olds championships held at Moses Lake's Larson Field.
Here, the host Columbia Basin River Dogs are in action vs. team from San Gabriel Valley (CA)

Anchor Cables

2009-08-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

These are cables connecting the end posts to the screw anchors. I bought the pre-made setup - a little more expensive but saved a lot of work. (The alternative would be to use 10-guage wire, cut each piece to size, and crimp the ends together.)
I get my trellis supplies from Wilson Irrigation & Orchard Supply in Yakima. Steve & Eric down there are pros and have been super helpful.

Line Posts

2009-08-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

We're setting the line posts, which will hold the wires. We're using steel posts up here, 8' long, buried 2' deep, spaced 18' apart. Augured the holes as far as possible in the rocky soil, and now coming along behind and cleaning out the holes by hand.

2009-08-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

Mouse Mansion

2009-07-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

There's a mouse who lives in my valve control box. His pad must be the envy of the colony - high ceilings, running water. He's even drug in a cigarette butt from somewhere (not mine of course), for that special touch.

The property has just one tiny little drawback. Every once in a while a great monster suddenly lifts the roof and scares the bejeezus out of poor mr. mouse.

Well, no place is perfect. They have earthquakes in California...

Cody Spraying Weeds

2009-07-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

Tumbleweeds, mostly (although I think this one happens to be a knapweed). The tumbleweed is an awesome botanical survival machine.

Screw Anchors

2009-07-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Spent two tough days putting in the aptly-named screw anchors. Have to auger them in (much of it by hand) because the ground is so rocky. They won't have any weight on them til next summer, though, and they should set up like concrete over the winter.

I figured this would be the toughest part of the whole project, and it didn't disappoint. Feel like we crested the mountain though - the tasks will gradually get easier from here.

I decided when this project is done I will never dig another hole in my life.

Too Big for His Britches

2009-07-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Greening of the Vineyard

2009-07-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

The Chardonnay are well up over the top of the 30" grow tubes, and the Cab Franc aren't far behind.

I'm amazed at how little water they require. It's 95 degrees, I'm down to one soak per week, and they're absolutely thriving. I'm going to keep cutting back and see how low I can go before they begin to stress.

Closing the Loop

2009-07-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

Finished off the last of the end posts. (You may recall there was a gap in the line on the north end of the vineyard, where we had recently cleared and leveled additional space.) There are 110 of these altogether, one on each end of 55 rows. This week we'll put screw anchors into the ground behind each end post.

Cody Takes a Dirt Bath

2009-07-01T22:58:00.000-07:00

Time to put in the last of the end posts and begin putting in the screw anchors. The soil up on top is brutal - I tried three holes by hand - it was like trying to shovel a sidewalk. Decided to rent a Bobcat with an auger. Only slightly easier. The rocks up there are like interlocking pavers. Just got to fight it from all different angles til it gives a little.

Got 'em done though.

Sunset Through the Vines

2009-06-30T18:55:00.001-07:00

Isn't that a Boz Scaggs song? Oh wait, that's "Moonlight Through the Pines"

Big Sky Over Cayuse

2009-06-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

2009-06-30T18:47:00.000-07:00

"Grapes love the sight of water."

2009-06-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't want to live here?!

Lazy Summer at Cayuse

2009-06-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

An exquisite couple of days out on the property. Weather was perfect. I wasn't too motivated to work, so took alot of photos. More on flicker

Making Hay While the Sun Shines

2009-06-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

Neighbor Travis baled the season's first cut of alfalfa. Lovely sight laying down there in the morning light.

Smoothing the Aisles

2009-06-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

Took my nephew Cody out to work with me for three days. We rented a tractor with a front loader and a "Gannon box" on the rear. It just fit down the aisles and leveled them out nicely with one pass. Cody became the Gannon box expert, but he made me back the tractor out of the rows so he wouldn't run over any grapes.

The aisles look great but I do regret destroying my "cover crop" of native grasses.

By the way, I strongly recommend leveling the site before planting vines!

Line Posts

2009-06-09T18:07:00.001-07:00

Spent a full day putting in line posts on the slope. Decided to use my treated wood posts there - Old World Style, I call it. I think the wood has a nice look to it. I'll use steel line posts up on top, in the "real" vineyard.

Explosive Growth

2009-06-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Vines already overflowing their grow tubes. Gotta get the wires up quickly now.

Building Activity Rises in Moses Lake

2009-06-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

GRANT COUNTY — Single-family housing permits increased by 21.5 percent from March to April in Grant County, reflecting a national trend of improvement in one area of housing permits.

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Bud Break; Pruning; Weed Control

2009-05-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

I did a head count and all but about 200 plants have budded. Some of the rest are alive but slow. And a few simply didn't make it. I figure we'll have to replant something like 10%, which isn't great but isn't bad considering we're rank amateurs.

I think I've done all the pruning I'm going to do this season. Most experts advise simply letting the plants run wild the first year, which is supposed to promote a robust root system. The downside is the vines won't reach the first wire until next year, and will take an extra year to bear fruit. "My" expert says you can prune down to one bud in the first year, which will promote a vigorous shoot that should reach the first wire and minimize the wait to production of wine grapes. I took the more aggressive approach and pruned heavily, although I did leave at least two and often three buds unless one of them was so robust that I didn't feel I needed backup.

I also bought a backpack sprayer and a gallon of glyphosate (generic Roundup). It went smoothly and I was able to spray the entire 2.5 acre vineyard in one day. I just sprayed in and around the rows, leaving the aisles with some cover grasses which will brown over the summer. I mixed in some dye so I could see where I was spraying. The grow tubes keep overspray from drifting onto the vines. (At least I hope they did!)

A neighbor came by to see what I was doing. Said he had lived in Moses Lake since he got out of the Navy in 1944. Never saw grapes being planted before, he said. I told him I hadn't either.

2009-05-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

The slope looks good, don't you think?

Army of Grow Tubes

2009-05-25T10:45:00.000-07:00

Finished putting in stakes & plant protectors. This week I'll spray the weeds. The aisles have alot of native grass growing in them which is good for holding down erosion and dust, so I'll leave that and just take out the broadleaf weeds with a post-emergent (contact) herbicide.

2009-05-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

Started putting up bamboo training stakes and cardboard plant protectors. Also doing the second pruning as we go. Most of the plants are well along in bud break. Some are delayed, but with the warm weekend we should know by next week which ones will make it and how many will actually need to be replanted.

Mothers Day

2009-05-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

April & I took Mom out to the project and put her to work on Mothers Day. Thoughtful, huh?

2009-05-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

Spent three solid days removing rocks, shaping the rows, smoothing out the aisles. Compare this photo to the one in my 4/23 post.
Plants are healthy, some bud break already, but most are still waiting for that first good week of 80 degree weather.

Trimming the Vines

2009-04-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

I'm pleased to report the vines are healthy and doing very well after a week in the ground. I spent the day yesterday getting up close & personal with each one, by trimming them. If the vine had more than one cane, I selected the most promising and snipped the other. I then used my thumbnail to nick all but four or five buds out of the surviving cane. I could have only kept three buds or - more risky - just one, but didn't have the guts to do that yet. So once frost danger is past I'll have to go back and trim again, this time leaving a single new shoot from one of the buds, which I'll then train up the bamboo stake toward the first wire.
All of this trimming will promote more vigorous growth, focusing nutrients and energy into the single shoot which will represent this year's growth. Much like pruning rosebushes.
Very enjoyable work, being up there on the plateau with just the killdeers for company.

Planting Party

2009-04-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

We had our "planting party" over the weekend. Friends & family showed up to help plant 1500 grapevines. We had a barbeque going, Dry Falls Cellars came over and poured some of their lovely wines, Spanish music on the sound system, hydroplane races off Airman's Beach in the background, lots of sunshine....
By sunset the plants were in the ground. Thank you, thank you to everyone who helped out, made the drive, shared their Saturday with us. Thank you particularly to Mike & Bum who flew up from Las Vegas and spent three incredibly busy days helping us out. It wouldn't have happened without you.
More photos on Flikr

Bouncing Betty

2009-04-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

...aka the Ballbuster, and some other names which can't be repeated here.

1500 plant holes, and she's fights me like a wildcat on every one.

Moon Over Moses

2009-04-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Doug Takes a Well-Deserved Break

2009-04-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

End Posts

2009-04-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

My friend Doug came over and helped me put in the end posts (5" diameter x 8" long, buried 34" at a 60 degree angle).
Two days of digging in rocky ground, setting posts and tamping with the iron bar, all the while trying to maintain a razor-sharp post line. Thanks Doug, that was huge.

Like a Good Neighbor...

2009-03-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

...the cavalry arrived late afternoon, in the form of Travis with an auger on his forklift. We punched 15 holes in about 15 minutes. Machinery - what a concept. Thanks T!

The Tools of Ignorance!

2009-03-31T18:52:00.001-07:00

Starting to Look Like a Vineyard

2009-03-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

Spent the last several days digging post holes for the 6" diameter end posts that will anchor the rows of vines. I dropped some smaller posts in the holes just to see how they lined up.

Cayuse Farmland

2009-03-31T18:30:00.000-07:00

Robert disking the lower field, preparing to plant alfalfa.

90 New Water Permits Issued in Grant County

2009-03-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

This is a big deal. Ecology has issued almost no new permits in the past decade, and all of a sudden they've issued NINETY new ones in Grant County to goose the local economy.

"Vineyards, dairies, food processing plants, data centers, housing developments, golf courses, resorts and a Grant County PUD fish hatchery are among the groups that applied for the water."

"The nearby cities of Quincy, Ephrata, Moses Lake and Warden are expected to see more businesses," said Dan Partridge, a DOE water resources program communications manager.

"A DOE economic analysis shows the new permits could add $23 million to agricultural development value and $60 million to commercial development value." - Columbia Basin Herald.

Read full story »

2009-03-24T19:06:00.000-07:00

Straight rows, woo hoo!!!

Sandhill Crane Festival

2009-03-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

...at Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008902431_sandcraneslines.html

Spring Weather Four Hours Later

2009-03-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

By sunset all was forgiven.

Spring Weather at Cayuse

2009-03-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

A spring front blew through while I was up on the plateau plotting vineyard rows. Pretty dramatic.

A couple of big hawks floated over to check out the progress (and maybe to see if I was scaring up any critters).

An Early Spring at Cayuse

2009-03-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

Another sparkling day up on the plateau. The guy at the lumber store said he wished it wouldn't get any warmer. It's only the middle of March.

Vines, Rootstock & Trellis Systems

2009-03-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

Went down to Zillah to visit my young grapevines. David Nevill at Quality Nursery www.grapeplants.net has them embedded in a cozy cocoon of sandy loam. And I mean they are completely buried, lying in bundles three feet underground. Juan, the foreman, dug a bundle up to show me what they look like. When the ground warms up in early April, the plants will start to "move," growing the roots and pushing the buds. That's when we'll plant them.

I toured David & Juan's facility, noting how they fashioned their trellis system. Everyone does it a little differently.

On the way back I stopped in at Wilson Orchard & Vineyard Supply in Yakima www.wilsonirr.com. Very friendly & helpful folks. They have everything you could possibly need for a trellis system. I'm going to send them a sketch of the vineyard and then they can tell me exactly what I'll need.

Plotting Holes to Plant Grapevines

2009-03-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

I laid out planting holes for the vines last week. It's a real trick keeping a straight line on rows nearly 400 feet long. There's no magic formula(other than, I suppose, GPS surveying). Every farmer works it out his own way. I thought about it a long time, then went & got the longest tape measure I could find (300')and a 500' roll of yellow "Caution" tape (heavy reinforced, so it wouldn't fly around in wind). I stretched the Caution tape out, attached to a metal stake on each end of the row, then ran the tape measure down on top and spray painted the ground every six feet. That's where the vines will go.

I asked my farmer neighbor how the farmers got their rows straight. He laughed. "I don't know," he said. "I don't think it's possible."

US Bank Offering Lot Loans & Construction Financing

2009-03-11T22:33:00.000-07:00

Had lunch yesterday with Mary Sexton, Senior Loan Officer with US Bank. (She covers Wenatchee and Moses Lake markets.) US Bank has fantastic, inexpensive financing on lot loans and construction loans. Rates in the low-to-mid 5% for good credit. Great terms.

Mary can be reached at 509-663-4994 or mary.sexton@usbank.com.

Valentines Day Wine Tasting

2009-02-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

...at Moses Lake's own Dry Falls Cellars.

Love blooms anew amidst the barrels...

Vineyard Irrigation System

2009-02-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

The vineyard irrigation system went in this week.
Foggy mornings, but by mid-afternoon... just another sunny day east of the mountains.