Little House on the Prarie

Being the first home on the ridge has been sweet, but we're ready for some neighbors.

Bird Defense

...so, the birds are out in force, doing their best to pick the vineyard clean. We use an arsenal of defenses, including netting, reflective flash tape, "Terror Eyes" the owl, a remote-control helicopter and of course the .12 gauge. The only thing that really works is the netting, but it is a pain to put up and a bigger one to take down. I was gonna get one of those used-car lot "Tube-Man" that sway 20' in the air, but they're still in experimental stage for bird scare and I decided to wait a year to make sure they really work.

Might have to just bite the bullet and get more netting.

Grapes Soaking up the Heat

The grapes are getting ripe fast. It's been a record hot season; I'd say they're at least 10 days and maybe 2 weeks ahead of last year.

Happy Vines

It's been a hot summer and the vines have been soaking up the sunshine. The berries are just starting to turn (veraison), beginning their ripening phase. Ten days ahead of last year. The vineyard is super healthy and happy.

What we dream of now is a long, slow, moderate ripening phase ("hang time") allowing for full development of flavors, with the sugars and acids both reaching optimal levels just before the first good frost. But regardless, it's gonna be a great vintage!

Smoky Sunsets

No wildfires in our area, but plenty of smoke in the air from the fires up around Chelan.

The Fire Pit

Summer Help

Tommy, a college friend of our daughter's, came out from Pennsylvania to work in the vines this summer. The vineyard has never looked better.

It's been a warm spring, the berries are in inflorescence (flowering) right now, we're trimming leaves & positioning shoots to allow maximum morning sun in the fruit zone. It's early but shaping up as potentially a terrific season.