Pablo Wields the Weed-Eater

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

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

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

Moses Lake Makes Forbes List

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

(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

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

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.