# Swill's Vineyard



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

This ismy meager atemped at a vineyard.it's not big enough for a vineyard. It should really be called a grape patch. 


This is for you waldo. It is something I found on my computer and I have been playing with it. I hope it works. I have never tried it before. So here it goes.







Well it looked better before I uploaded it to photobucket. That is the only music I could find on my computer. Someday I am going to have to have the boys show me how to download 
It is supposed to be the my new grape vines from a couple of weeks after I planted them until today. *Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## grapeman (Sep 26, 2007)

Very nice job swill! I see you have a lot of room for expansion there if the mood strikes you. Looks like a pretty good size vineyard to me when they all get bearing. Is that you with the turkey? Looks like a hunter's paradise there! Almost time for me to start thinning my "boarders" out. They are starting to defoliate some of the vines. I've got a nice crop of them for in a couple years!


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

How did you get a picture of a guy with a turkey.




I must have scewed something up. I'm not sure what picture you have. It could be. Is it some ugly guy with a beard?


----------



## grapeman (Sep 26, 2007)

Yeah it's some guy with a beard, not ugly though. It wasn't in the slideshow, but it all links to your hosted site with album pictures. Makes a nice way to share photos.


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

I didn't know that. That's good to know.


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

No wonder why he's not ugly. It's not me.



That is the handicappedkidthat Itook turkey hunting last spring. I didn't think I had a picture of me in there. I don't want to scare everyone.


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

I see that they all work the same way.


I have got another question for you appleman. Are Miller's tree good? We need a new yellow delicious. I thought I might give them a try.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## grapeman (Sep 26, 2007)

swillologist said:


> No wonder why he's not ugly. It's not me.
> 
> 
> 
> That is the handicappedkidthat Itook turkey hunting last spring.




What a wonderful thing for you to do! There are all kinds of activities for handicapped people to do outside and it's great to be able to make their faces brighten. It makes your heart glow!


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

Thank you. I probably enjoy it more then they do. I took another guy out a week ago last Saturday. He harvested a nice doe. He was tickled and so was I. Well until it came time to drag it out.



I just uploaded the picture of him and that ugly guy. I don't know why he had to have me in the picture.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## NorthernWinos (Sep 26, 2007)

Didn't know at first that I could click on the filmstrip...Nice show....I enjoyed the photos too.


Are those your little boys???? Cute little ones aren't they.


----------



## grapeman (Sep 26, 2007)

Sorry Swillologist, I missed the question about Miller's. I've used them before for small orders and never had any problems with them. Quality seems to be good and if an item dies they replace it for shipping.


----------



## swillologist (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks NW! I can't take credit for them NW. But I can take credit for their Dad. Those are our Grandsons. And we sure enjoy them when we can.


Thanks appleman! I normally buy them from a nurseries here but I thought I would like to try something different.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## swillologist (Oct 4, 2007)

While we were away for the weekend it looks like a deer came to supper. 








This is kinda what the vine looked like before. Although they dinned a little on this one also. 








Going to pick the high bush cranberries this afternoon.








I picked some of the pumpkins yesterday afternoon.








We are going to make a trip up to see the Grand kids tomorrow.We are going to take pumpkins up to them.


----------



## NorthernWinos (Oct 4, 2007)

Swill...boy, those deer don't miss a trick....turn your back and they are taking advantage of the situation.


Nice punpkins....your grandkids will love them. Last weekend was pumpkin Days in our local town...the winner this year was 936 pounds...last year it was over 1000. There is Pumpkin Growers club here...they really get into it....The inject something into the stems all summer [maybe milk] When you drive by their farms they have little tents built over the big ones....when they are small they choose only one pumpkin per plant and they putit on a wooden palate so they can load them with a Fork-lift in the fall...pretty amazing.


I guess they had a 500 pound squash there this year [tho I think those pumpkins are really squash] Wonder if it was one of those eastern Grey Hubards.....We didn't partake of the festivities this year...busy down on the farm.


----------



## swillologist (Oct 4, 2007)

I wonder if the deer will taste like wine this fall whenI harvest a couple of them.






They had something on the news last night about a big pumpkin (squash). I think they said that the weigh-in is this weekend down here. They thought theone they were showing last night might be a new record. It was off of the chart that they use to estimate it.


I have a question NW. What would be a good starting SG for high bush cranberry? The recipe I got from Jack Keller's website doesn't say.


----------



## NorthernWinos (Oct 4, 2007)

The deer will taste great....especially with some pumpkin pie. 


They take these Gigantic Pumpkins all over the country...try to win a national prize someplace.


I tasted those High Bush Cranberries again...you for sure want to spit them out...but the aftertaste is pretty good. I start all my fruit wines at about 1.085...I am a creature of habit.


Does anyone know about the nuts that fall from the Ohio Buckeye tree??? 


Our little tree bloomed this summer and was loaded with Buckeyes...they look like chestnuts...now they have fallen and the squirrels are hauling them off....I want to try to plant some...but maybe the squirrels are planting them for me.*Edited by: Northern Winos *


----------



## grapeman (Oct 4, 2007)

I'm getting more and more of the vines I planted looking like those Swill.They are planted near some of the apple trees and the deer are coming in to feed on the apples I have left for them. Being a browsing animal, they are browsing on the nice young vines. They really don't damage them too much as long as they don't break the main canes. I walked the vines this evening and just about jumped out of my skin. One of the old does snorted and blew the other side of the row I was walking down about 10 feet away! I bleated back at it and could hear them all milling around in the edge of the woods waiting to come back out. 


I told then all- come back next weekend and do that- I'll have the .50 cal muzzleloader out next Saturday morning to greet them. I expect more grape overtones in the venison this year, they have been munching down the higher grapes that the coons can't reach. I had some real nice Catawbas and now they are gone. The chew them up and spit the skins out in a pile on the ground to taunt me!


----------



## swillologist (Oct 4, 2007)

NW. 
I don't know if this stuff will be fit to drink when I get done. I tried them several different time whenI was stemming them. They never did get very good. But I'm going to give it a go. I will start out at 1.085. Thanks!








appleman
Good luck with the Ole frontstuffer. That's what i will be using here also. It will be in the .45 line thought. ButI could just get out the Ole .50 cal. round ball thrower and thump another deer with it. It's been awhile since I have had it down from the rack. *Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## swillologist (Oct 7, 2007)

I think I am going to have a late crop of high bush cranberries.



I found these Friday morning. 








I think the frost might get these. I got to close to them. The picture is blurred.


----------



## grapeman (Oct 8, 2007)

Those mightget a bit cool before getting ready. I too noticed blossoms on Saturday on the elderberries. Bothing is sure of the seasons anymore.


----------



## swillologist (Oct 8, 2007)

They are both in the same family. May be that has something to do with it.


----------



## swillologist (Dec 14, 2007)

I just worked onthe slide show. You don't have to look at the same picture over again.


----------



## swillologist (Apr 2, 2008)

I probably destroyed my grapes today. 





























I left a good amount but I took a lot off too. I may have to take a little more. It would probably help if I knew what I was doing.


----------



## grapeman (Apr 2, 2008)

Grapes love to be prunes and try to overcome our shortcomings in pruning knowhow. I count about 80 buds on that vine- so you should be pretty good. If you want to cane prune, leave a few renewal shoots growing during the growing season to form next years canes. Prune out the heavy wood each year above the main trunk and replace with those renewal canes. If you want 4 canes, leave four- two each direction from the two wires. If you only have the top wire, leave two long canes for the shoots to grow out of. If it isn't raining too hard this weekend for pictures I will try to get some when I go to Willsboro to begin pruning at the grape trial. If it rains too much I on Friday, I will try to go to the other demonstration locally. If that doesn't work out either I will take some pictures as I am able to cane prune my 4 arm vines. 


I like the VSP for pruning ease. Just establish cordons on the fruiting wire and train the growth vertically between catch wires. Then the next year prune to leave 2 to 4 buds on most varieties just above the cordon. It is quick and easy and leaves the fruit with better exposure.


----------



## swillologist (Apr 2, 2008)

Thanks appleman! Pictures would be great. I hope the rain will hold off for you.
Ididn't take care of this vine like I should have when I planted it. So it looks kinda strange. This is a Fredonia. I like the grape from it. They are probably not the greatest for wine. But I made some decent wine out of them. I have other vines that I can removefrom the arbor. I laid a vine down last summer. I thinkI have a new vine started. I will know for sure when it buds out. I have an empty spot in my arbor rightnow for it. If this works hopefully I can replace all of the vines in time and do a better job of managing them. 

*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## swillologist (May 25, 2008)

I took a little tour of the orchard/vineyard this evening. The old grapes are coming along nicely. 














A coupe of the new vines took a pretty good hit this winter but they are coming back. They will be behind the rest though.








It looks like the apricots survived the frost. 








There is going to be some sour cherries if we can beat the birds to them. The birds don't even let them get ripe. 








It looks like a good crop of gooseberries this spring. Now to keep the birds and the coons out of them. 








It looks like it is going to be a lot better year this year then it was last year. I might be able to get some wine made.


----------



## Wade E (May 25, 2008)

Looking good over there Swill!


----------



## grapeman (May 26, 2008)

It sure is nice to see all things coming to life and growing! Here's hoping everything stays well for you there with all the nasty weather going on. It's a wonder any of us ever get any food that Mother Nature doesn't destroy.


Are you seeing little flower clusters yet on the grapes? The young ones tend to take the cold weather harder than the older vines- the canes just don't have as long to harden off good before cold weather. Good luck with all.


----------



## swillologist (May 26, 2008)

Thanks wade. 


We missed most of the storms last night. We just got needed rain. Could have done without the wind. But it didn't hurt anything.Supposed to beanother round to go through this afternoon. We will see what that brings.


Yes appleman, there are flower clusters on every vine except the ones that were hit hard this winter. One of those may even have a cluster on it. I will take that cluster off. I am thinking of leaving one cluster on each of thenew vines just to have a taste. Is that a bad idea? The old vines have lots of flowers on them. I may have to thin them some. I will take a count one of these day. Then I will be looking for some adviseto see ifI need to thin them some.


----------



## grapeman (May 26, 2008)

You could leave some clusters on for a while and see how the vines do. If growing conditions are great and you get too much growth, the clusters will help keep it in check some. If the vines struggle because of poor weather- drop all clusters on those vines.


----------



## rgecaprock (May 26, 2008)

Beautiful pictures, Swill,
Your land is gorgeous!!!


----------



## swillologist (May 26, 2008)

Normally the weather is good for growth here. A dry spell is about the only thing that will hamper it. The storm last night must have had some hail in it. There are a few holes in the leaves today. One of the old vines was blown off the arbor. I put it back up this morning. Here is a picture of a few of the flower clusters on one of the old vines.








Thanks rg! Here are a couple of pictures I thought you may enjoy. The are baby Bluebird in one of our houses.








Pop wasn't to happy with me messing with his home.


----------



## rgecaprock (May 26, 2008)

They look so sweet and cozy in their little home.


----------



## swillologist (Jun 4, 2008)

Look at what I beat the birds to today. 








With more to come.








Does anyone still need some rain. We have some to share. The water is up to my sister's driveway and she is a half a mile from the river. We have another system coming through in just a little while. My poor grapes are getting beat to death. We have been having storms moving through about every other day. On the young vines just about every leaf has holes in them and they are also ragged looking. The old vines are losing shoots. I hope this weather settles down before long. I guess I should be happy. We have had tornado's on both sides of us. One on the ground right now in southern part of the state.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## rgecaprock (Jun 4, 2008)

Swill,
Looks like I can reach in and take that biggest berry off the plate. Great picture......Ramona


----------



## Waldo (Jun 5, 2008)

Looking good swill..our strawberry crop here in Arkansas was really good this year. They are just about all gone now though.


----------



## grapeman (Jun 5, 2008)

I think I would throw some bird netting over all those berries Swill. Plenty of shortcakes and jam there - an maybe enough for some wine! We won't need that rain over here right now. We have been getting some also now- about an inch and a half in the last week- more on the way. It is actually approaching warm some days now.


Hope the grapes pull through alright and give you a nice crop.


----------



## NorthernWinos (Jun 5, 2008)

Swill.....Nice looking berries....Looks like enough for a little wine in your future.

I also use bird netting for the birds...But I have more of a slug problem....



Last year I tried trays of beer...that did work, but, got expensive...Then found if I just leave the rotten ones they had chewed on in the row they will munch on those and leave the freshly ripened ones alone...so they ate on less of them that way....they ate the rotten ones till they were gone.

We got near an inch of rain last week, since then the storms have missed us...as well the big hail storms missed us...They sure had some beautiful clouds tho...but wrecked peoples crops and yards.

Might get rain the next 2 days...90% chance...know it will at least be cloudy, we are not usually in the rain belt....Need heat and sun.


----------



## swillologist (Jun 5, 2008)

Thanks everyone! 


Looks like it's going to be a good strawberry year here also. If after the shortcake, jams and jellies there are any left over. I get to make wine. Barring a hail storm or something there should be enough to go around. If the birds get to bad we will do the netting. I shouldn't say anything but we don't have a problem with slugs here. Now they will probably show up. 


It looks like it is going to be a good year for everything here all of the trees are loaded. Now if I could get the weather to cooperate so I can spray. 


I think the grape will be alright appleman.. It's just that every time that I loss a shoot I loss a couple of bunches of grapes. One storm this week I lost three shoots on one vine and a couple on some of the other ones.


We got another storm heading our way now. They don't seem to let up. They talk about tornadoes every evening. They are doing it again right now. They are not talking about watches. They are taking about them being on the ground. I don't know how long we can keep this up without one getting close.


----------



## swillologist (Jun 6, 2008)

I'm done complaining about the weather. We dodged a bullet last night. The thing was on the ground about 20 miles southwest of us. It went back up, jumped over the top of usand dropped back down about 3 miles northeast of us. So as NW would say "life is good".


----------



## grapeman (Jun 7, 2008)

Strange how those "suckers" can behave isn't it! Certainly not much you can do about them except try to keep safe and pick things back up after they are over. Glad it hopped over you!


I posted on here last year that we had the same situation as youd did- and we rarely get tornados here. A small one touched down a couple mile southwest of here and lifted back up right over our house. My brother-in-law watched it go right over our house with the debris from the previous touchdown flying around above our house. It continued on, touched down a mile and a half later briefly and then a couple miles later- dropping debris a quarter mile away from the tornado as it went. 


Glad you are OK!


----------



## NorthernWinos (Jun 7, 2008)

Had heavy rain for a time yesterday and a tornado came out of nowhere and touched down up in the northland...There wasn't the usual heat associated with them, we were right under a large Low pressure area and they said just the spin in the atmosphere set it off. It did damage where it hit, in some small towns and leveled some turkey barns and liberated the turkeys...many didn't make it.


----------



## swillologist (Jun 7, 2008)

That is one draw back to this area we do have tornadoes, nothing like Oklahoma. We have had a few extra this spring. And there is supposed to be another round this afternoon. But life is good.


----------



## swillologist (Jul 30, 2008)

Here is how to spray your vineyard or orchard.

















The bi-plane sprayed a field southeast of us this morning and other one sprayed a field southwest of us this afternoon.


----------



## grapeman (Jul 31, 2008)

So how long would it take to spray yours? About 2 seconds?


----------



## swillologist (Jul 31, 2008)

Yeah about one pass would more then do it.




The bad news is that I thought it was the same plane until I was posting this last night. Shows how much attention I pay. *Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## NorthernWinos (Jul 31, 2008)

What are they spraying for?????

We have a guy the lives on the corner ¾ mile away with a little airport and his crop spray plane....he tries to be neighborly and doesn't start till 6AM with the first load...then goes till dark. Now he is spraying for aphids in the soybeans..he just got finished fertilizing the wild rice paddies....At first the noise was really annoying, but it's just a neighbor making a living and now we have gotten use to the noise....

I hate when he flies over our place, he has made a slight mess with some 24D over a corner of our soybeans last year as well we got some drift when he defoliated the neighbors sunflowers...so we are not big fans of aerial spay.

Jim is spray aphids with his crop sprayer now...he can barely get through them...he is knocking some plants over....He is kind of feeling sick about doing it as there are some beneficial insects out there too....So it goes!


----------



## OilnH2O (Jul 31, 2008)

Swill, that bi-plane has a radial, piston engine on it (probably a 9 cyl) that costs about $30K to rebuild or put on new. The other has a turbine ("prop-jet") that costs a quarter-mil -- $250K to put on. Think about that when you wonder about how much those sprayers get to spray -- and why they work from dawn to dusk to make the payments!


----------



## swillologist (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm not sure what they are spraying for. I presume it's for aphids because they are spraying bean fields.


The airport is about 2 miles away. They have been flying for about two weeks now. I don't know what they charge. But they should be making some money.


----------



## swillologist (Aug 28, 2008)

I left some grapes on my young vines this spring. The Cayuga I didn't leave very many but on the Steuben I left more then I had thought.








How many pounds do you think I would need to make a gallon of wine. I was thinking in the 10 to 12 # range. Does that sound about right. I'm not sure there are that many on the vines though.


----------



## NorthernWinos (Aug 28, 2008)

I know what you mean about weeds...figure I will have the flowers weeded by freeze up...they look so pathetic from lack of rain and neglect...They look nice from far- far from nice.

As for the weeds in the veggies...this time of the year when we start to harvest food we just ignore the weeds and take the bounty....soon will get cultivated anyway.

Those grape clusters you have look real pretty...Nice color.

I have no idea as to grapes per gallon....my grapes are pretty strong so most of them need to be watered down to cut the acid and flavor....With your real wine grapes just harvest and see what you get.

Happy harvests and enjoy th season.


----------



## swillologist (Aug 28, 2008)

I don't believe Steuben are exactly a wine grape. They do taste a lot different then Concords. I think it is kind of anin between grape. 


It's just about time to move around to the other side of the house. The garden is pretty well along for this year. It won't be long before some of the apples are ready. One tree is already finished. The grandsons really like the applesause him and grandpa made the other day. The problem is that he has ate it all. Now we have to wait for more apples to ripen.


----------



## grapeman (Aug 28, 2008)

Things look great there! It will take about 12-15 pounds of Steuben per gallon, less if you have a press. They do get fairly deep in color when ripe. They make some very nice Steuben wine in the Finger Lakes. It has a great flavor- don't put them down, they will surprise many folks. I notices I had a cluster of them I missed this year also, but not that many. The St. Croix I though I had left a few clusters on, some have 20-30 clusters! The 2 year old vines fill their 7 foot space on the trellis.


----------



## swillologist (Aug 28, 2008)

Thanks appleman! I'm not sure there will be that many. The vines did well this year. I have about 10 foot between these. 








The Steuben have filled in better then the Cayuga. It is going to take some serious pruning next spring to reign in the Steuben.


----------



## grapeman (Aug 28, 2008)

Excellent! Be sure to watch the Powdery and Downey Mildew on the Steuben. They are pretty susceptible to those.


----------



## Wade E (Aug 28, 2008)

Your property looks beautiful also Swill!


----------



## Waldo (Aug 29, 2008)

Who is that out there in the very back of your field swill? Just to the left of the last post in the picture. Looks like he has a rifle or shotgun. Deer hunting?


----------



## NorthernWinos (Aug 29, 2008)

Waldo...You got some good eyes....I don't see anyone out there....?


----------



## swillologist (Aug 29, 2008)

Pssss Waldo! Over here by the first post. Buddythere's nobody there. I think you need another glass of wine. 
I think I see what you are talking about. Itis a bush down in the draw. That draw is full of high bush cranberries. If anyone is rolling down I-80 and need some high bush cranberries. I know where they can get some.*Edited by: swillologist *


----------



## NorthernWinos (Aug 29, 2008)

So...Swill.....What ever happened to the Highbush Cranberry Wine????

We didn't get any berries this year.


----------



## swillologist (Aug 29, 2008)

Well it's still setting on the table.









I'm going to have to get around to bottling it one of these days. I have been waiting on the smell to go away. It doesn'tlook like that is going to happen. I smelled it again yesterday. All though it's not quite as bad as it was.It still has a bit of the smell that the fruit have when you pick them. And a little of that smell goes a long ways.
I'll see if I can't get around to bottling it this weekend.


----------

