# My harvest in College Grove, TN



## Randoneur (Sep 20, 2010)

New to the forum, thought I would share this years results. 
All grapes are in now, so here are the results:


Chardonnay harvested August 17, 2010
3 gallons juice /Brix 21.5 / TA 5.4 / pH 3.3
Added tartaric to bring TA up to 7.0 g/l


Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc field blend harvested on September 10,2010
4 gallons juice / Brix 23.5 / TA 5.8 / pH 3.54


Norton harvested on September 13, 2010
3 gallons juice / Brix 25 (Brix 27.5 heated sample) / TA 11.0 / pH 3.68
Added tartaric to broughtpH to 3.57
Will add a little more today to target pH down to 3.5


Vidal Blanc harvested on September 14, 2010
6 gallons juice / Brix 24.5 / TA 6.8 / pH 3.29
(This one will be hot)


I hoping for a good vintage.


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## ibglowin (Sep 20, 2010)

Looking good for new vines and of course we love pics!


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## AlFulchino (Sep 20, 2010)

yes,....pictures.....and please some info about what you are doing...number of vines...soil type....pounds harvested...all that good stuff....and i repeat..pictures!


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## grapeman (Sep 20, 2010)

That's a nice selection of grapes you have. Do the vinifera hold up alright there in Tn to diseases and such?


I wish I was done picking for the year, but just got started on mine. We are almost done picking the colds hardy trial of 25 varieties- only seven left to pick. I will be brining home about 400 pounds of NY 76.0844.24 on Wed ( an unreleased NY variety from the grape breeding program). It is really extremely nice this year. It is a white muscat type - tremendous flavor 20 something brix, pH about 3.2 and TA about 8 g/L. I have about 4-5 tons of my own left to pick.


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## Randoneur (Sep 20, 2010)

Pictures - I'll post thefew that I have when I get that resizer download done.


Soil - Clay churtwith limestone. Soft white limestones mixed in the clay down a couple of feet. These white stone clumps are easily broken up, so I think they are a good base for the vines. Soil is very poor and infertile butI never do any irrigation. Will start to add compost under the vines this fall and winter.


I'vehave the vines a 6 feet in the rows and row only 8 feet apart. Intentional to stress them a little since I'm not looking for harvest volume.
When each vine was planted I went in with a big post hole digger in the fall and put down a hole as deep a I could. Then put the new vine in the next spring. I never had to do any watering or irrigation with this method.


Next year I will do more leaf pull to open up 40% and do some light clusterthinning in hopes of getting a more even ripening.


I've finally developed a spray plan that is working fairly well and I have to spray the snot out of them. This year was not bad, I could go two weeks between sprays after bloom. I have to spray hybrids and vinifera the same, so hybrids may have more disease resistance in theory, but have no practicaladvantage over vinifera for me. When things get really dry here in August, I can quit the spray and let the vines ripen without the chemical on them at harvest.


I have about 100 vines. We had a very late killer frost afewyears ago and my vinifera vines were still very young, so I lost some.I also lost all of my NY73, but they were own rooted and suckered back. I've kind of been on hold while I decided whether to shift more to hybrids or shift to viniferas. Finally decided on going with more vinifera, soI'm in the process of filling back in for the vines that were frost killed. Plus I wanted to expand a little, so I planted Chardonnel and Marquette to see how they do. 


This is roughly what I calculate from my harvest:
3 pail of grapes yield 6 gallons MUST.
6 gallons MUST yields
3+ gallons of white juice, 
4+ gallons of red, 
just 3 gallons of Norton juice.


9 Chardonnay vines - 3 pails of grapes, 6 vines 5 years old, 3 replanted this year.


9 Cabernet Sauvignon vines - 1 pail of grapes,5 vines 6 years old, 4 of the vines were replanted this year.


18 Cabernet Franc vines - 2 pails of grapes, 6 vines6 years old, 12 of the vines were replanted this year. 9 replace Merlot that were frosted out.


9 Norton vines - 3 pails of grapes 


9NY73vines - Grapes lost to berry drop (always a problem) and critters.


12 Vidal vines - 7 pails of grapes, these vines are 8 years old


18 Chardonnel 3rd year vines - critters got every last grape 


18 Marquette 2ndyear vines- pruned cluster out to let the vines develop one more year.


Challenges:
Black Rot, Japanese Beetles, Berry Moths, 
Turkeys, Racoons, Deer
Frost, Heat, Drought, Hail, Rain
My temper


Of course, once the grapes are harvested, making the vinegar is easy.


Isn't this a loverly hobby. Good thing I'm retired and have a lot of time.


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## Randoneur (Sep 21, 2010)

Here are a couple of pictures of my Cabernet Sauvignon at harvest:





























Here are a couple of my Norton just before Harvest:


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## grapeman (Sep 21, 2010)

Those look great. Makes you want to eat them up.


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## ibglowin (Sep 21, 2010)

Numbers look pretty good and the grapes look great!

Just goes to show you what a labor of love can do!


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## AlFulchino (Sep 21, 2010)

looks great...whats that netting for???????????????


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## Randoneur (Sep 21, 2010)

Bird netting - keeps the wildlife out. With out the netting I loose everything to the Crows, Turkeys, Racoons, and Deer. I ended up netting everything after I lost all of my Chardonnel to the Racoons. 


Al - You probably havemore than they can possibly eat by the looks of it.


I probably need to start trapping like rrawhide does.


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## BonnieJoy (Sep 22, 2010)

Those grapes look devine. Nice Job!


My Blossom Ridge Vineyard is sized @ 76 hybrid vines. I wish we had the growing degree days to have Cab Franc fully mature here in NE Indiana.


You were spot on with how to use the Zambelli water press. Thanks again for helping out.


You'll find that the folks on this forum are extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.


I wish you much success with your vineyard &amp; this years vintage. 


P.S. the only thing I don't like about the ENO3 crusher is the weanie plastic crank handle. Wonder if the offer an upgraded metal version?


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## Randoneur (Sep 22, 2010)

Grapes are happily bubbling away in the fermenter, today there's a very good wind, so time for a break....












I started the day back there somewhere about 15 miles ago. Not another soul on the lake today. 










Not grapes, but lots of fun. This is Kentucky Lake, the shoreline on the right is Land Between The Lakes National Park.


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## ibglowin (Sep 22, 2010)

Looks like a lot of fun!

Especially since I am landlocked.........


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## AlFulchino (Sep 22, 2010)




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## Wade E (Sep 22, 2010)

All very nice pics, its amazing how much different grapes look when you are in love with them! Years ago i would of said wow, great sarcastically, now im drooling!


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## rrawhide (Sep 22, 2010)




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## Randoneur (Oct 11, 2010)

Norton resting in carboy. 


TheCabernet is still going through MLF.


TheVidalisnearing the end of fermentation. Ready to rack off of lees. Has intense fruity aroma as result of cold fermentation.


Chardonnay resting on light lees. 
I found an old turn table to put under the Chardonnay so that I can stir lees without opening the carboy up. Works quite well.


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## grapeman (Oct 11, 2010)

Thanks for the update. 


Great idea with the turntable.


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## Wade E (Oct 11, 2010)

With the turntable do you use Bose speakers or headphones?


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## BonnieJoy (Oct 11, 2010)

Neat Sailboat!!!!!!!!


Like the turntable idea, too.


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## Runningwolf (Oct 11, 2010)

Very exciting pictures. Did you make a recording of the air locks to take on the boat with you for night time sleeping. Wow the sound of the waves and an active air lock!


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## Randoneur (Nov 2, 2010)

Things are winding down now, other than the kit I'm making... waiting for aging on my wine from grapes.
Chardonnay is on lees until 6 months of stirring (every other day). Maybe I should add the oak beans about1-3 months before the end ofsur lees. I need to decide how much oak I want.


Norton aging on oak for two months, then into freezer for cold stabilization at 30F. I'll carry over the oak into the next carboy.


Cabernet on oak aging for two months, then into freezer for cold stabilization at 30F. Haven't decided on oak carryover yet.


Vidal, aging in carboy w/o oak, then cold stabilize. I'll back sweeten this one before bottling at either 2% or 3%, depending on taste, 2% was pretty good last year. Looking for some juice to add instead of back sweetening with wine conditioner. 


For the Vidal -What do you guys think of adding in from a can of concentrate? Gewurtraminer or Reisling??? 
I would mix it in (with sorbate) until I get the S.G. where I want it.


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## Wade E (Nov 2, 2010)

How much Vidal do you need to sweeten?


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## Randoneur (Nov 2, 2010)

Vidal is 5 gallons.


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## Randoneur (Nov 20, 2010)

I now have all of my labels made for all of my 2010 wine. Will make minor changes (%ABV, etc.) just before I print them at bottling time.


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## BonnieJoy (Nov 20, 2010)

NICE, classy labels.


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## BonnieJoy (Nov 20, 2010)

What kind of printer do you use, Inkjet or Laser? Have you ever used the "removable" labes from OnLine Labels? I'm looking for something easy to remove so I can recycle bottles without a lot ofeffort.


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## Waldo (Nov 21, 2010)

Great looking labels


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## Wade E (Nov 21, 2010)

Nice labels. You could probably lose the "wine" after Chardonnay though.


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## Randoneur (Nov 21, 2010)

Bonnie Joy said:


> What kind of printer do you use, Inkjet or Laser? Have you ever used the "removable" labes from OnLine Labels? I'm looking for something easy to remove so I can recycle bottles without a lot ofeffort.












I use an inkjet printer and amdoing the labels with microsoft publisher.


I have just recieved my first label sheets from Online Labels. I have the "removable white matte" sheets. Don't know yet how well they come off.


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## Randoneur (Nov 21, 2010)

Wade said:


> Nice labels. You could probably lose the "wine" after Chardonnay though.






Yes I think so too.


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## Randoneur (Dec 5, 2010)

I opened a bottle of Norton tonight that I bottled in 2008. One of the last ones left. I think I have only two more bottles.One to drink in 2011 and one for 2012. I think my daughter still has three in her cellar. 


It is so good. I don't know what it was about this one year, but it is the best wine I have ever had - period. None of the "Norton Twang" on this one. It is actually a mix of 80% Norton / 20% Cabernet Sauvignon out of my vineyard.


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## BonnieJoy (Dec 17, 2010)

My dry red ah-ha moment was with a bottle of Norton from Hermann MO. IMO this grape, when done right, can hold its own with the other big reds.


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## toddrod (Dec 17, 2010)

You are missing out on another income stream. Trap the coons and sell them. Down where I am a smoked coon gumbo is hard to beat.


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## Waldo (Dec 18, 2010)

Got a recipe for that toddrod? I made some pretty good money several years ago picking up road kill Armadillos and taking them up North and selling them as Possum on the half shell !!


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## ibglowin (Dec 18, 2010)

Bwa hahahahahahahahahaha!


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## Randoneur (Dec 18, 2010)

toddrod said:


> You are missing out on another income stream. Trap the coons and sell them. Down where I am a smoked coon gumbo is hard to beat.








Hmmmm....I doubt there is a market for them here............unless I could get a fad started withthe Country Music folks. LOL


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## Randoneur (Feb 13, 2011)

Pruned vines today. Don't know how others do it, but this the 1st pass through - cut eveything back to the mid wire. Iwill go through them again when the buds start to swell and thin down to the right number of buds. I use VSP on most of my vines. MWC on some of the hybrids and Norton.
My oldest vine - a Cabernet Sauvignon










This is the Chardonnay after pruning










And the Cabernet after Pruning


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## grapeman (Feb 13, 2011)

Another guy who lives where it is warmer. No snow! Wish I had that problem.............. 


Very nice vineyard.


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## AlFulchino (Feb 13, 2011)

truly a beautiful site...glad that it is warm enough for you....you have done a nice job


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## ibglowin (Feb 13, 2011)

Looking gosh darn good there Mark!

Great job!


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## Randoneur (Mar 20, 2011)

I think I've waited too long to apply my dormant spray. Spring is just a little ahead of normal this year. 


I have buds swelling and a few are starting to show a little green. Is it too late for dormant oil spray??


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## grapeman (Mar 20, 2011)

If you are going to do it, it should be done immediately if you are starting to break a bit. 


I'm still waiting for the snow to melt!


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## BonnieJoy (Mar 20, 2011)

Does anyone use Lime Sulfur for their first spray before bud break?


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## Randoneur (Mar 20, 2011)

Yes, I use Lime/Sulfur/Oil combination. 
I do that as a dormant spray.


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## Randoneur (Mar 22, 2011)

I never did get to do that domant spray and now I have green showing eveywhere -oh well. 
Gasp!! work is gettin in the way of the hobby.


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## DBell (Mar 24, 2011)

Every kind of work seems to drastically increase in the Spring and Fall. I love it, but it gets overwhelming as well.
Buds are pushing in KY too. I didn't do a dormant spray either.


How are your buried clippings doing?


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## Randoneur (Mar 25, 2011)

I have not done anything with the cuttings yet. They are still in the ground.


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## Randoneur (Apr 3, 2011)

Busy in the vineyard this weekend. Warmed back up and the sap is running again. 


Pulling out some undesireables and putting in more viniferas. I'll have 93 vines this year if I remove the Vidal Blanc. 99 if I leave them.A few years ago I had 120 vines, but I've been changing over rows and reducing the size of the vineyard.






Grafting Chardonnay to root stock:








New variety for me. Planting some Zinfandel this year:








Pulled out the Coret Noir and planted Cabernet Sauvignon:








Thinned out the spurs on everything. Chardonnay here:


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## Randoneur (Apr 17, 2011)

Spring is well under way and lots of growth in the vineyard.
Have started the spray program a week ago.




Marquette, Chardonnel, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonny
have lots of growth. Chardonnay below












Vidal Blanc, Norton, and Cabernet Sauvignon are just getting
started. Cabernet Sauvignon shown below:








Rootstock is rebudding after being cut off for grafting.
The grafted buds are starting to take:


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## grapeman (Apr 17, 2011)

We aren't even at budbreak here yet. It was snowing outside a few minutes ago.


You are doing great there.


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## ibglowin (Apr 19, 2011)

Wow! Spring is definitely arrived in TN!





Great looking vines all the way around.


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## BonnieJoy (Apr 19, 2011)

What a nice looking vineyard. I havevinifera envy.


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## Randoneur (Apr 23, 2011)

This is where we stand this year:
Growing degree days to date:
2011 - 276


For the years I've been growing, starting in 2003:
2010 was 306
2007 was coldest at 148
2006 was hottest at 360
Average for this area is 192


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## FL Steve (Apr 24, 2011)

Here is where we are. Nothing but rain it seems, buds are getting ready, I believe that some of my Leon Millot will pop this week. 

As of 4/19 20.3 GDD
last year 113.6
long term average 27.97 these are all for Geneva NY about 15 minutes from here.

even though it seems that it is worse, we are only 3 days behind the average.


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## Randoneur (May 2, 2011)

When I posted the picture of the Chardonnay the Cabernet Sauvignon was just getting started. Now it is catching up fast. Here is a pic from April 30, and a picof the flowers.
This is the year of the 13 year periodical cicada. Due to emerge in about two weeks.I'm wondering what they will do the the vines.


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## grapeman (May 2, 2011)

Those look really nice Mark. It is nice to see actual green vines. Mine are just at bud swell here. They might reach budbreak in about 10 days!


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## Flem (May 2, 2011)

Mark, I just learned something about the cicadas. I hadn't heard of the 13 year cicadas. We have the 17 year variety here. I love "Google". Sounds like you're going to need a lot of netting. Good Luck!


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## Randoneur (May 22, 2011)

I looked at the forcast this morning - had to laugh!

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Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. A few storms may be severe. High 86F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
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## grapeman (May 22, 2011)

And why do you need to laugh? Our forecast is a bit cooler in the 70's with the second full week of rain expected. It isn't fun....................... 




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<LI>During a Flood 
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<H2>More Information</H2>


... THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR LAKE CHAMPLAIN... AFFECTING THE LAKE CHAMPLAIN SHORELINE COUNTIES IN NEW YORK... CLINTON... ESSEX... WASHINGTON AND IN VERMONT... ADDISON... CHITTENDEN... FRANKLIN... GRAND ISLE... RUTLAND PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 


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&amp;&amp; <BR ="clear-content">


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## Runningwolf (May 22, 2011)

Rich this is just plain crazy. That was us last week and now this week they are calling for more rain. Oh Well sure did enjoy yesterday.


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## Waldo (May 22, 2011)

We have got way more rain than we need here. I took this of my neighbors yard just across the street from me about an hour ago and it's still raining hard


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## rrawhide (May 22, 2011)

Waldo,


Remember last year we talked about getting a picture of you fishing in a mud bug hole? Now might be the time for that picture.


How are you and Kat doing?


Hope all is well


rick


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## Brent2489 (May 22, 2011)

Send some to Atlanta. Was 95 degrees here today!!!


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## Randoneur (May 22, 2011)

Here is a picture of Marquette, way ahead of everything else. 
I'm thinking they will be ready around the 1st week of August!








Zinfandel I planted this year is already out of the grow tubes.


Chard and Cab are above the top wire and I've started to hedge the vines this weekend.


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## Scott B (May 23, 2011)

Very Nice!


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## Flem (May 23, 2011)

Lookin' great, Mark!!


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## Randoneur (Jun 7, 2011)

Now I've got this little problem. This is only on Norton. Chardonnay and both Cabernets next to it do not show any signs of this. 


New growth shows rust color with some showing a green outline. Older leaves are normal.


I suspect it is a nutrient problem. Norton does have some unusual nutrient requirements! Usually by this time I have given these vines three foliar nutrient sprays with epsom salt and nutripak. None this year. 


Anyone seen this before? Any idea what it is?


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## grapeman (Jun 8, 2011)

It looks like 2-4d damage from a neighbor. It is contained in a lot of lawn weed and feed products. The curled leaves and finger like projections are typical of that.


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## ibglowin (Jun 8, 2011)

Ruh Row!


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## Randoneur (Jun 14, 2011)

This is the year forcicada's, hatch happensevery 13th year. 
Here are a couple of pics of them.The third pic is of the cut they make in the vine where theylay their eggs.Noreal damage to the vine, so theyare just a mildpest for a few weeks. 
Dogs, cats, birds, fish, ---everythingeat them like crazy, reallystrange critters.


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## DBell (Jun 15, 2011)

Ha, I was wondering what that was on my vines. I was afraid it was some disease. Thanks for sharing.


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## ibglowin (Jun 15, 2011)

I remember the sound (noise really) of the Cicadas or Locust as we called them back then during the Summer months growing up down in South Texas. After awhile you got so used to that continual rise and fall of noise that you barely even noticed it!





Thanks goodness they don't seem to hurt the vines all that much!


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## Randoneur (Jun 21, 2011)

Growing Degree Days:
This year 1600
Average 1282
Last year 1675


Catching up to last year. Quite a bit above average. 
A threeweek drought and high temperatures have finally given way to rain and cooler temperatures.


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## Randoneur (Jul 20, 2011)

Growing Degree Days are at 2455!!
Average year would be 2060


Marquette Grapes are at 22 Brix. Young vines and not a lot to pick, but they will start fermemt today.


Cabernet Franc are starting to change color.


I've been getting the rest of my vines netted. Just wondering what the rest of you do - how far ahead of harvest do you put netting out?


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## ibglowin (Jul 20, 2011)

Looking good there!


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## Randoneur (Aug 27, 2011)

So far this year has been quite a bust. Wild life has taken everything as it has ripened.I'll be doing a lothunting and trapping and put up a fence this winter.
Guess I'll be doing a couple of kits this year.


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## ibglowin (Aug 27, 2011)

Is there one main "culprit" or a bunch of "thieves"?


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## BonnieJoy (Aug 27, 2011)

I feel your pain. We at Blossom Ridge had the same issue this year. The birds stripped all 21 Marquette vines clean in early August. We quickly purchased a "Bird Gard" scare device from Orchard Valley Supply and so far most of the later maturing grapes are still hanging. The birds seem to have a preference for the "black" varieties - I'm thinking is due to greater visibility? Any who, if I want to produce a red wine this vintage I'll have to purchase some juice or grapes or kits too. Kinda disappointing isn't it?


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