# Vineyard Impossible!



## saddlebronze (Sep 27, 2013)

Well, those of you that have been follwing my progress know that I had taken a 25 year sabbatical from grape growing to raise my kids and work my job. Now that those two things are finishing up, I have been bit with the grape and wine bug again, mostly due to you guys at this site. I have made some kits and they came out real good, but the first harvest of the test plot this month has convinced me to go bigger. The test plot has 25 vines and came in real good, so now the challenge to go big. The site in question is loaded with trees and bedrock and presents a real challenge. But I have never shyed away from a challenge so I present to you:







This will be a series covering every aspect of the vineyard development and planting. Who knows even Grapeman may weigh in on the insanity. He cheated because he started out with dirt, which believe me this site does not have! Next post I will show you the site before the trees come down.


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## saddlebronze (Sep 27, 2013)

*The site*

The site is about a third of an acre on an old chiken farm which is now my back yard in Connecticut. Chickens are notoriously less picky than grapes and did not mind that most of the site is covered in bedrock. I could move, but that is not in the cards short term. So, here is a view from the north:




And one from the West:




That's my surveyor assistant in the picture. (Runs on MilkBones!)
All would be lost if not for THE TOOL!:




Isn't she a beaut! Well, I have called the town for a brush burning permit and the chain saw is warming up, so time to make some firewood!!


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## GreginND (Sep 27, 2013)

Oh boy, looks like quite a project. It'll take some work to get sun into that space. But you have the tools!!! Looking forward to seeing your progress.


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## grapeman (Sep 27, 2013)

Looks like quite the job there ahead of you. This will be fun following along.


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Sep 27, 2013)

a local winery did (is doing?) and experiment where he had a hill slope rock glade and using a D-8 or D-10 with a ripper cut in a vineyard. Last time a spoke with them it was producing some nice wines.
So anything is possible!
Good luck.
I think this is a photo of it.


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## saddlebronze (Sep 28, 2013)

I sure wish I could use a Dozer and a tooth, but this is bedrock with some float (loose rocks). So here is what the site looks like with the small trees down:




And here is Arnold the backhoe taking a break:




You can already see more light on the forest floor.


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## mgmarty (Sep 28, 2013)

Amazing the lengths we'll go to grow grapes! Your site makes me feel like I have it easy. Sure look forward to seeing your progress.


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## GEM (Sep 28, 2013)

Gook luck on the project. I had about the same issue on my vineyard, which is on a steep slope and only about 1 1/2 feet of topsoil and then bedrock. I used a cat and ripper and am glad I did. I could not even get a regular tractor on the slope. Anyway the vine are now going into their third year and are thriving. I think yours will do fine, but they do need the sunlight, so clear a bit away from the plantings. Cheers, Gary


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## Brew and Wine Supply (Sep 28, 2013)

I sure wish I could use a Dozer and a tooth, but this is bedrock with some float

A D-10 should get through just about anything


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## saddlebronze (Sep 28, 2013)

about 5 minutes with that will do it!!


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## saddlebronze (Sep 30, 2013)

*Progress!*

Spent some time with the quad, chainsaw and backhoe and now you can see the light getting to the forest floor:





And another view with Arnold:





I was thinking of taking some cuttings and rooting some vines over the winter and then planting here in the spring, is that doable?


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## northhill (Sep 30, 2013)

That thing would have made taking the apple trees down a lot easier.


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## saddlebronze (Sep 30, 2013)

Here in northwest CT taking any stump out is ugly. The Connecticut State Flower is the rock and those trees wrap their roots around them. It's just ugly, even with Arnold the backhoe!


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## saddlebronze (Nov 8, 2013)

Well here is a progress report: all the trees are down, the brush has been burned and the plot has been combed with the backhoe bucket. Lots of rock:




Here is the shot after combing:




Rock everywhere!! Will take a few days to de-rock and then the topsoil furrows will be built, mixing the topsoil as I go with the native glacial clay.


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## grapeman (Nov 8, 2013)

Wow, you are in quite a battle there.


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## Bartman (Nov 8, 2013)

It looks like a shot from post-apocalyptic war zone!

You can call it the Warzone Winery. Everyone would want to know which war...


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## ibglowin (Nov 8, 2013)

w0W! This thread is aptly named for sure. 

Your not from Texas are you? If you tell a Texan something can't be done he will spend his last dime trying to prove you wrong! 

Great job!!!! Lots of work ahead still but its coming along nicely.


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## saddlebronze (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks guys. I am known as someone who does not give up easily. I was thinking today "This Wine better be damn good!" Welded up a thumb for the backhoe today and tomorrow is rock picking time!


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## Bartman (Nov 9, 2013)

I like how you have 'corrected' the labeling on the side of your backhoe - "Village of Brew"! LOL

I gather you got some surplus equipment from Brewster, NY? Sweet!


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## saddlebronze (Nov 9, 2013)

This machine was won at an auction from the Brewster Highway department. I bought from my neighbor. Its been a real blessing, especially for this job. Rockin in the Village of Brew!!!


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## TicinoVintner (Nov 10, 2013)

Wow! This makes all of my hard work look like I'm just laying on the beach. Lol
But this is some inspiration as my vinyard is only 10% of what it used to be 100 years ago. The rest has been reclaimed by nature and is a forest once more but you can still see the terraced landscape and some old vines still growing in the tree tops. if I ever decide to expand it will have to be done by hand as our land is too steep for any type of heavy machinery......which is why I don't plan on expanding anytime in the near future. it's hard enough to keep up with what I already have.


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## saddlebronze (Nov 10, 2013)

Yeah, heavy machinery on a slope is real tough. Even here where the slope is nothing, when I carry one of those 2 ton rocks in the loader or on the thumb of the backhoe I have to be very careful to stay balanced.


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## saddlebronze (Nov 12, 2013)

Snow in the Vineyard! This first shot shows the areas that I have de-rocked so far:





The left side of this shot is de-rocked. On this one, 




shows the de-rocked area on the left. Slow going, but steady progress. Its a race to the ground freeze!!


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## saddlebronze (Nov 24, 2013)

*Finally!!*

Finally de-rocked and soil going in the rows: This first shot is looking west towards the sitting rock and the bedrock foundation for the gazebo




Next shot is looking west at the de-rocked site. Cant believe all the rock is gone:




Now here is a shot with the dirt being placed in the rows:




Since we had a hard freeze last night, that may be all for this season, but more progress than I expected. I have to get my frozen soil samples in the house, defrosted and off to UCONN!! Cheers.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 24, 2013)

saddlebronze said:


> Finally de-rocked and soil going in the rows:
> ...
> Since we had a hard freeze last night, that may be all for this season, but more progress than I expected. I have to get my frozen soil samples in the house, defrosted and off to UCONN!! Cheers.



Awesome progress! That would be a satisfying place to have to stop for the winter.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 24, 2013)

looks like he has a pretty good helper too.....


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## saddlebronze (Nov 26, 2013)

Winnie the Golden is the final inspector!


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## saddlebronze (Apr 23, 2014)

I wanted to revive this thread now that we are at planting season. Soil tests over the winter at UConn showed that the imported soil should be combined with the existing base soil, so I did that with the backhoe and added 5-10-5 at the same time since the soil was Phosphorous deficient. Now the rows have been laid out and today I planted 10 Traminette, 10 Marquette, 10 St Vin, 10 Frontenac and 10 Cayuga. 50 of the 82 holes filled. Here is a picture at planting:


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## ibglowin (Apr 24, 2014)

saddlebronze said:


> Winnie the Golden is the final inspector!




LOL of course she is! They make pretty good helpers in the winery as well.

Looking good!


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