Hello!

Riparian · Jan 31, 2013

Hola from South Dakota. I'm just getting into winemaking and am planting a small vineyard this coming spring.

Arne · Jan 31, 2013

Howdy, and welcome aboard, neighbor to my north. Where in S.Dakota are you? I am south central Nebr. Arne.

Riparian · Jan 31, 2013

Arne said:
Howdy, and welcome aboard, neighbor to my north. Where in S.Dakota are you? I am south central Nebr. Arne.

I'm in the Pierre area.

grapeman · Jan 31, 2013

Welcome Riparian. My brother lived near Pierre about 30 years ago when he worked on the LaCreek NWR. I believe it was his first assignment with the Wildlife Service. Beautiful area, but kind of desolate. Good luck with the vineyard. You will certainly need cold hardy varieties and I think the Landot Noir will really struggle to live and ripen there.

Riparian · Jan 31, 2013

I like the desolation.

Very cool. What did your brother do at the refuge? I'm a biologist with the state, I do water quality science and fish stuff.

grapeman · Jan 31, 2013

He was Assistant Manager there so he did just about everything. A big part of it was game enforcement. He did not try to run off the neighbors (Wounded Knee) from the occasional encroachment onto the refuge since he had to cross the Reservation every day to get to work. He says they have a lot of pothole type ponds and lakes out there.

When he retired 2 years ago or so he was back in New York and Manager of Iroquois NWR and Montezuma for a while since he lives right there. They are mainly into birds at most of the refuges, but of course there are many other birds also.