WINE GARDEN

[grapeman]

I would like everyone to remember Northern Winos for all she contributed here on the forum in good times and bad. I will sorely miss you Lorraine. You were an inspiration to us all.,
Everyone please go back to page one of here Wine Garden posts and follow it through. She was an amazing woman. Here is a quick link back to it.
http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3481&PN=1

 

[Bert]

We will miss you Northern....So full of the love for life....Thank You for all you shared with us.....

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Rich,
I think NW's thread should be pinned here at the top as a commemorative to her, an extraordinary person who shared so much with this forum. She will be missed for sure.
Bill

 

[grapeman]

Great idea Bill. I made it a sticky topic for now and will see if we can pin it later.

 

[farmer]

I would like to suggest, everyone to plant something in your yard that you could make wine from and think of NW every time you raise a glass of that wine.

 

[OilnH2O]

You know, I've been busy with my son going off to college at the end of June, then a trip for work until this weekend, and then Independence Day, and have just gotten around to reviewing things. This news is a tough one - but as all have said what an inspiration NW was for growing things "on the margin" and teaching what she knew.

Here's to you, NW

 

[nursejohn]

My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

I suddenly think of Lorraine at certain occasions, usually when I'm spending quality time out in the gardens and vineyard. Today was no exception as I was struggling my way through our raspberries picking off the latest crop that ripened over the last week. I thought of her right away, remembering the love she had for her gardens, always sharing the progression of the various crops and offering her special philosophical outlook on the natural world. Here's to you Lorraine. Harvest time was when you were in your prime. I raise a glass to you, and remember.

 

[Wade E]

Ill drink to that any day! She was the life of this site!

 

[pelican]

I think of Lorraine nearly every day - I miss her very much, as she was a personal friend of mine and who inspired me to winemaking (we had picked about 30 lbs of chokecherries for her and she said she had 300 lbs herself and didn't need ours - dear husband said "I guess we have to make our own wine then with these"). Her garden had plants that originally came from my husband's garden - our garden had plants that came from hers. Her spirit lives on in my garden I like to think and she's with me at every step of my winemaking. I just can't get her personal feedback on my results anymore

And for anyone wondering how her husband Jim is getting on, I can report happily he's doing well. He isn't likely to be on the wineboard as he expressed a lack of patience with all things computers (I was helping him with a bit of computer trouble at the time! LOL), but I told him of all the love and well wishes here for him & Lorraine here.

 

[jobe05]

Any Updates on Jim?? I often think of the ice fishing photo's and wonder if Jim is out on the lake right now....

 

[pelican]

Hi Jobe,

Jim's doing fine... left the ice house about a week ago... and headed down to Mexico like the two of them did last March. Lorraine's thread about their mexico trip is here:

http://forum.finevinewines.com//forum_posts.asp?TID=7647&KW=mexico

The photos are still up at Photobucket link she posted from their trip together.

 

[grapeman]

Be sure to update us on your progress with the wine also pelican. We haven't heard much out of you lately!

 

[IVAN Z]

Nice setup love the garden… there is something about a garden that creates better people maybe it’s having your hands in the dirt or the sweat of labor. I just got true leaves on my tomato plants and can’t wait to plant them.

 

[pelican]

Hi Appleman,

There hasn't been a lot of activity in the Pelican's winery for the winter, other than reducing the stock of bottled wines.

To that end I did take both kit -2008 WE VR Vieux Chateau du Roi - and a 2009 Chokecherry to a blind tasting party with friends recently. Funnily enough, I 'guessed' wrong on which was which -- knew which numbered bags had my wine in them but couldn't tell one from the other myself. They were the 10th and 11th wines I tasted though, so... maybe my palate was 'confused'.

Both were well received, although the VCR had next to no aroma at all,
but the Chokecherry had opened up far more than I had noticed the last
bottle I had on my own. Very fruity (which surprised me, actually), and
despite being young it had a finesse that I was very proud of indeed. Each was consistently rated better than the least liked commercial reds by everyone there, and for a couple people one or the other of my wine was the favorite out of all the red wines tasted.

Work has been on over-drive for me since end of October, inspiring some
of that inventory reduction! but inhibiting any new activity. Some changes at work are taking some of the burden off my work load and spreading it around a bit now and since Spring is here, I'm hoping I can jump back in on the winery activities soon.


Mrs Pelican

 

[CajunCuveeQueen]

Your layout and tour are wonderful. Is that hay you are using for mulch? I take it you are happy with it?


I'm researching layouts, trellises for gardening, fruit trees and muscadine vines on 3 acres in N Florida. We're somewhat limited on cluster grapes but may set aside room to try out vines in a manner similar to yours. Your photos are helpful.


thanks for sharing