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2008 RVVA Vineyard Seminar
_______________________________________________________________
March 2008 - Ramona Sentinel Magazine
Everything you Wanted to Know about Wine Grape Growing in San Diego,
But Were Afraid to Ask
By S. Elaine Lyttleton
What has 120 legs and questionable sanity? Sixty wannabe wine grape growers. The Ramona Valley Vineyard Association brought in well-known author and speaker, Eddy Szyjewicz from Santa Cruz for two days of seminars held at Ramona’s Mainstage Theatre the weekend of February 9th and 10th. Eddy began his presentation on the Saturday, “Establishing the Home Vineyard”, by telling the group that if they were considering establishing a vineyard, the day’s session ought to scare them off. Then he added if that didn’t do it, the Sunday session, “Maintaining a Healthy Vineyard” should finish the job.
The attendees who came from throughout San Diego County apparently didn’t scare easily since no one left early. More likely they didn’t leave because of the wine tasting of Ramona Valley wines at Lenora’s wine tasting room, two doors down from the theatre, each afternoon after the days work – all included in the price of admission. The Ramona Café also provided elegant hors d’oeuvres, and a good time was had by all.
Organizers of the event were extremely gratified at the number in attendance, and the subsequent flurry of sign-ups for membership in the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (which is free, just requiring the completion of a questionnaire). The group had about a dozen members just a few years ago, and now regularly have more than fifty attending their monthly meetings where members bring hors d’oeuvres and wine to share, and a good time is had by all. Are you seeing a theme here?
Old timers who’ve been in the Ramona area for decades were at the seminar, considering wine grapes in addition to their horse activities. Younger couples seemed interested in getting better utilizing their Ag-zoned acreage where their homes are situated, and to get in on the fun that is had by all, that the wine industry seems to promote.
Some were already invested in the process, having prepared their land and ordered their vines from a nursery. Some were just beginning the process of determining whether they should jump in. Not surprisingly however, everyone seemed to be interested in getting a return on their investment and further, making some money to support them selves now, or their future retirement. For the most part these folks are not just hobby farmers.
One woman lamented, “How am I going to learn to do all this?” To which RVVA President Bill Schweitzer replied, “You only need to learn five things a week.” Although a lot of information was imparted through excellent handouts, and people were seen taking many pages of single spaced notes, the analogy might be, “How do you deal with the temper tantrums of a two year old child?” Until parents get through the first twenty-four months of child development, they don’t need to know that. Fortunately, there are a lot of wine grape growers who are prepared to learn the process one step at a time, so it’s unlikely there will be a reduction in the wine production rates (or birth rates) any time soon. Another child analogy, heard that weekend was, “Vineyards are like children, they are all different”.
The sessions began with the heady statement, “Wine is not created in a winery, but in the vineyard”, making everyone appreciate just how important the proper cultivation of this agricultural crop is to California’s multi-billion dollar wine and agri-tourism economy.
Participants were introduced to such important concepts as “hang time”, “cultural practices”, and using a “dead man”. Thinning the canopy is important for ripening of the grapes – remove enough leaves, but not so many the fruit gets sunburned. How do you know when you’ve thinned the leaves on a vineyard row enough? You can tell if a naked person standing on the other side of the row is a male or a female. Good to know.
It’s fairly well known that wine grapes need very little water – in fact several people who were in the seminar were in the process of pulling out avocado groves because of the water demands and associated costs. A young vineyard needs watering only once a week or so, and as it grows once every few weeks to once a month. An established vineyard should only need watering at bloom time, Véraison and the day after harvest.
A discussion of cover crops was accompanied by spectacular pictures of typical cover crops (planted so they bloom when the vineyard is dormant, eventually adding nutrients back to the soil) of sweet alyssum, poppies, African daisies, yellow oxalis, crimson and pink clover, baby blue eyes, and buffalo tears. This has the potential for some spectacular spring color displays in the fields.
So after the site is identified, the soil tested, the trellising system chosen, the annual calendar of events in the vineyard documented, the erosion controlled, the pests eliminated, the tools gathered to keep the vineyard healthy, and the irrigation system installed, the wine grape farmer can then choose and buy some grape vines – a topic that was not covered in this seminar.
The second day, in depth study of all of the above ensued, with the addition of some tips and tricks of the seasoned vineyard manager which were mostly for the birds: geese are good at keeping weeds down in the vineyard and produce fertilizer. But they need to be rounded up each evening so they don’t become dinner for the coyotes and mountain lions. Placing hummingbird feeders around the vineyard will attract the little guys, who are very territorial and aggressive and “may be” effective in keeping way the other destructive birds that can decimate a vineyard when the fruit ripens. This might be an alternative to the expense of placing bird netting the entire vineyard.
It’s a good thing the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association is planning to do a seminar like this each year - there is indeed a lot to learn. What’s the real reason there are rose bushes planted at the ends of vineyard rows? Why is the State of California removing the Oleander from the center medians of the freeways? How can wine grape growers in Santa Cruz get $5,000 a ton for grapes, when San Diego growers are lucky to get $1,000 a ton? Which bee is a primary invader and which a secondary one, and what to do about it? In the vineyard, what is a California Sprawl? Yikes!
If you, like so many others are interested in planting a wine grape vineyard, you should not only attend the next seminar, but also attend RVVA monthly meetings, where there are speakers, vineyard owners, wine makers, hors d’oeuvres, wine and a good time is had by all. Email president@ramonavalleyvineyards.org for information.
_________________________________________________
Maintaining a Healthy Vineyard
Sunday Feb 10: 9AM to 4PM (doors open 8:30)
“Vineyard maintenance is a process that lasts a lifetime.Fertilization needs, irrigation practices, frost protection systems, ground cover requirements, and grape harvest are detailed. Pests, diseases, and other disorders are illustrated to facilitate troubleshooting problematic vineyards. Integrated pest management, organic, and biodynamic practices are forms of control presented. Cultural operations designed to reduce potential problems and the use of pesticides are discussed.” DeVine Consultants
_____________________________________________________
These classes are taught at UC Santa Cruz and UC Riverside and normally cost $179 per person for the one day class. See the table below for detailed opportunities to attend these classes at a significant savings to you if you act soon to reserve your spot.
Register before Jan 27th, 2008
Late registration, from January 28th to Feb 9th, 2008
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided as part of the registration.
Wine tasting from local San Diego County wineries will be provided after the class each day.
To register send your name, address and phone number along with a check to:
Ramona Valley Vineyard Association
P.O. Box 845, Ramona, Ca 92065
Seminar Location:
Ramona Mainstage Theater
624 Main Street
Ramona, Ca
Seminar Presenter:
DeVine Consultants
www.microwinery.com
Seminar Sponsor:
Ramona Valley Vineyard Association
Questions – registration : 619-865-8255
Questions – content : 760-445-2365
Email: president@ramonavalleyvineyards.org
March 2008 - Ramona Sentinel Magazine
Everything you Wanted to Know about Wine Grape Growing in San Diego,
But Were Afraid to Ask
By S. Elaine Lyttleton
What has 120 legs and questionable sanity? Sixty wannabe wine grape growers. The Ramona Valley Vineyard Association brought in well-known author and speaker, Eddy Szyjewicz from Santa Cruz for two days of seminars held at Ramona’s Mainstage Theatre the weekend of February 9th and 10th. Eddy began his presentation on the Saturday, “Establishing the Home Vineyard”, by telling the group that if they were considering establishing a vineyard, the day’s session ought to scare them off. Then he added if that didn’t do it, the Sunday session, “Maintaining a Healthy Vineyard” should finish the job.
The attendees who came from throughout San Diego County apparently didn’t scare easily since no one left early. More likely they didn’t leave because of the wine tasting of Ramona Valley wines at Lenora’s wine tasting room, two doors down from the theatre, each afternoon after the days work – all included in the price of admission. The Ramona Café also provided elegant hors d’oeuvres, and a good time was had by all.
Organizers of the event were extremely gratified at the number in attendance, and the subsequent flurry of sign-ups for membership in the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (which is free, just requiring the completion of a questionnaire). The group had about a dozen members just a few years ago, and now regularly have more than fifty attending their monthly meetings where members bring hors d’oeuvres and wine to share, and a good time is had by all. Are you seeing a theme here?
Old timers who’ve been in the Ramona area for decades were at the seminar, considering wine grapes in addition to their horse activities. Younger couples seemed interested in getting better utilizing their Ag-zoned acreage where their homes are situated, and to get in on the fun that is had by all, that the wine industry seems to promote.
Some were already invested in the process, having prepared their land and ordered their vines from a nursery. Some were just beginning the process of determining whether they should jump in. Not surprisingly however, everyone seemed to be interested in getting a return on their investment and further, making some money to support them selves now, or their future retirement. For the most part these folks are not just hobby farmers.
One woman lamented, “How am I going to learn to do all this?” To which RVVA President Bill Schweitzer replied, “You only need to learn five things a week.” Although a lot of information was imparted through excellent handouts, and people were seen taking many pages of single spaced notes, the analogy might be, “How do you deal with the temper tantrums of a two year old child?” Until parents get through the first twenty-four months of child development, they don’t need to know that. Fortunately, there are a lot of wine grape growers who are prepared to learn the process one step at a time, so it’s unlikely there will be a reduction in the wine production rates (or birth rates) any time soon. Another child analogy, heard that weekend was, “Vineyards are like children, they are all different”.
The sessions began with the heady statement, “Wine is not created in a winery, but in the vineyard”, making everyone appreciate just how important the proper cultivation of this agricultural crop is to California’s multi-billion dollar wine and agri-tourism economy.
Participants were introduced to such important concepts as “hang time”, “cultural practices”, and using a “dead man”. Thinning the canopy is important for ripening of the grapes – remove enough leaves, but not so many the fruit gets sunburned. How do you know when you’ve thinned the leaves on a vineyard row enough? You can tell if a naked person standing on the other side of the row is a male or a female. Good to know.
It’s fairly well known that wine grapes need very little water – in fact several people who were in the seminar were in the process of pulling out avocado groves because of the water demands and associated costs. A young vineyard needs watering only once a week or so, and as it grows once every few weeks to once a month. An established vineyard should only need watering at bloom time, Véraison and the day after harvest.
A discussion of cover crops was accompanied by spectacular pictures of typical cover crops (planted so they bloom when the vineyard is dormant, eventually adding nutrients back to the soil) of sweet alyssum, poppies, African daisies, yellow oxalis, crimson and pink clover, baby blue eyes, and buffalo tears. This has the potential for some spectacular spring color displays in the fields.
So after the site is identified, the soil tested, the trellising system chosen, the annual calendar of events in the vineyard documented, the erosion controlled, the pests eliminated, the tools gathered to keep the vineyard healthy, and the irrigation system installed, the wine grape farmer can then choose and buy some grape vines – a topic that was not covered in this seminar.
The second day, in depth study of all of the above ensued, with the addition of some tips and tricks of the seasoned vineyard manager which were mostly for the birds: geese are good at keeping weeds down in the vineyard and produce fertilizer. But they need to be rounded up each evening so they don’t become dinner for the coyotes and mountain lions. Placing hummingbird feeders around the vineyard will attract the little guys, who are very territorial and aggressive and “may be” effective in keeping way the other destructive birds that can decimate a vineyard when the fruit ripens. This might be an alternative to the expense of placing bird netting the entire vineyard.
It’s a good thing the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association is planning to do a seminar like this each year - there is indeed a lot to learn. What’s the real reason there are rose bushes planted at the ends of vineyard rows? Why is the State of California removing the Oleander from the center medians of the freeways? How can wine grape growers in Santa Cruz get $5,000 a ton for grapes, when San Diego growers are lucky to get $1,000 a ton? Which bee is a primary invader and which a secondary one, and what to do about it? In the vineyard, what is a California Sprawl? Yikes!
If you, like so many others are interested in planting a wine grape vineyard, you should not only attend the next seminar, but also attend RVVA monthly meetings, where there are speakers, vineyard owners, wine makers, hors d’oeuvres, wine and a good time is had by all. Email president@ramonavalleyvineyards.org for information.
_________________________________________________
San Diego County Vineyard Seminars
Held at the Mainstage Theater, Ramona
February 9 and 10, 2008
Two one-day seminars presented by Eddy Szjewicz of DeVine Consultants of Los Gatos
and the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association.
Establishing the Home Vineyard
Saturday Feb 9: 9AM to 4PM (doors open 8:30)
“Buying grapevines at a nursery and planting them is but one step in the integrated process of establishing a vineyard.Regional differences, vine growing theories, and historical development are presented, along with variety selection and a discussion of how grapevines grow.The establishment process begins with site evaluation, soil preparation and physical layout.Trellis systems, drip irrigation, cover crops, and deer fences are illustrated.Various types of controls for potential pests and diseases are revealed.And, of course, the vines themselves are described from planting, through training, and into harvest. In short, go from bare soil to first grape harvest in a single day.” DeVine Consultants
Held at the Mainstage Theater, Ramona
February 9 and 10, 2008
Two one-day seminars presented by Eddy Szjewicz of DeVine Consultants of Los Gatos
and the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association.
Establishing the Home Vineyard
Saturday Feb 9: 9AM to 4PM (doors open 8:30)
“Buying grapevines at a nursery and planting them is but one step in the integrated process of establishing a vineyard.Regional differences, vine growing theories, and historical development are presented, along with variety selection and a discussion of how grapevines grow.The establishment process begins with site evaluation, soil preparation and physical layout.Trellis systems, drip irrigation, cover crops, and deer fences are illustrated.Various types of controls for potential pests and diseases are revealed.And, of course, the vines themselves are described from planting, through training, and into harvest. In short, go from bare soil to first grape harvest in a single day.” DeVine Consultants
Sunday Feb 10: 9AM to 4PM (doors open 8:30)
“Vineyard maintenance is a process that lasts a lifetime.Fertilization needs, irrigation practices, frost protection systems, ground cover requirements, and grape harvest are detailed. Pests, diseases, and other disorders are illustrated to facilitate troubleshooting problematic vineyards. Integrated pest management, organic, and biodynamic practices are forms of control presented. Cultural operations designed to reduce potential problems and the use of pesticides are discussed.” DeVine Consultants
_____________________________________________________
“Wine is EZ, and at DeVine Consultants we're out to prove it. We believe that the best way to diffuse the level of intimidation that dominates the American wine identity is to reveal the mysteries via education. In that vein, we offer unique classes to reinforce the idea that not only is wine easy, but that wine is fun, too!”
“For nearly two decades, we have taught about virtually every aspect of wines at levels ranging from the most basic through highly technical. Our experiences include educational institutions such as the University of California and the World Trade Center, commercial associations such as San Diego County Vintners Association and Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association, and personalized presentations for clubs and individuals. Whether enhancing existing professionals, training would-be practitioners, or just providing the entertainment at a dinner party, our presentations are always custom designed to be simply DeVine.”
“For nearly two decades, we have taught about virtually every aspect of wines at levels ranging from the most basic through highly technical. Our experiences include educational institutions such as the University of California and the World Trade Center, commercial associations such as San Diego County Vintners Association and Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association, and personalized presentations for clubs and individuals. Whether enhancing existing professionals, training would-be practitioners, or just providing the entertainment at a dinner party, our presentations are always custom designed to be simply DeVine.”
These classes are taught at UC Santa Cruz and UC Riverside and normally cost $179 per person for the one day class. See the table below for detailed opportunities to attend these classes at a significant savings to you if you act soon to reserve your spot.
Register before Jan 27th, 2008
| One day class – either Saturday or Sunday | |
| $150 per person | $200 per couple |
| Both days – Saturday and Sunday | |
| $275 per person | $375 per couple |
Late registration, from January 28th to Feb 9th, 2008
| One day class – either Saturday or Sunday | |
| $170 per person | $240 per couple |
| Both days – Saturday and Sunday | |
| $305 per person | $435 per couple |
Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided as part of the registration.
Wine tasting from local San Diego County wineries will be provided after the class each day.
To register send your name, address and phone number along with a check to:
Ramona Valley Vineyard Association
P.O. Box 845, Ramona, Ca 92065
Seminar Location:
Ramona Mainstage Theater
624 Main Street
Ramona, Ca
Seminar Presenter:
DeVine Consultants
www.microwinery.com
Seminar Sponsor:
Ramona Valley Vineyard Association
Questions – registration : 619-865-8255
Questions – content : 760-445-2365
Email: president@ramonavalleyvineyards.org
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