Monthly Archives: December 2011

Frosty the Vineyard (sung to the Burl Ives tune!)

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frostFor those few of you following the Turtle Vines blog….Happy Holidays!!!

Well, the work on the vineyard this year is almost coming to an end. Just another 40 hours of weed cloth/mulching and then we are set for the year. With the holidays this might actually stretch into January.

Nothing like the rest of the country, but it has been cold here at nights. However, we are having an extremely dry December so the days have been sunny! Makes being outside in the afternoons a real treat.

This next year should be very exciting……our first harvest of around 1000 pounds of grapes, enough for about 25 cases. In addition, I’m doing my first real pruning on the vines, weekly spraying starting mid-march, leafing, tying, bird nets and the continual adventures with raccoons/gophers and moles…..and I’m sure other things I have not even thought of yet!

So, here is a toast to all of you and to our success this next year!!!

Winter Work

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P1080056You can see from the picture that the rows on the left have been weeded and weed cloth/mulch applied. Don’t you love the look! The ones on the right still have to be completed.

Nov 8 4 hours
Nov 9 3 hours
Nov 10 4 hours
Nov 12 6 2/3 hours + 6 2/3 hours hired

Total weeding project to date (I’m about 40% done with the weeding/weed cloth and 30% with the mulch)

64 2/3 hours(Doug and Joey) + 6 2/3 hours hired = 73 1/3 hours

Another 90 hours to go and then we will see how this turns out!!!

The plan is to do 133 vines/day which includes weeding/whacking/mowing/laying weed cloth and mulch to hold. Then I’ll get help to mulch it all at once. This will keep the weeds down. Should be done by early January….just in time to start pruning!!!

Nov 14 4 hours (Doug and Joey)
Nov 15 4 hours (Doug and Joey)
Nov 16 3 1/3 hours + 3 1/3 hours hired and 3 2/3 on fencing with 3 1/3 hired
Nov 29 4 1/2 hours
Nov 30 4 hours
Dec 1 5.5 hours
Dec 2 2.5 hours
Dec 5 3.5 hours
Dec 7 7.5 hours with 14 hours hired to spread mulch
Dec 13 4 hours
Dec 14 4 hours

Update….about 80% complete with the weeding/weed cloth (2100 vines) and have put in 111 hours with 24 hours hired and have spread 48 yards of organic vineyard mulch. Another 40-50 hours to go and 20 yards of mulch and then I’m on to pruning!