Since we put the vineyard at an angle to best ripen the grapes on both sides (see earlier post) the machine that could push in the stakes can’t get to the edges of the field. So, I’m left with putting them in by hand. This seems easy at first, but after a while it is difficult, especially where the land was not tilled very well along the neighbors fence.

So here is the routine. First you carry the stakes to the location on the field where you need them, 150 of them over 1.3 acres. They each only weigh 10 pounds. Next you take the 35 pound “hammer” and slide it over the 8 foot stake and lift it into position and pound until it is in the ground 2 feet. Where the ground is soft……not to bad. Where it is hard…..very tiring for just one of them.

I can do about 1.5 to 2 hours per day and then I have to say “enough”.

I have about 50 to go on the tough ground…..should finish in 3 more days…….next up is the irrigation.

PS Just figured out how much steel is in the ground. 4.5 Tons of endposts (166 @ 55 pounds) and 3.2 tons of stakes (660 @ 10 pounds). I probably carried around 1/2 from the pile near the barn to the spots in the field. No need to go to the gym!