veraison

Ah, sweet veraison...


I am not sure where this came from, but all of the sudden, the marquettes started blushing. It kinda looks more like a bruise, and it's only on a couple grapes out of every bunch, but they are starting to turn! It kinda makes it worth it... all that fighting through the many branches on the fruiting wood to try to find the grapes. The clusters are much smaller than the frontenacs, but there are enough of them to make it worth it.






The frontenacs are growing well... really well. All those little flower clusters have turned into massive globs of little green pebbles coming off of every branch, 2 times over. The 2006 planting is amazing. I almost think I should take some off there are so many. We just finished up combing and I've started on leaf pulling, but it seems like once I'm done in one section, i have to go back over it. They are all growing so fast!!!


And, of course, we are not without our problems. Here's the pesky black rot that plagued the Marquettes early this season. It's tough to open the canopy fast enough to prevent it, but now I know for next year, I guess.




Row 13 of the Vidals started showing signs of downy mildew during our big drench of rain weather. I contemplated just tearing our the one plant that had it, but I cut it off and thought that was the end of it. Nope. It sprung back up on that plant.... and again on the other side of the Vidals. It makes no sense.




And of course, par for the summer course, the beetles are at it again. I find them everywhere; crawling on my shoulders, in my hair, on my pruners, even in my shoe. I'm not a girlie girl, but that's just gross. But then again, as long as they stay out of my mouth, I can deal


Anyway, that's pretty much it for now. I have two helpers (well, one and a half with the attendance record... grumble grumble) and it's nice to not be so alone out in the middle of nowhere with only the grapevines and the trains to talk to. It's been a super mild July, feels like springtime. Wohoo! Not sweating... yet. We'll see though. I fear August is really going to kick me in the pants.