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Wine-Grower-News #131 June 18, 2010

Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Wine

Information in this issue includes:

June 25 Deadline to ship wines to Mid-American Wine Competition

6-12-10 Nebraska Vineyard Field Day Report

6- (14-15)-10 Oxbo – Korvan Training Session at Stanberry , MO

6-18-10 Iowa National Guard visits White Oak Vineyards & Winery

6-22 NWIGGA Vineyard Mgt. Workshop - Gowrie, IA

July 10- Mid-Season Canopy Mgt in the Vineyard – Yankton, SD

July 17 – Cotes du Rhone Appellation Presentation – Galena Cellars

Save the Date, 7th

Annual Vineyard Field Day at Richard Black’s Farm

Show n Tell

Reader Comments

Notable Quotables

Articles of Interest

Neeto-Keeno WWW Stuff

Calendar of Events

June 25 Deadline to ship wines to Mid-American Wine Competition

The 2010 Mid-American Wine Competition will be held July 9-11, 2010, in Iowa and will focus only

on the wines of the Midwest. The competition is open only to commercial wineries of North Dakota,

South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois,

Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Complete details here: http://www.midamericanwine.org/

6-12-10 Nebraska Vineyard Field Day Report

I was invited to present information on vineyard canopy management at a field day sponsored by the

Nebraska Winery & Grape Growers Association on Saturday, June 12th

. The field day was held at

Deer Springs Winery located just east of Lincoln. Approximately 45 people were in attendance. The

field day started inside the winery and later after lunch went out to the vineyard. The entire group

then all drove approximately 2.5 miles southeast to visit Dove Landing vineyard owned and operated

by Cathy Oslzly and Tom Zumpfe. Tom is the president of the Nebraska Winery and Grape Growers

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Association. It was an excellent day, but also a long day! The field day started at 9 a.m. and I left

the winery at 7:30 p.m. that evening.

(Above) Old barn turned into the

wine making facility at Deer Springs

Winery

(Above) Front of Deer Springs

Winery’s tasting room with plenty of

picnic tables to use for our lunch.

(Above, L-R) Mike White standing next to Cathy

Oslzly and Tom Zumpfe standing in their 16 acre

Dove Landing Vineyard that consists of GR-7,

Traminette, Edelweiss, Vignoles, Frontenac,

Frontenac Gris, Seyval and Norton/Cynthiana. This

vineyard was completed plumbed with drip tube

irrigation. The University of Nebraska also has a 19

cultivar research vineyard within the Dove Landing

Vineyard.

(Above) This way to Deer Springs

Winery. The winery sits on the

homestead which was deeded to

ancestor Patrick O’Halloran in 1874 by

Ulysses S. Grant.

(Left) I caught Jim Partington about to spray

fungicides in the vineyard before it started raining

again. Jim is a retired Navy Rear Admiral and

strike fighter pilot. Jim, his wife Barbara, daughter

Kathleen Hennagir, daughter Jennifer and her

husband Jon Reeder are all partners in Deer Springs

Winery.

(Right) Tom Zumpfe (R) leading a tour through

his Dove Landing vineyard.

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6- (14-15)-10 Oxbo – Korvan Training Session at Stanberry , MO

On Monday and Tuesday of this week (June 14 & 15) I was invited by Wayne Peterson of Midwest

Grower Supply to sit in on a Oxbo training session for owners of the Korvan grape harvester and

Korvan tool carrier that holds mechanized cane pruning, shoot thinning and hedging vineyard

equipment. Several large vineyards (100+ acres) from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri attended.

Steve Richardson and Brock Bass of Tassel Ridge Winery at Leighton, Iowa were also there.

Vineyard mechanization practices are increasingly being used around the world. Their use can result

in huge savings in labor costs. Strong and tightly wired trellis systems along with vines of similar

size and appearance help facilitate the used of mechanized vineyard equipment. In Iowa alone, we

now have five mechanical grape harvesters operating along with several mechanical netting machines

(Netter Getter). It is only a matter of time when we will start to see much more vineyard

mechanization here in the Midwest. The University of Missouri’s Institute for Continental Climate

Viticulture & Enology (ICCVE) has an excellent 133 page document you can view or download that

reports on much of the vineyard mechanization systems we now have available. The proceedings of

The Justin R. Morris Vineyard Mechanization Symposium held February 2-3, 2008 can be found

here: http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/winegrape/wg1002.pdf

(Above) Midwest Grower Supply office in

Stanberry, MO. A barbeque with adult refreshments

followed the first day of training. (Right) Midwest

Grower Supply sign in front of office.

(Left) Sue Kocis, Tasting room manager at

Deer Springs Winery serves wine to customers.

I found the wines were all excellent. I also

learned that it is customary for Nebraska

wineries to give you your wine glass if you buy

at least one bottle of wine. The wine tasting

was free.

(Right) Sign hanging on the wall in

Deer Springs Winery

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Notable Quotables

(Above) Tim Wiederspohn – center,

service technician for Korvan

discusses maintenance issues while

standing in the throat of Tassel

Ridge Winery’s model 3016XL

Korvan grape harvester.

(Above) The Korvan tool carrier is mounted on the

F75 McCormick tractor to the left. The carrier can

be attached to the (Center) vertical shoot position

(VSP) pruner or the (Right) high wire cordon

pruner in this picture.

(Left) The fluorescent light on the rear of the

Korvan grape harvester is used both as a light

source and as a way to attract insects away

from the cab area and grapes being harvested.

(Above) Korvan single high wire grape

pruner.

(Left) Korvan VSP grape pruner.

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6-18-10 Iowa National Guard visits White Oak Vineyards & Winery

On Friday (6-18-10) I was invited by the Iowa National Guard to White Oak Vineyards & Winery to

present a Vineyard 101 class oriented toward raisin and table grape production in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Colonel Neil Stockfleth is the leader of a 60 member National Guard Agriculture

Development Team who will be leaving the first week of July for a year-long deployment in

Afghanistan. They will be meeting with and replacing a similar California National Guard team who

will be ending their one year deployment. ISU Extension has been very involved with the training of

this diverse team of men and women agriculturalists.

While preparing for this presentation I quickly learned that Afghanistan was the largest exporter of

raisins in the world prior to the Russians moving into Afghanistan in 1979. The Thompson grape

originated from this area. After many years of different wars, Afghanistan has become the most land

mined country in the world. Many of these land mines were placed in their vineyards. Helping the

Afghan people regain this once thriving industry would greatly help the economic development of

this country. USAID estimates that the net income to the farmer from producing green raisins could

greatly exceed what they can make from opium poppy production. The Roots for Peace program has

been involved with land mine removal and working with UC Davis to supply services to help the

Afghan people regain their vineyards back. You can learn all about this program here:

http://www.rootsofpeace.org/ (Check out the videos!)

(Right) Mike Epps (L) –

winemaker/vineyard

manager and Chris

Harmeyer (C) – co-owner

of White Oak Vineyards

& Winery discuss

vineyard practices with

the Iowa National Guard

while standing in the

wine cellar as a strong

rain storm passes over.

(Left) Mechanized shoot thinner that

can be attached to the Korvan tool

arm.

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6-22 NWIGGA Vineyard Mgt. Workshop - Gowrie, IA

What: Vineyard Management Workshop

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Where: The workshop will start at the Gowrie Community Center located on Market St. near the

railroad tracks and close to Library

Who: Dr. Paul Domoto, ISU Horticulture will be discussing disease control, canopy management,

and cluster thinning for crop load adjustment.

Cost: $12 for non-members, $10 for members. ½ price for spouse or partner. Membership dues for

2010 are $45, which entitles you to workshop discounts and co-op buying discounts.

Sponsored by: Northwest Iowa Grape Growers Association

Note: As the do at the end of every meeting, it will conclude with a sampling of Iowa wines. If you

have a favorite Iowa commercial or homemade wine, feel free to bring a bottle to share.

Norm Lewman, Secretary, Northwest Iowa Grape Growers Association

nwiagrapegrowers@yahoo.com

July 10- Mid-Season Canopy Mgt in the Vineyard – Yankton, SD

What: Mid-Season Canopy Management in the Vineyard

When: 8:30 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m Field Demonstrations, Dr. Anne Fennell, SDSU and vineyard owner

Greg Stach.

Noon – meal at the SDSU Extension office and Pat Garrity on Buy Fresh, Buy Local

1 – 3p.m. Recap at the vineyard.

Where: Lewis & Clark Vineyard, 31060 435th

Ave. Yankton, SD 57078 - (605)-665-6776:

Cost: $15 each, includes tour, meal and handouts

Registration: Send registrations to: Yankton co. Extension Service

901 Whiting Dr. Yankton, SD 57078

Ph: 606-665-3387

Make checks payable: South District Hort Fund

Full Details: http://sdgrapes.sdstate.edu/events.cfm

July 17 – Cotes du Rhone Appellation Presentation – Galena Cellars

What: Cotes du Rhone Appellation Presentation with an orientation to the history, organization and

administration of the Cotes du Rhone Appellation, North/South (Crus, Village, and General),

evaluation and supervision of member vineyards/wineries, required practice standards in

viticulture and enology, terroir and description of cultivars. Wines will be sampled during the

presentation.

When: 1 – 4p.m. Saturday, July 17, 2010

Where: Barrel Tasting Room, Galena Cellars Winery 4826 Ford Road, Galena, IL

Who: Ms. Megan Wiig, graduate of Universite Paris X, O.I.V. Masters in Wine Business.

Sponsored by: Northern Illinois Wine Growers Association

Cost: $20 each for members, limited to 50 people.

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Registration form: http://northernillinoiswine.com/pdf/Seminar%20form.pdf

Further info contact: ghpodraza@yahoo.com

Save the Date, 7th

Annual Vineyard Field Day at Richard Black’s Farm

When: Saturday, July 24, 2010

Where: Richard Black’s vineyard located just northwest of Farnhamville, IA

Presenters to include: viticulturist Patty Skinkis, Oregon State University, viticulturist Bruce

Bordelon, Purdue University, fruit specialist Paul Domoto, Iowa State University, and

enologist Kyle Peterson, Winehaven Winery in Chisago City, Minnesota. Pre-registration

cost is $75 per person.

Additional information will soon be available.

Reader Comments

“Hey Mike, thought you would be interested in my weird vineyard. Can't stop doing experimental

stuff, ten years after the Hort. vineyard at SIU-C!

These vines are four years old, planted at four by six on VSP with movable catch wires. Also used

heavy duty ground cloth under vines to avoid all the herbicide, pre and post. Only use Rely in the

spring, then let it go.

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As you can see the vigor is not too bad, since the root zone is much tighter for each vine. This would

probably be a nightmare in Iowa, since my organic matter is about 1.6.

Always a pleasure to see the newsletter and let's hope you don't get as many Japanese Beetles as we

are seeing.”

--- Alan Dillard, Limstone Creek Winery, Jonesboro, IL 6-13-10

“Hi Mike - You may have already come across these, but if not, I thought they might be of interest to

your e-newsletter readers. Quite thought-provoking...

"Rookie Errors" - http://www.paulgregutt.com/2010/06/rookie-errors.html

"Biodynamics is a Hoax"(now that's a great way to start an argument!)

http://biodynamicshoax.wordpress.com/

Cheers.”

--- Patrick P. 6-17-10

Show n Tell

Videos of Interest

1. The famous I Love Lucy video of Lucille Ball stomping grapes, 8:31 min. YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw0D-Rv_vro

(Above) On my way back home from Nebraska

I drove by Corning Winery located on the south

side of Hwy 34 at Corning, Iowa. The winery

now has a flashing “Open” sign on their large

wooden wine barrel along the highway. 6-13-

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(Above) I drove by Victoria Eckstat’s

“Victoria’s Vineyard & Bed n Breakfast

located just west of Bondurant, IA. The

newly planted vineyard is being well cared

for. The bed n breakfast can be seen in the

background. 6-18-10

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Articles of Interest

1. Thieving Baboons Seen at Vineyards in South Africa, 3-23-10:

21 sec video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzBysSZzhkI&NR=1

2. Wine growers cash in on other crops, 5-25-10 – Wines & Vines Magazine

3. EU says no to organic wine, 6-18-10 – Decanter.com:

http://www.decanter.com/news/299361.html

4. TTB Clarifies that use of “organic” on a wine label must comply with USDA’s Organic

Certification Regulations, 6-3-10 – TTB: http://www.ttb.gov/pdf/mou-ams.pdf

5. Wine Bottle Recycling LLC renames company Wine Bottle Renew, 6-11-10 - Winebusiness.com:

http://www.winebusiness.com/suppliernews/?go=getSupplierNewsArticle&dataid=75091

Neeto-Keeno WWW Stuff

1. Two Hundred Kinds of Grapes, 10-7-1893 – New York Times article about the NY grape display

at the 1893 World’s Fair.

2. Plaxo Online Contact Address Book: http://www.plaxo.com/

3. Midwest Lab’s 135 p. Agronomy Handbook, excellent soil and soil fertility reference:

http://www.conklin.com/files/pdf/ag0100_005_0909_mwlabsagronomyhandbook.pdf

4. Grape Insect & Mite Pest – 2010 Field Season, a review by Dr. Greg Loeb, Cornell Univ. Dept. of

Entomology:

http://grapesandwine.cals.cornell.edu/outreach/viticulture/upload/Loeb-Insect-Review-10.pdf

5. “New” EPA Pestwise WWW site: http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/

Calendar of Events:

June 20-25 American Society of Enology and Viticulture National Conference, Seattle, WA:

http://asev.org/annual-meeting-2010/

June 22, 7 p.m. Northwest Iowa Grape Growers Association Gowrie, IA. Contact: Norm Lewman,

nwiagrapegrowers@yahoo.com

July 10 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Mid-Season Canopy Mgt in the Vineyard, Lewis & Clark Vineyard, 31060

435th

Ave. Yankton, SD 57078. Details: http://sdgrapes.sdstate.edu/events.cfm

July 13-15 American Society of Enology and Viticulture Eastern Section 2010 Conference,

Geneva, NY: http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/fst/asev/2010-information.php

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July 17 1-4 p.m. Cotes du Rhone Appellation Presentation – Galena Cellars, Galena, IL:

Northern Illinois Wine Growers Association

July 19, Multi-state Viticulture Field Day, ISU Armstrong Research Farm, Lewis, IA:

Details later. Contact Paul Domoto at Domoto@iastate.edu or 515-961-0035

July 24, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Seventh Farm Vineyard Field Day, Richard Black Vineyard, 3228

Zenia Ave, Farnhamville, IA

July 24, 2010 (Tentative) – 2010 Minnesota Grape Growers Assn. Annual Picnic, Janesville, MN.

Look for futher details here: http://www.mngrapes.org/events/

July 29 ISU All Horticulture Field Day, ISU Horticulture Research Farm, Gilbert, IA

http://www.hort.iastate.edu/news/docs/2ndAllHortFieldDay.pdf

August 1-5 10th International Grapevine Breeding and Genetics Conference, Geneva, NY

http://www.grapebreeding2010.com

August 21 5th

Annual North Dakota Grape Growers Association Grape Harvest Festival, Red Trail

Vineyard at Buffalo, ND. Contact Liane Stout, event coordinator at 701-633-5000,

Post & View Classified Ads here: http://iowawinegrowers.org

Past issues archived as html and/or pdf here:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Wine/Resources/winegrowernews.htm

Total Circulation of 1,200+ recipients in AZ, CA, CO, FL, OH, IA, IN, IL, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MS,

MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NV, NY, OR, PA, SD, VA, VT, WA, WA DC, WI, Australia, Canada, Israel &

Norway

Michael L. White,

ISU Extension Viticulture Specialist

909 East 2nd St. Suite E, Indianola, IA 50125-2892

ph: 515-961-6237, fax: 6017 or mlwhite@iastate.edu

… and justice for all - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and

activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation,

and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in

alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room

326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964.

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