2012 Learn More about Grape Growing
Grape Growers:
Happy New Year! Please mark your calendars for the following upcoming viticulture and enology events.
Pruning Workshops:
There will be two pruning workshops in the Gulf Coast region in the month of January. The dates and locations are below, however I will follow-up with a reminder email one week before each pruning event which will contain directions to the vineyard site and other details regarding the material covered. Please save the date and plan to attend a workshop near you. There is no fee for the pruning workshops.
January 18, Wednesday 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Weslaco, Texas. Workshop focus: 1-year-old vines: Vertical Shoot Positioned, Geneva Double Curtain, and Watson High Bilateral training systems.
January 25, Wednesday 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Richards, Texas. Workshop focus: 1 to 3-year-old vines, on Vertical Shoot Positioned and Watson High Bilateral training systems.
Additionally, Haak Vineyard and Winery, in Santa Fe, Texas will again be hosting their annual pruning day and oyster fry on Saturday, January 14th. There will be a very basic pruning demonstration of Vertical Shoot Positioned vines, starting at 9:00 a.m. This is a fun opportunity for new or prospective growers. For more information visit: http://www.haakwine.com/events/event_schedule.php
Annual Gulf Coast Grape Grower Field Day 2012 – Save the Date – February 10
The 20th Annual Gulf Coast Grape Grower Field Day is set for Friday, February 10th 2012. This meeting is organized by the Austin County Grape Grower Committee and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and will be held at Agricultural Society Hall in Cat Spring, TX. The agenda is just about wrapped up and will be posted in a separate email. Topics this year will include research demonstration results from Gulf Coast vineyards, soil moisture monitoring practices, advances in Pierce’s disease research, new results for improving dry Lenoir wine, and much more. Please RSVP via email if you wish to attend this event. Registration will be at the door on the day of the event. It’s going to be a great meeting!
Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association, Annual Conference and Trade Show – February 16-18
The annual conference and trade show will be held this year at the Embassy Suites, San Marcos, Texas from February 16-18th. For more information please visit the TWGGA website at: http://www.txwines.org/conference/
Prospective Wine Grower Workshops
Grape growing is a labor intensive enterprise, which requires significant up-front investment in comparison to many other agriculture crops. The Prospective Wine Grower Workshop was created by the Texas AgriLife Extension Viticulture team in order to educate farmers, entrepreneurs, or any individual considering planting a commercial vineyard. This one-day educational event consists of a series of presentations that provide an overview of the unique requirements and risks associated with establishment and operation of a commercial vineyard in Texas. The workshop is co-instructed by the Texas AgriLife Extension Viticulture Advisors at multiple locations throughout the state. If you or someone you know is interested in planting a commercial vineyard please bring these upcoming workshops to their attention.
2012 Schedule (8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.)
February 7th – Pittsburg, TX
March 14th – Houston, TX
May 4th – Fredericksburg, TX
June 15th – Lubbock, TX
Workshop topics include:
• Vineyard Economics
• Necessary Viticulture Expertise
• Vineyard Site Considerations
• Risk Factors
• Vineyard Labor Requirements
Fee: $150 ($250 per couple), Includes lunch and all educational materials
Register Online: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/index.cfm
?Enter keyword “wine” in search options
The Prospective Winegrower Workshop serves as a prerequisite for application to the Texas Viticulture Certificate Program, offered by Texas Tech University and Texas AgriLife Extension.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Best regards,
-Fritz
Fritz Westover
Extension Program Specialist – Viticulture
Texas Gulf Coast Region
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
3033 Bear Creek Drive
Houston, Texas 77084
Office: 281-855-5608
Cell: 713-584-3360
Fax: 281-855-5638
Email: [email protected]
http://www.extension.org/grapes