The fruit continually teaches me lessons in perseverance. Earlier this season, I had worried that there was significant damage from the local animals, but once again, the tenacious plants have proven their resilience. This block that I had taken under my wing, was damaged by deer. These past years, I have diligently worked to fertilize and prune them personally. That is likely why when I saw that initial damage I was so broken hearted. How quickly one forgets, when they are enveloped in the moment of gloom and doom, of what these plants have survived. Last year, when there was the late frost and snow right before bloom and concern that there would be no fruit, the plants proved the predictions wrong with a banner harvest across the valley.
In 2021, when there was an 1000 year weather event, designated as a heat dome over the Pacific Northwest with temperatures above 110 degrees, the grapes still came. Now walking along this block, we have deemed as the LaLa Block, I see these plants with fruit sets as big as ever. These plants thrive on surviving and overcoming. Even now they are continuing to flower to work to make more fruit. Acutally, I am even dropping fruit, cutting off excess fruit, to lighten the load for larger clusters to mature more efficiently.
This past week, I have been hedging and leafing this block. Hedging allows to better control the canopy, but also creates a more uniform row, in case the nets need to be placed to protect the fruit from birds. The longer the fruit stays on the vine to ripen the more susceptible it is to the birds and other pests. Leaf removal may improve fruit quality, but definitely decreases probability of fruit rot. It also aids in fruit ripening as the fruit is more exposed to the sun. Thinning the leaves too much however, creates a possibility of fruit damage due too much sun exposure. The amount of leaf removal is challenging, as depending on how long the summer heat lasts, affects how ripe the grapes can get. The grapes need to have a certain sugar level to make specific wines. More sun exposure allows quicker ripening, as one can’t predict when the fall rains will come. Remember, last year the rains started on the date of our final harvest. The constant balance of sun and rain is not something a farmer has control over, so the removal of the leaves, is a way to manipulate the sun exposure.
The plants remind me of the parable about a man planting seeds during WWII, he was asked why he kept planting even though it seemed they would not be around to harvest, “sowing seeds in a battle because you must have faith and hope, the battle will end and you will be there for the harvest”. I should know that these plants have been here for decades and have overcome many hardships. They long to create fruit for the harvest. That is the delightof wine grapes, the harder their battle to make fruit, the better the juice they produce. I stand out there with them now and smile, wondering how long it will take me to appreciate that the vines will generally overcome most obstacles,usually with a lot more grace than me. I long to be like the vines, to continue to grow and persevere while reaching for the sun above, and not succumb to lifes minor obstacles.
As we allow the grapes sugar content increase and enjoy the warmth of the summer sun, the Valley has come alive even after the hiatus that the COVID- 19 pandemic placed over the area these past summers. The community is thriving in opportunities for fun and enjoyment. We recently visited Lady Hill Winery and watched the Lark Opera perform a flight of Opera. Redgate Winery continues to have live music weekly, as well as many other wineries across the valley. The Eola Amity AVA Winegrowers group had their annual summer celebration at Eola Hills Legacy Estate. I had the pleasure of coordinating the event. I had led the way on the winter holiday celebration, so it seemed like a natural progression. The events are truly seamless, with the settings of amazing grounds thanks to the wineries. The weather was perfect, bull frogs singing in unison as we shared our favorite local wines and talked shop. The Van Duzer winds started on cue just as the event was ending. The site hosts live concert events regularly, as well as yoga.
I encourage you to connect with Salem Stays and come and visit the area. the stays at the Barn Office have certainly picked up as the weather has warmed up. We anticipate harvest late September, early October based on bloom. Veraison won’t be for several more weeks, so once that happens we should have better estimates of harvest dates. CHEERS!
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up”
― Dalai Lama XIV
