THE VINEYARD TRELLIS



We originally planted the vineyard on Dominique’s birthday in May 2006. 1,000 plants. 400 Seyval Blanc, 200 Golden Muscat, 200 DeChaunac and 200 Chancellor. The plants looked good the first and second year, as the grow tubes went on and then came off, season by season. Still, it little resembled a vineyard. We thought this year would be the year we would take fruit from our vines.


But at the end of last year, the deer discovered our vineyard, and had a feast. Berries, shoots, leaves, stalks. Gone! What were three and four feet high were now 2 feet high. Dominique was in tears.

This year, we had planned on introducing a trellis, putting off the costly expense as long as possible. However, the situation also demanded a deer fence.

In December we put in a deer fence. In June/July went put up our trellis. Holes were dug. Anchor posts were pounded in. Wires were strung. Plants were tied to the wires.

And Mother Nature chimed in by letting our vines mature. We cut down many of the grape clusters that were growing, hoping the plants would spend the summer strengthening their root systems and trunks. We left a little to see how things would go. And those grapes have matured well. While we won’t be bringing the motherload of crops this year, some of our Seyval Blanc will reach our bottles, though the bulk of it will come from another Hudson Valley farm.



And the vineyard is lush and verdant.

To be continued....