2016 State of the Vineyard
This year, Bill Howard and I were able to complete the pruning of the muscadine vineyard by February 1st. That was a real milestone for us. In years past we struggled to get half of the vines pruned before the buds began to swell in late March. (That is not a good thing.)
We started cutting back to the fruiting nodes earlier this year and were intentional about completing the job before we got distracted with other tasks. I was intentionally focused on this one thing.
Being intentional got it done.
The "oldest" block in our vineyard was planted from 2009 to 2010, and it consisted mostly of 'Ison' and 'Seedless Fry' cultivars. I was not interested in propagation of vines at that time, nor was I really interested in crafting my own wines. I just planted seedless grapes that the kids might eat and their required pollinators. those vines turned out to be a great learning experience for us as we lost nearly 30% of what we planted before the first fall. We made every rookie mistake regarding irrigation, fertilization, and cultural practice. I was happy to take my lumps, because I was still having fun.
Later, when we had enough grapes to actually bother with processing, I failed over, and over at making a palatable wine from muscadines. I read three whole books on the topic, followed recipes closely, and even kept a journal of the process (for posterity). The results were always different, but every batch was a complete failure. I admit that I became discouraged. I never found the culprit.
In 2014 I had big ideas and plans for the future of the vineyard. I wanted to really make it successful and I spent dozens of hours plotting and scheming ways to increase the number of vines I could propagate, how I could maximize grape production, and make processing more fluid. However, 2014 was also the year I had to face the reality that my business was failing and I could not remain self-employed any longer. I chose to put my vineyard plans on hold and find a job that would pay the bills and feed the family. God provided me the opportunity to build houses with Scott Hamilton and I continue to do that today.
However, I love the time spent among the vines. It is such a peaceful and satisfying experience to get my hands dirty, breathe in the fresh air deeply, and carefully direct the plants to grow in a way that seems best to me. Every season has something to look forward to and each turn is refreshingly different. I just love the work. How can I make it profitable?
Well, perhaps being intentional can get it done. I decided that 2016 is going to be the year I will do what it takes to break even in the vineyard (Lord willing). I have always wanted this hobby to be self-funding, and perhaps even profitable one day, but I needed to do it right. I knew I needed to find a way to deliver a product that could meet a true market need at a price people would be willing to pay. What follows is my current plan.
Develop a fresh fruit market for Muscadines:
The vines produced an estimated 2,000 pounds of grapes last year from the red and blue blocks only. Those blocks contained about 60-70 vines all in their third leaf. At maturity these same 65 vines should be able to produce about 4,000 pounds of grapes in an average year. We actually had some folks stop by the vineyard last year wanting to buy grapes for pies, jellies, fresh eating, and wine making. So, this season I will advertise fresh produce prior to the season, I will cultivate relationships with roadside stands for distribution and I will find a marketable container for selling directly to the public from the vineyard.
Develop a winning formula for Muscadine Wine:
Some of my more recent research has lead me to believe that I should not be using standard wine recipes for muscadines due to their strong acidity and lower dissolved solids. I have talked to a few old timers that make good wine under dubious conditions and now I think I have a new strategy for success. Once I have two good batches under my belt it will be time to scale up. There are still enough grapes left in the freezer to figure this out before the 2016 harvest starts.
Build the tools I need to enhance the efficiency of the crush pad:
I need a grape crusher. I need a wash-down table. I need a bigger press, and I need better fermentation vessels. Most of these things can be built without paying a lot of money for commercial equipment. Some items are too difficult to build but can be purchased used. I need to figure this out!
Launch the Vine Nursery:
I applied for a nursery license this January. That was a big step forward for me. Once that is in hand I can officially sell my vines directly to the public and I can participate in up to 10 conventions/shows a year that will help me get the word out about the vineyard. My home-building schedule will likely limit that a good bit, but the license gives me the chance to try. I have a small number of plants already growing and ready for sale, but I have also made arrangements to start 14 new varieties of vines this season. I hope to have two dozen cultivars potted up and ready for sale this time next year.
No matter how small it may be, each day I want to make some REAL progress toward these goals.
By intentionally focusing on each task until it is finished I believe I will have my best chance of getting this Vineyard/Nursery/Winery dream off the ground.
~ Steve Hill
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