See the Buy/Sell Exchange here for Santa Cruz Mountains winegrapes available for the 2024 harvest, equipment for sale/wanted, and more, as posted. Watch the Exchange page as more classifieds are posted.
***
AUTUMN/HARVEST, 2024
Burrell School Vineyards
Next Program:
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, 1-4:00pm — Justin Roney, Apical Crop Science on SAP (Leaf Extract) Analysis
Location: 3P Vineyard, Soquel
VASCM is starting out the New Year with our first meeting of 2025 on Thursday Feb. 6 with Justin Roney of Apical Crop Science talking about SAP Analysis.SAP leaf extract analysis tests for more micro nutrients than traditional leaf or pedial testing. In addition they compare new leaf vs old leaf samples. Tests are performed more frequently, every 3 weeks, with the idea that spray and fertigation can be adjusted to meet the vines’ needs.
***
Recent Past Meetings, 2024:
Monday, Nov. 11: Real-time climate, soil and irrigation monitoring with Nolan Bowers and Kristi Bowers, Grape.Ag. At Kings Mountain Vineyards. 2-4pm
The next VASCM meeting will feature a presentation by Nolan Bowers of Grape.ag talking about real-time climate, soil and irrigation monitoring in vineyards. The presentation will include a walk and talk in the vineyard at Kings Mountain to see the monitoring stations in use there. Grape.ag makes it more affordable to gather information in specific areas and microclimates as a more cost effective and useful alternative to expensive weather stations. The mobile app provides efficiencies and alerts regarding potential disease, water management, pesticide management, yield, and quality, resulting in lower monetary and environmental costs and better growing decisions. Grape.ag monitors are currently in use locally at Kings Mountain, Ridge Vineyards, Mount Eden, Thomas Fogarty Neely, and House Family Vineyards. See more about Grape.ag here.
***
– why uniformity is important (even fertigation, over/under watering, uniform vine vigor, etc.)
– irrigation effectiveness is affected by terrain
– testing for uniformity, testing for sediments
– pressure and flow, assessing pumps, pressure-compensating emitters
– flushing your irrigation system and maintenance
– SGMA (Sustainable Groundwater Management Act) and does it apply to us?
Franklin Gaudi is currently VP of Design for Laurel Ag & Water, and previously was Assistant Professor specializing in irrigation management at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
For more information on meetings, contact info@vascm.org
See recent meetings on the Meetings page here
–
See the Buy/Sell Exchange here for Santa Cruz Mountains winegrapes available for the 2024 harvest, equipment for sale/wanted, and more, as posted. Watch the Exchange page as more classifieds are posted.
_____
VASCM Membership
Membership dues are only $50 annually and are due at the beginning of the year. Membership is open to those sharing an interest in viticulture in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Please download the Membership Application from the Membership page here (and please include the form with renewals in order to convey any changes).
Mission
To serve the common interests of all Santa Cruz Mountains appellation winegrape producers, and to enhance the quality, profitability and reputation of winegrape production in the appellation through promotion and education.
Association Profile
President: Mary Lindsay, Muns Vineyard
Vice President: Ken Swegles, Skyline Viticulture / Rhizos Viticulture
Secretary: Richard Hanke, Redwood Grade Vineyard / Left Bend Winery
Treasurer: Rick Clarke, Empty Nest Vineyard
Contact Information
- Postal address
- P.O. Box 933, Soquel, CA 95073-0933
- Electronic mail
- General Information: info@vascm.org
Webmaster: webmaster@vascm.org - –
Harvest, 2019
Spring was long and cold and brought a lot of rain throughout the region and with it pressure from mildew and other fungal diseases in many vineyards. Rain during bloom in some vineyards will affect croploads. For those vineyards that started bloom after the rains the crop is looking very strong. In many vineyards bloom was late, and then budbreak, and then veraison. Veraison started in many vineyards in August, and harvest is later than usual. Although an unusual growing season for many it has resulted in plentiful croploads with excellent fruit. Many growers are enthusiastic about the 2019 vintage.
Harvest 2018
The 2018 vintage by and large is seeing excellent crop loads and stellar quality. Cool temps from early Sept. on allowed for long hang time and for many a delayed harvest that developed fruit flavors. However, the myriad microclimates of the mountains makes it difficult to generalize, and a warm August precipitated ripening and harvest for some. Growers and winemakers are excited by the 2018 vintage and what it promises in the bottle!
- Burrell School Vineyards
- Burrell School Vineyards