Saturday, January 25, 2014

Pruning is almost done - now let's have some rain!

This week we visited the Doña Margarita Vineyard, where the crew is now pruning the vines. With this weather we are way ahead of schedule, of course - but we'd rather get some rain, and in fact a lot would even be better. Besides, we LOVE to romp in the mud and the puddles!!



Jaime does a great job pruning!



The cover crop is growing well, despite the water shortage. In Sonoma Coast is has been cold at night so the soil has held the moisture much better than in other regions that are warmer 





Gophers are a great attraction for Bonita - she loves to dig in the holes ...


... and make them way bigger, as you can see, emerging with a very muddy face!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Winter Pruning is on Its Way

Pruning is almost done in the Don Miguel Vineyard! We plan to start next week in the Sonoma Coast's Doña Margarita Vineyard, which takes about  two weeks -- so that means we'd be done by early to mid February, a record! With this incredibly beautiful weather, we have been able to work in the vineyard just about every day. Today the vineyard team was complaining about how hot it was!!

And we love it too, as we can run in the vineyard and we don't get scolded for getting too messy... But nights have been very cold, most of them with freezing temperatures. some days it goes from mid-twenties at night to lower seventies in the day!

Of course the downside to this great weather is that we need the rain -- and there is none in the forecast. But hopefully we'll get some (a lot would be better) in February.  Please pray for rain!



The crew is pruning non-stop, doing a
beautiful job in this great weather


A fallen tree destroyed our
fence -- quite a sight!





We loved running amid the canes in the Doña Margarita Vineyard!



Bonita got stuck in a blackberry bush, as you
can see from the thorny branch dangling on
her head ...