podulka family vineyard

Surreal

2010-08-19T19:54:00.000-04:00

I was hunting around the web recently and found that someone linked to this site. That's rather uplifting. Someone noticed and thought enough to share.

Let's see if I can own up to that. My last go 'round with a potential investor didn't go well. There was no interest at all. So besides being in the doldrums for awhile a lot of thought has gone into reorienting the entire process.

The burden is really on me. There probably will be no one else so another system of financing and development is required.

Right now it looks like it will be architecture, moonlighting, residential projects. Always wanted to do that so it's about time that it became a significant occupation. It'll give me a chance to get back into designing again and that will help the rest of these efforts.

POTD from the National Arboretum

2010-04-16T22:15:00.000-04:00

Wine and Music

2010-04-16T19:30:00.000-04:00

In 10 words or less what do you do.

Wine and music is not what I do, it's what I want to do.

Mission Hill

2010-02-24T12:36:00.002-05:00

Here's a vineyard/winery that started about 30 years ago.

It may not be your you idea of a vineyard, nor mine, but it still is very impressive. I wish them much success and need to read further about how they accomplished all they've done.

Pic of the Day

2010-02-21T20:20:00.001-05:00

Sophisticated

2010-02-21T16:29:00.001-05:00

The woman in this screen shot from the British Columbia ad that plays during the Olympics speaks one word: "Sophisticated".

I really like that. It's great advertising.

But there is a great deal of effort in wine making. It is farming after all. That's a lot of what interests me. Sure the romance and "sophistication" is nice, but a chance to work in the dirt and grown something good is much more interesting.

The Shining

2010-01-11T23:46:00.003-05:00

DESIGN

For some reason my mind strayed to one of my favorite thrillers "The Shining". YouTube has a great video performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. One of the many interesting parts of this performance is the timpanist striking actual bells. Continuing my exploration I came across this - Kubrick as Architect.

Aside from the maze, which is another concept entirely, there is a certain fascination to be had with the architecture of the building particularly in how Kubrick renders it. But this article points to some of the fascinating architectural elements and how they relate to the story and its characters.

"Kubrick attributes to the staircase.....a function which is not only architectural, but also figuratively and narratively pivotal."

Read the article, watch the movie again.

Related Stuff

2010-01-11T13:57:00.000-05:00

There's lots of stuff to cover. So there should be some system to identify the topic.

Let's try these for a start:

DESIGN - to include site and building design
CONSTRUCTION - technical stuff about how to build certain things
VINES & WINE - obvious
MOG - now here is one that i really like. The term came up during a tour of a tank farm. Someone was describing the weighing of semis full of grapes. Some determination had to be made about how much MOG was on the trucks. Materials Other than Grapes. I'm going to try and take advantage of that term.

Georgia wines.

2010-01-08T23:32:00.000-05:00

If you know what this is, you know a lot more about wine-making than I did last week.

Generally it's called an amphora but in Georgia it's a qvevri. The linked article from WaPo is where I learned of this.

Time to do some more investigation.

Lemonade

2009-12-29T23:42:00.001-05:00

So, I was turning some things over in my mind and decided that maybe, just for the sake of argument, I should make some changes in my approach to . . . . . . well . . . . . . just about everything in my life.

Spice up the blog, be more consistent, exercise, find a great job, get financing for the vineyard, assemble a management team.

Gee that sounds like last years resolutions but that's when I had no motivation. And that's all changed.

The 5 Year Plan

2009-12-29T11:06:00.002-05:00

It couldn't possibly be true. Yep, Rob had warned me. The family was walking down the beach somewhere in Florida. Of course that's all that Florida is is a beach. Well, actually it's just a big sand bar. So we're talking about the big 5 YEAR PLAN for the vineyard and Rob says, "Yeah, I'm in the 7th year of MY 5 year plan." Well that wasn't going to happen to me. No sir!. You see, I'm just 2 years behind in my 5 year plan. Well maybe 3.

Hints for writing YOUR 5 year plan: one line item should look like this:

ITEM #6. Procrastinate

Justifications: don't have all the facts, do laundry, find a job,

exercise (OK that might be a stretch), wishing I'd just win the lottery.

At least admit it up front. It'll save a lot of soul-searching later on.

And if there is an english major out there please explain how "procrastinate" is an active verb.

All politics are local

2009-12-06T10:22:00.002-05:00

The problem with "global" solutions is that if they don't work the mistakes are global.

A walk in the vineyard, diverted

2009-09-30T23:05:00.005-04:00

For sometime now I've been trying to imagine what it would be like to start my day in the vineyard.

My first decision was not to start in the vineyard but in the kitchen to bake bread for the day. This shouldn't be too difficult, just a matter of starting the fire in the oven, preparing the dough for the next day, letting the chilled dough settle to room temperature and bake.

Starting the fires seems like a good way to begin a day.

A brick oven seems like the good way to go. Probably feels like a tedious way to bake bread but maybe that's the point. Ultimately it's the aroma, crust and texture that counts and this is a great way emphasize that. And it takes a bit more care to do it this way. One has to pay attention and the attention makes the loaves more valuable.

Just enough bread for the day and maybe some croutons for soup tomorrow.

BUGS

2009-08-08T10:00:00.005-04:00

One of my greatest concerns in the vineyard is BUGS. One has to develop a BUG eye, the ability to see bugs. Unfortunately I treat bugs like commercials: if they aren't crawling on me I ignore them.

Karen has a great bug eye. From across the room I can tell when she's spotted something crawling around in the corner ten feet from her with no lights on. She has this certain expression that is a combination of disgust and why haven't I disposed of this creature yet. This habit is extraordinarily effective with her roses and orchids. She will notice immediately if there is something crawling underneath a leaf that shouldn't be there.

But I'm a big picture sort of person.

So with a vineyard it will be imperative for me to focus on a level of life that I am not accustomed. Early and often.

It is estimated that there are approximately 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive. There are 1,017,018 species of insects in the world with some experts estimating that there just might be as many as 10 million species out there.

And they are hungry.

Our objective is to develop an organic, sustainable vineyard. So management of insects that are interested in dining on grape vines is rather important.

Oregon has a sustainable, organic program certifying vineyards for good agricultural practices. They offer assistance in attaining this certification and helpful hints about good practices.

The state of California provides all kinds of information about insects, plant diseases, recognition and methods for combating problems. There are descriptions of which bugs are good and of the good bugs which ones will eat other good bugs. Praying mantis eat other bugs. But they do no discriminate. So they will eat any other bug that comes along including other praying mantis. So it is important to know which bugs have a taste for the bugs that can do the damage.

An Adult Spined Assassin Bug: sensitive, likes moonlit walks and poetry and eats aphids and leafhoppers.

Waiting for Pinot

2009-08-07T23:29:00.006-04:00

Actually it's more of a search. Where to find good grape vines for sale. If you click on the title link you will find a website describing vines for sale. There are even discounts for commercial growers (I hope that someday that's me).

This is a photo from the website of pinot noir grapes.

Now my concern is that this is a Gallo pinot noir. I haven't researched exactly what that means in terms of quality but it needs to be explored.

In selecting grape vines it is also important to pick vines grafted on a hearty stock resistant to phylloxera, that nasty critter that just about wiped out European grapes in the late nineteenth century.

From Wikipedia: "Phylloxera was inadvertently introduced to Europe in the 1860s, possibly on imported North American vinestocks or plants. Because Phylloxera is native to North America, the native grape species there are at least partially resistant. By contrast, the European wine grape Vitis vinifera is very susceptible to the insect. The epidemic devastated most of the European wine growing industry."

It will be important to learn more about the root stocks that are most resistant also. So one step at a time. The site linked above has some very nice information on all facets of grapes, planting, pruning, etc. Well worth your time and effort.

Aren't those pinot grapes lovely?

Fresh food

2009-08-06T16:57:00.011-04:00

This is a nice Wikipedia photo of the West Side Market. The Market is a true Cleveland icon. It has been saved, remodeled and praised.

As a child my mother would take me from Scranton Road and Clark Avenue, by trolley, to the Market. The large vaulted, ceramic tiled interior space had all kinds of permanent vendors selling all kinds of meat, cheese and produce. There were whole carcasses of all kinds of animals. It is a real experience. If you go there often enough you get to know the vendors and there is always an interesting conversation.

What I remember most though were the outside vendors. Wrapped around two sides of this building were farmers' stalls, open to the air, that were occupied several days a week. These were my wonderment. The farmers would split open their summer melons and offer slices to assure you of their quality. There was much given away in the hope of a sale.

These outdoor stalls at more contemporary markets have no where near the character and ambiance of those at the West Side Market.

These white tents have to be set up and taken down by each vendor. They might provide a nice bright soft light on the sales area but little beyond that.

This is a corner entry and an interior photo. To my liking there have been too many upgrades over the years. The "outdoor" stands have been enclosed with tacky metal roofed enclosures. Cleveland winters are brutal and greenhouse farmers that work the winters are certainly far more comfortable. In the past there were canvas coverings and fires going in 55 gallon drums to keep everyone warm. The interior, with its wooden stands, brick piers and vaulted ceramic tile ceiling is truly unique.

Here's a birdseye of the stands that wrap the market building.

So the winery gets permanent stands. Yes it might be expensive. But it may just fix a memory of an elegant, rich, fresh, aromatic, lively market in the mind of another small child.

Olives

2009-08-06T11:59:00.006-04:00

As part of the landscape of the winery and vineyard there needs to be a few alternative crops. Because this venture is intended to have a very long life, planting, maintaining and harvesting olive trees seems appropriate.

During my stay in Orlando, we used to frequent a farmer's market in Winter Park on Saturday mornings. One stand featured a variety of olive oils from many different countries. As time went on we tried a number of varieties amazed by the various flavors.

Fine olive oils provide a wonderful compliment to so many foods.

I don't know much about these trees but a few things I've read indicate that they are fairly disease resistant and easy to maintain. They must be hardy since very old trees can be successfully transplanted. I was surprised to see 20 year old trees listed as a standard catalog item.

It would be nice to line the entry road to the winery with olive trees, set back far enough so as not to drop fruit on the roadway but balanced enough as a part of the entrance. At least that's one thought.

Empathy

2009-06-18T13:14:00.007-04:00

How many times have you heard someone say "Even I can do that."

A good friend of mine sold AutoCAD software at one time. He had to take classes, learn the basics of how to use the program so that he could explain it to potential buyers. After awhile he decided that, since he knew how to use the drawing software, he would design his new house. HE knew how to "draw" and HE wouldn't need any help. HE could do it on his own. So I politely kept my mouth closed.

About a year later he told me that he would never design and build a house again.

I have heard this kind of story many times. We all possess certain skills and affinities. To assume that any of us can do anyone else's work because it looks simple is a rather silly idea.

I've learned to love music, painting, building, ice skating, writing, poetry, etc. not because I am good at any one of these but because I have tried them and they are not easy and I appreciate the great talents in other people. When it looks easy it is because the professionals have so much practice that they make it look easy.

A Place of My Own

2009-06-16T21:55:00.003-04:00

Is this a book on architecture?

Not really sure. But as an architect I find myself having an ongoing conversation with the author while I'm reading. Mr. Pollan is a wordsmith, a writer and in my opinion a very good one since I've read almost all his books. I'm not quite finished with this one.

Because he writes he seems to have to justify everything about his "place" with in depth research and lengthy analysis. His insights are great, probably ones that have been around for awhile but I've never noticed since I'm not into the same kind of reading habits and subsequent analysis.

At my current page in his book he seems to be finally coming to the conclusion that architecture, although it has taken on the air of erudite philosophy in recent history, is not about words. It just is.

One of my classes in college was Design Process & Methods. It essentially was the argument for Pattern Language. One class had to do with the neutrality of the environment, including architecture. In essence it said that what matters is what we bring to any environment. All the history, experiences, remembered sensations, good and bad memories can be evoked by a place if the architect is deft enough in his/her assemblage.

Mr. Pollan's first reaction was clearly indicative of this condition.

"I tried it first, approaching and entering the building the way we were meant to, and the experience took me aback."

He continues by describing the physical conditions around him and his movements in the space finally saying, "I noticed how, on turning into the light-filled opening beneath the lifting-off ceiling, you could not help but let out a chestful of air, as your body perceived and then entered into the most welcome release of space going on all around it."

He will go on to tell us where in his history these responses come from. Well at least most of them. There are some that are wired into us by our culture and some that are personal and some that come through the experience of one's involvement with the process.

And that brings up another interesting point of discussion. But I'll leave that for another time.

The Devil Wears Prada

2009-06-16T17:54:00.004-04:00

There's a line in this movie that is rather fascinating. Apply this to anything that you're involved in. It starts out with Miranda (Meryl Streep) criticizing some clothes:

This has sequins, but it's denim. It's of no use to anyone. We need to give women clear choices about -- (to ANDY) What are you looking at?
ANDY
Me? Nothing, I--
MIRANDA
You think you're above this, don't you? We're talking about skirts and you're smirking.
ANDY
I'm not smirking.
MIRANDA
Inside, you're smirking.

And now the room is totally silent. Everyone there has had this happen to them at one time or another, and they're just grateful this time, it's not them.

ANDY
No, no, no. I'm not. I'm not above anything. That's my motto. I swear.
MIRANDA
You see that droopy sweater you're wearing? That blue was on a dress Cameron Diaz wore on the cover of Runway -- shredded chiffon by James Holt. The same blue quickly appeared in eight other designers' collections and eventually made its way to the secondary designers, the department store labels, and then to some lovely Gap Outlet, where you no doubt found it. That color is worth millions of dollars and many jobs.

What happens in architecture today, and wine making and many other professions is that the STARS provide the latest and greatest and everyone down the line rides the wave. Next year it's something new and everyone follows that path. It's just that the path is eventually dominated by cost and the high-end design is reduced to the quickest, most base method of production.

The simplest example in architecture is the International Style. Even the best architects had problems achieving the simplicity of this envelope. But the developers, understanding the significant savings potential from the previous ornamented buildings at the turn of the century, jumped on the band wagon and promulgated the style to the Nth degree. And it still flourishes today among the developers interested in short-term profits.

What is so offensive though is that much of our lives are driven by FASHION, or this concept of FASHION. This season it's skirt lengths are above the knee and next season it's Malbec. How much manipulation is there in wines today in order to achieve what the masses desire?

Surprised

2009-06-07T23:12:00.002-04:00

I am surprised that there is no interest in what goes into this blog. Well it probably be better if it was updated, added to at least 5 days a week rather than every month. OK let's give it a try and start to implement some of the tools that I am learning about blogging.

Otherwise this thing will not go anywhere and it's getting t the point where the vineyard is becoming all important.

Beside the vineyard there will be other interruptions as seem appropriate or as I feel the need to simple put ideas forward.

Here's one that I bet no one picked up on. This is a new one for me.

I often think about the kinds of things I would teach if I had the opportunity. Since I am an architect my focus would primarily be in that field. So here's one: In a course called professional practice I think I have a new approach. Typically this is a small course that covers specifications, some general business concerns but never really hits on the problems of what architecture is all about. So my thought is to have student, in 2's or 3's or 5's for architectural firms. What type of firm, what are the legal arrangements, where would the firm practice and why, what kind of work would be done, clients, what kind of marketing, who hires, who fires, who gets paid and how much, what kind of growth, what happens in a recession? And on and on. There are issues of software, hardware, communications, office standards, hours per week, vacation time and sick time, bonuses and profit sharing. What happens with a rogue designer. When an employee brings in a job.

A lot of work, eh? The kind of work that almost all young architects and interns say they never receive in school.

Water Wheels

2009-05-05T19:06:00.002-04:00

Considering that the several properties being considered for the vineyard have natural springs I have to carefully look at an old favorite energy generation system: hydropower.

I've always liked this idea and researched it about 30 years ago. There certainly have been advancements in efficiency but the premise is the same: moving water turning a wheel.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the type of electrical generation is that it lends itself more to the music. Ah, the sound of water.

My daughter once suggested designing a roof that would sing when it rained.

There are so many possibilities here that it will be worth trying a number of different ones.

Education

2009-04-29T22:29:00.004-04:00

Well, I learned a couple of things today. It's all about design, architecture and building in a new environment. In considering necessary construction on the vineyard I am developing various designs using different materials. My daughter says that houses in California don't have basements. A search on the web indicates that one reason is the prevalence of earthquakes. But mostly because there is no frost in CA.

Later in the day I came across an interesting video. The American Institute of Architects is holding their national convention in San Francisco soon. The promos include videos of significant SF buildings. One of these is the US Mint. It has 3 foot thick granite walls, was built in 1874 and has a basement. The excavation for the foundation was over-sized so that a mixture of sand and soil was placed below and adjacent to the building foundations. As a result it survived the 1906 earthquake intact even though it moved 3 feet horizontally.

'and all the roads we have to walk are winding'

2009-04-20T10:05:00.004-04:00

Well, this one's definitely not winding but it would probably have the same charm if not more.

There are certain images that give a key to what the design objective is. This is one. The final access road probably won't look like this but the feeling, ambiance ought at least approach this.

Here's one more to reflect on. Yes the fog gives it that nice iridescence but imagine it with sunlight and olive trees. The texture of the surfaces along with the lights provide the context for the larger environment.

Finally there is the serpentine path. This excellent photo by Ansel Adams establishes the photographic ideal that has been repeated many, many times.

Roads

2009-03-31T21:31:00.012-04:00

After reading David MacCaulay's book City I've been fascinated with the construction of Roman roads. The construction is simple but enduring.

Some have lasted 2000 years and are still being used today although not by semi tractor trailers. Since our road on the property the concept of the roman road might be a good place to start and then add some modern technology. low strength concrete fill.

since roman roads traversed all sorts of terrain their subbase was not always the same. I suspect that's why some have lasted longer than others. But the basic concepts are there. Dig deep enough to eliminate the refuse. Provide a good drainable base varying the layers from large stones to smaller stones. Make sure these are drainable, Secure the edges so the outward forces created by the load of cars and other vehicles does not spread the structure or substructure. Finally, provide a solid top with large paver surfaces. Crown the top finish for drainage.

There is an old granite quarry on site. It would be fantastic to sell more of that in exchange for granite curbs. I have always loved those curbs when they were brought in for new streets or street repaving in the cities I've been in. Wanted to take one home but could never pick the darned thing up.

Ram Pumps

2009-02-14T09:32:00.006-05:00

While investigating irrigation methods for vineyards a rather unique device emerged. If you remember there are 16 springs on this site. It will be important to move water around the site for many different reasons. Also if this enterprise is to be as energy efficient as possible then any method of moving water that does not involve the used of electricity is desirable.

This brought to mind the fountains at Longwood Gardens. These are completely hydraulic. In other words they operate without electricity.

Enter the RAM PUMP. This description is courtesy of the nice people at Clemson University. It includes a complete description of the components as well as how it operates and assembly. Here's another version probably from Mother Earth News.

Locating the springs and determining their flow will be the first steps. Since the efficiency of a ram pump is only about 1:8 it is hoped that some of the springs are high enough not to require this type of system although, with a bit of creativity, the additional 7 gallons could be used in different ways.

Dirt

2009-02-06T18:51:00.007-05:00

"Most of the surrounding hills on the east side are composed of Franciscan formation soils while along the west side are various outcroppings of granite, further evidence of the fault action which is moving the Point Reyes peninsula."

This is from the Tomales Bay website.

In the ongoing quest to analyze a site for vineyard development another objective is to look as the soil and the myriad of aspects dependent on soils.

Here's my preliminary list of concerns:
What is the ideal soil for growing grapes?
What native plants occur in the area?
What native plants are beneficial?
What kinds of wildflower, grasses, trees and shrubs will flourish?
Are there good soils for vegetables, fruits and herbs?
How would the soil have to be changed in order to support some of these other plants?
What can this particular terroir add to various grapes and their resultant wines?
What kinds of compost be generated?
Where should the compost be stored and how used?
What animals are valuable to the development of the vineyward and which will remain healthy in this geographic area?
Are manures valuable to grape growing?
How does one check for soil deficiencies and how ofter?
How much water is available in the soils?
How much water must be added for successful growing either naturally (rain) or artificially (watering)?
What kind of irrigation systems are there and which are the best in this situation?
If insecticides are necessary, how are they used and distributed?
What in the existing soils is detrimental to vine growth?

It should be noted that grapes are very tolerant of a variety of soils. The consensus is that the depth of the soil and whether it is well drained are more important factors. But with everyone talking about "terroir" these days, understanding the dirt may very important.

As the research continues answers to these questions will hopefully be answered.

Slopes and Grades

2009-02-06T18:03:00.006-05:00

Studying the property on Google Earth the line drawn from lower left to the upper middle is, very roughly, a rise of 400 feet across a horizontal distance of 1600 feet. This amounts to a 25% slope, too much for normal vehicular traffic. The maximum slope for automobiles is about 15% and certainly is the slope must be traversed 10% would be more comfortable. This line is about 0.41 miles.

Now there are all kinds of problems in road design in getting from the bottom to the top but let it be said that the slope should be gentle and certainly considered in light of where vines are planted, building are built and of course the kinds of views and perspectives available.

Just a quick look might yield a roadway along the line drawn on the map below. This line is about 0.55 miles.

Just found a very nice addition to Google Earth. Shadows can be projected across the terrain for today. This makes for a quick analysis for which parts of the site receive the most sun and which site elements project shadows. A nice planning device but a date variable should be added.

The Site

2009-02-02T20:00:00.005-05:00

Of all the parts of the process of design, there is none more important than the site. And it is not necessarily the specific location, although those pluses and minuses must be tallied, but environment of the site that is so important.

Latitude and Longitude - It's important to know exactly where you are. Use GoogleEarth. Zoom in and look at the surroundings and slowly back out to view the neighbors. Get the big picture as well s the close up.

Soils - For obvious reasons knowledge of the composition of its soils is important. It is also important to find the variations, where one type ends and another begins. Geologic websites and local government soil conservation agencies are good sources. Do not overlook the amateur geologist groups in the area. They can be a valuable resource. Finally for the best analysis a professional should be hired.

Seasons - Find out when the seasons begin and end, generally. Depending on the location and terrain there may be variations from what you expect.

Views - Sites are often selected because of their extraordinary views. Even on the most mundane of sites there can be certain views that dominate. Walk the property, notice the vegetation, location of sunrise and sunset, colors, rocks and trees, water and natural drainage areas. Consider locations for buildings. A nice description about building placement occurs in A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander called SITE REPAIR.

Wind - If this vineyard is to go off the grid, an important factor will be wind. Wind turbines to generate electricity require certain minimum Annual Mean Wind Velocity to be efficient. At the same time ground level winds can ventilate buildings, dry plants and spread all kinds of things. What direction is the prevailing wind and what velocities.

Water - Irrigation, sanitation, aesthetics, need I say more? Interestingly current news broadcasts here in DC are talking about the lack of rain in Napa. The site being considered has 16 potable natural springs. The volume of water from these springs will be important to assess.

Contours - get information from your surveyor, google earth or USGS.

We'll take up contours and additional issues in the next posting.

The Story

2009-01-23T17:51:00.003-05:00

This is my opportunity to write the story. At this point it will be fiction although facts and real places will be used as much as possible so that the challenges can be based in reality.

This is the start of a vineyard. It will include a winery and a number of other components.

The reasons for this venture are multiple and will certainly become evident as the story progresses. This is a 'seat-of-the-pants' venture into something I know little about. But if you have seen Paula Scher Gets Serious on TED then you'll understand better why it makes sense.

Here are the basics: Iam an architect so the process will generally follow typical design process; cooperation is paramount, contributions from outside sources, comments big and small are welcome; this is a family enterprise, they are the primary resources on site but I have confidence that there are many other important people to be involved.

No one follows this blog so part of my effort will go into fomenting interest.

As the title indicates this is a story. Hopefully I can develop some intrigue along the way. Not being a writer this should prove to be an interesting experiment.

Tagliapietra

2009-01-04T18:16:00.004-05:00

OK so we're off to one of our favorite galleries in DC to see a showing of "art glass".

One never knows whether the craftsman has exceeded his craft. But yes, Mr. Tagliapietra has done just that. Besides his extraordinary work exhibited at the Renwick, several notations caught my attention. One regarded his collaborators and the other was a list of 'assistants'.

Mr. Tagliapietra notes that he and his assistants engage in a 'dance' to create the works. Further on, one of his collaborators notes that while working with the master on goblets that he "was definitely in the zone".

These 2 comments will certainly touch many artists. There are those time when doing the work of art becomes a dance or music performance, not in the common way but certainly employing actions that demand precision, coordination and an elegant flow that can only be described as dance or music. These effort is often surprising, gratifying and exhausting while at the same time being exhilarating. It is as if you, as an individual, are no longer in control.

Mr. Tagliapietra's work certainly exemplifies that quality.

I really believe that the work of the vineyard and the making of wine can take on the same qualities.

Buddha is laughing

2008-12-27T10:10:00.005-05:00

I haven't read Success @ Life: A Zentrepreneur's Guide. Someone on Twitter recommended it. Reading several reviews gave me a bit more depth to what the title offered. My deep appreciation goes out to one reviewer who concluded her comments with 'but like so many in this sub-genre ignores the basic question of where's the capital?'

Different

2008-12-27T09:15:00.004-05:00

So I'm reading Seth Godin's blog this morning "In Search of Competition".

Sometimes the obvious needs to be written out, and written out in an effective and congenial way, just so people will notice. The 'green movement', 'global climate change', 'organic' are just a few.

Godin compares being unique with being competitive. If you're the only game in town you can charge almost anything. Competition changes that.

This is not new.

Doing some city planning a number of years ago prompted an interesting perspective. With a regional mall just a few miles away I proposed a town center plan that offered small properties in the context of walkable 'city' neighborhood to encourage mom-and-pops. Mixed with city services, educational pockets, inexpensive residential (for the start-up business entrepreneurs) this amalgation was intended to compete directly with the branded stores of the mall: an alternative, just down the street.

As Godin says "acknowledge that the competition exists and in fact, to encourage it."

The city ultimately chased developers that would build big box stores. After 10 years nothing has yet materialized.

Hessler Road Snow

2008-12-23T22:48:00.011-05:00

Here's a winter/Christmastime piece.
......
there are moments in the snow
i can never forget -
three a m darkness
studio tired
a last turn home
through this surprise blanket
that muffles even the silence of my small street
where lamp posts step in pools of white
and oh!
I hear the snow flakes falling

The best Christmas to you and a healthy new year.

Michael Pollen's Omnivore's Dilemna

2008-12-23T22:33:00.002-05:00

From juice at the local vineyard to touring California and Virginia vineyards to reading about the technicals of winemaking to terroirs to dirt to llamas to angora goats. Michael Pollen is pulling it together for me.

The melody is coming together now we need a base line.

Value

2008-12-13T00:44:00.005-05:00

It's worth checking out Amber's blog. She raises an interesting in Value Through the Looking Glass. When you get right down to it 'value' is a neutral word. It gains its impact from its surrounding.

So taking this approach I added the following comment --------------

So, I’m doing this quick scan through tweets during lunch. I stop at black raddish alternative to sulfites and some thoughts on “value”.

These picks are tied to my interests.

At the same time each pick is stated in such a way as to hold out the potential of a NEW idea.

My curiosity has been peaked by the possibility of finding something of value.

If the material is good then there is a basis for trust. You should know something more than me, have a different and/or interesting perspective, a unique offering, be involved in an interesting circumstance, are genuinely funny (or sarcastic), etc. I may disagree but the statement may be so well formed as to present an opportunity for exploration together.

It’s at this point that a conversation can begin.

Maybe even a long term one.

Off the track...well maybe

2008-12-04T12:45:00.009-05:00

American Apparel in Rome. Katie Parla's blog about American Apparel brought to mind the following memory. Another view.

In another life I headed the architecture and environment committee for my local community. After doing the basic research and overall community evaluation, it was time to put some ideas forward. Good design students from Kent State offered a substantive array of options.

My interest was the city center. The core of the community. The idea was to develop a large open area in city center currently occupied by radio towers. [We know where those are going!] In a way it would be similar to how the industrial park was developed.

The basic idea was to have the city develop the infrastructure and the, under a controlling design/development board, sell parcels to individuals or organizations for private development.

There would be 2 key factors: 1. develop a vibrant, lively and useful mix of occupancies that would prompt people to visit even if they had no reason to purchase something; 2. That whatever enterprises occur in this area they are essentially mom & pop.

The city ultimately opted to hand over the concept to a developer that wanted to develop using big box stores and name brand outlets. With a regional mall just 15 minutes away the idea ultimately failed, either for the economic reasons, competition or just greed.

There is just too much richness in the mom & pop scheme even if they wind up to be brand new. It's a different attitude and different way of life. These people are committed to servicing their clients in the best way possible. It's good small business.

I am looking for that same appeal with the vineyard.

Pre-Visualization

2008-12-01T09:06:00.007-05:00

Of course you know the name Ansel Adams. We happen to share the same birthday.

Do you know Minor White? How about Nicolas Hlobeczy?

I never met Adams. Met Minor White in a photo workshop and studied briefly with Mr. Hlobeczy. Minor White wrote Zone System Manual, first published, I believe, back around 1965. Adams was the first to talk about pre-visualization. White took it up in his Zone System and Hlobeczy, as an instructor, pushed photography in a way that made these ideas come alive.

Pre-visualization, if you haven't read the articles, is summarized by Adams: You don't take a photograph, you make it. So it has been for most of my life, not only with photographs but with everything I approach and attempt. Certainly there is a whole period of trial and error, testing the equipment, ideas, materials and of course results. Once these "incidentals" become almost second nature the objective is to plan, prepare, assemble the necessary components, execute and realize the results all with the idea that end result is evident.

In Dan Gilbert's very entertaining book, Stumbling on Happiness he (and be aware, I'm giving away his conclusion here) tells us that we can prepare for our next adventure simply by asking other people if they are happy in the situation that you are pursuing. Even in times when I let myself go with the tide I have come to realize that there is inevitably excitement and fascination that results.

The atheletes do this all the time. You can watch the gymnasts visualize their routine, all the details, all the moves, all the results.

In a Mozart biography, the composer was quoted as saying that he could see the entire musical piece in front of him, without beginning, middle or end but all at once.

So here we are at the start, hopefully of a new vineyard, and I am gathering all my energies in order to see what it will be.

If you have any insights (yes I know it's hard work and I shouldn't have an extended family involved) drop me a note.

Finally, one of the most incredible aspects of this kind of thinking and working is that the results almost always provide more than anticipated. There is always a surprise, a good surprise, something to delight the heart and mind and provide reinforcement and nourishment for the next endeavour.

Goose

2008-11-27T09:24:00.005-05:00

Dan Barber talks about foie gras on TED. Why did I listen to this presentation you ask? Probably because the title included the words 'surprising parable'.

Little by little it be comes apparent that mass production and global distribution can be difficult to manage environmentally. At the same time the quality of the product often suffers. The product becomes generic, appealing to an acceptable commonality. These products are often 'suitable'.

For those of use who are trying to learn the nuances of things of value, these 'suitable' products demonstrate little to separate themselves. This becomes apparent in automobile advertising when the most distinctive characteristic is Sirius radio or GPS.

What Mr. Barber shows us in his parable is that the interconnectivity of the universe around us can serve us extraordinarily well if we make ourselves aware and treat appropriate elements appropriately.

Take a listen.

Richard

2008-11-21T17:17:00.005-05:00

In 1963 a classmate of mine told me that an architect was going to speak at Kent State University and that a group was going to the presentation.

I was rather naive about famous architects or any architects for that matter, never heard of R. Buckminster Fuller (Bucky) and only with a bit of encouragement decided to tag along with my friends.

The lecture did not start well. When was this guy going to talk about architecture. He talked about physics, mathematics, sociology, anthropology, philosophy and just went on and on and on. Just about 3 hours on.

Somewhere in the middle of the presentation it began to dawn on me that this fella was no light weight. He wove everything together. All of these different divisions of information that we call professions suddenly had no boundaries between them. I was not exactly sure how that happened so I started to read his books.

In one book, and I have not been able to track down the passage (maybe someone out there on the interweb can help) he describes government thinking following the launch of Sputnik in 1957. The USA had to catch up and education was the key.

The question became 'what was education going to look like to develop successful innovative scientists'. So there was a study done, of course. Those scientists who were considered innovative, successful and respected by their peers were identified. Each was asked about the most important factor that prompted them and contributed to their outstanding work.

The answer came back that it was the influence of one person, a mentor, at some point in their life, that created the spark, the interest, devotion and ultimately hard work to accomplish what they had done.

Another twist

2008-11-19T20:45:00.003-05:00

You all now can get a chance to see just what kind of mind I do have. It is, probably like so many others, rather strange.

The TED presentations have really started my head jumping around. So much of what is said in the presentations has to do with what one presenter offered from an interview with Studs Terkel - that the most important thing in life is human touch. And how is that defined?

In considering a question on the TED profile questionnaire I've come to the following conclusion: teaching and learning are important to me. And in considering this "passion" if you will, I look back on these 'sound bites' in my life: phrases from books, movies, comments, music from people I know, associate with, have loved or not and have never know except through their words.

These are bits and pieces that I carry around with me all the time. I'm not sure if they are inspiration or simply reminders, or possibly crop up hoping that's it the right time.

Bucky Fuller - "Unity is plural and at a minimum two."

A bit more on design and drawing.

2008-11-17T21:26:00.004-05:00

So drawing really gets to be almost automatic. It's a secondary function to developing out a resolution to the problem. Drawing is really transparent. The instrument or the paper, medium, can be arbitrary. I do have my favorites but find that with significant concentration anything tools will do.

Stepping into this other zone is important. As one of the TED presenters noted, it's playing the piano on one cheek. (That's a visual.)

Educating myself in vineyard management and wine making is a slim to nothing attempt at trying to get closer to stepping into this zone. The only way to get to that zone is by doing.

I am tired of reading. It's time to make mistakes.

A nose for music. A short diversion

2008-11-14T19:03:00.003-05:00

If there is anyone out there who has read this blog you probably thought I was rather daft to explain that my intent is to develop a vineyard/winery based on music. As my daughter will tell you about the students who applied to Berklee College of music, the applicant always says "Music is my life."

It is a cliche'. And even when I read it here it sounds like a cliche'.

But Luca Turin has validated my idea.

Click on the title and spend 15 minutes to learn the truth.

And remember, a third of the enjoyment of wine is the aroma.

All in all it's just another brick in the ............

2008-11-14T18:37:00.005-05:00

So if am thinking about how to build a brick wall I start with a brick. I've used brick so even without having one in front of me I can feel it. Bricks are nice because they are easy to pick up and put into place. As opposed to concrete blocks that are a bit more cumbersome. So I can feel the brick and the drawing starts with a brick, three bricks high with three joints is 8 inches. One brick long with one joint is 8 inches. The width of one brick and joint is 4 inches.

A drawing may start with a number of bricks in some arrangement. Oh but these brick need to rest on something. If it's ground and the ground freezes the bricks will move and possible damage the assembly. Let's dig a hole deep enough to avoid frost.

If the wall is only one brick wide, like Mr. Jefferson's serpentine wall, maybe there should be something more stable on which to set the first brick. Maybe a concrete footing that wider than the brick. The concrete, if properly placed, taken over by gravity, should settle to a somewhat level state. Might need forms depending the type of dirt we are digging in. So let's summarize: bricks, mortar joints, hole, level foundation, type of dirt.

So, Mr. Jefferson is a soils analyst, excavator, carpenter to make the forms, concrete mixer and placer and finally bricklayer. This is a question of checking level and establishing work points. Work points are needed to accomplish the design intent or CORE so that we arrive at serpentine wall and not a straight wall with piers.

Design

2008-11-13T20:31:00.003-05:00

A lot of what I do is details, as an architect. But based on my last post you understand that it has to do with a core. That core, sometimes called 'design intent' is a big part of the motivation in discerning the details. These sketches often start in 2 or 3 dimensions, or as I see it, an interpretation of a 4 dimensional form.

That last dimension is the interesting one. It involves a variety of manufactured products, sequence of assembly, the assemblers, stability, waterproofing, wind-proofing, aesthetic balance and of course arriving at a solution that reflects the intention of the larger design.

It is essential to visualize these things and/or operations and/or performance as the end of the pencil/pen moves across the paper. The process of drawing becomes secondary to the almost physical sense of touching the bricks, mortar, window frame, wood block, flashing materials or metal fasteners. One becomes a metal worker, brick layer, carpenter, glazer or roofer as necessary.

Design, or not.

2008-11-12T21:24:00.002-05:00

Listened to a number of talks from TED. There are several main themes but one got my mind going. You have to have passion about what you do in order to be successful.

So somewhere you need to find that core that you believe in and causes you to do anything and everything for it. It can be what you best or in some circumstances what is in front of you.

Along with that it is important that the peripherals contribute to the core. Those other things that you do.

That's a bunch of schist

2008-11-01T17:26:00.004-04:00

OK it's a rock

Or Galestro - Schist (from Wikipedia) based soil found in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is a laminated, crystalline rock based soil that retains heat well and is rich in magnesium and potassium but poor in organic nutrients and nitrogens.

Found in Tuscany.

Retains heat and is rich in magnesium and potassium.

Pretty good stuff considering the wines that come from that area.

What me worry?

2008-10-04T13:47:00.004-04:00

I am not sophisticated when it comes to wine. With as big a nose as I have it doesn't quite get all those glorious aromas. The flavors sometimes slip through also.
"Really, you taste that?"
But there is occasionally an aroma and taste that is really astounding. That's one reason why I want in, from the ground (so to speak) up.

Terroir, orchids and bread

2008-09-29T20:01:00.006-04:00

Finished an article by Randall Grahm (Terroir) regarding terroir, biodynamics and sensitive crystallization. Since nobody read my stuff here I'm just gonna go off for a few posts.

I like the idea of biodynamic farming although the mysticism aspect seems a bit far-fetched. It's applications, sensitivity and promotion of awareness seem very useful.

Along the way I have paid particular attention to Karen's passion for orchids. Now to grow orchids successfully one must understand the ecosystem from which they come. Shown here is an orchid that bloomed after 20 years. We had moved from northeast Ohio to Orlando where the radically different light intensity finally satisfied the plant's needs.

At the same time another article came to light about one of my other passions, bread baking. This was about Michael Suas, an extraordinary baker and head of the San Francisco Baking Insttitute. The importance of kneading bread dough by hand cannot be emphasized more. One becomes aware of how all the ingrediants are coming together and can recognize when the dough is ready.

The success of all three of these efforts is awareness, sensitivity and knowledge of the all the necessary elements and blending them appropriately.

Castello

2008-09-28T14:04:00.004-04:00

Vicchiomaggio in Chianti, Firenze. Karen and I were there a few years ago. Stopped on the way out just to touch the dirt that the vines were growing in. Stoney soil with very fine textured soil. Ground, pulverized but with a heaviness that led me to believe it was more stone than dirt.

Where??

2008-09-25T18:51:00.002-04:00

If there was only one place that you could grow grapes where would it be?

Work

2008-09-18T21:57:00.003-04:00

Most of us do. But why would anyone want to trade a nice comfy office job to work in the fields, tending vines, being constantly vigilant against insects and disease, confronting alien foliage?

It's the smell of the earth, a fresh rain, blisters and sore muscles at the end of the day and beginning of the next. It is the intimate connection to something living that can, if carefully tended, yield a beverage that should only be shared.

Too loooong

2008-04-16T07:50:00.003-04:00

Well this has been a particularly stressful time. I should have been venting here but that seems so juvenile.

Anyhow, just as an update, this guy is still looking for that perfect job. There are quite a few resumes floating around but only marginal results.

So here's some things I've learned.

Get professional advice about your resume. It really helps.

Applying for a job through a recruiting firm is frustrating and just about worthless.

A LOT of employers don't have the courtesy to acknowledge an application.
And most don't bother to inform you of the results. I stop applying to firms that put out the same ad without acknowledgement or response.
It's just an email for cryin' out loud.

Not all potential are clear about paying for relocation costs/ Check the ad and then ask in the interview.

Sooner or later the question of salary is posed. If changing locations consider these, cost of living, housing differential, income taxes, commuting costs.

Employer: if you won't pay for relocation costs say so in your ad.

It's About Time

2008-02-08T23:50:00.000-05:00

It seems that everytime I make that commitment to publish an item every day a little more chaos ensues.

I lost my job about 2 weeks ago. Summarily dismissed. Lack of work.

Almost 3 years at this job and they suddenly didn't have any work for a person in my position.

So much for the 'we are family' concept.

Anyhow much of my time these past 2 weeks has been applied to finding another position. And it looks like it will continue for some time more.

But I've finally settled into a rhythm so there should be more on the vineyard.

Ah but there's more.

The reason

2008-01-18T14:57:00.000-05:00

There's much good and much bad on the internet.

This is a good one: Hugh McLeod's gaping void.

Among various interesting items Hugh has a good post on social objects: the focus for human interactions.

At the same time check the referral to Mark Earls' thoughts on the subject. "Things change because of people interacting with other people, rather than technology or design really doing things to people."

The vineyard, vines, earth, weather, winery, wine, food and music are all just social objects. Nice ones but simply a focus around which people with similar interests can interact.

For us, it starts with the family. That "social object" has worked well and we expect it to continue to be successful in this endeavor.

The answer my friend .....

2008-01-15T10:27:00.000-05:00

How's that for a trite introduction?

Anyhow it got your attention.

This may sound like everyone else who is jumping on the GREEN bandwagon but as an architect who has passed through a number of energy crises, I recognize the value for the vineyard to be as self sufficient as possible. The house I designed more than 30 years ago employed as much 'green' as I could muster at the time. But that's a whole other story.

One really interesting element is wind power. In researching the newest technologies this little contraption popped up (helixwind). The largest made is produces 5kw. That should put a dent in the utility bill. And of course the design is very interesting compared to the standard propeller blade design.

I look forward to further investigation and at some point implementation on the vineyard of a renewable energy source like wind power. There will certainly a lot more innovation in this growing technology.

Here's a few more interesting designs.

Ooooommmmmm

2007-12-29T10:48:00.000-05:00

One in four Americans garden as a hobby.

Some people point to the satisfaction of seeing something grow.

Dr. John Ott actually showed us how things grow when he worked for Disney. (click on the photo)

But usually we see the differences, day to day. And to some degree this is satisfying.

But I've always believed and experienced a different kind of satisfaction.

It's just digging in the dirt. The smell of it, how it turns, what in it that works, the worms, larvae, compost, stones, insects and its texture. All this working together to sustain and promote the myriads of greens and browns and colors that dazzle our eyes and our taste buds.

Digging in the dirt is lake a mantra, digging, turning, breaking it up and turning it again.

Making that connection, with the dirt, starts the vineyard.

Passion

2007-12-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

This word is bandied about on many sites talking about blogs, business, websites, etc.

It is essential to be passionate about what you're doing they say.

But everyone knows that there are days when the entire day does not hold up to anything close to passion.

If we read the word passion as indicating "strong and barely controllable emotion' then we may be misled.

But if that 'thing' is something that we can't let go of, keep coming back to, always seems to hold our interest and has an endless variety of nuances and variations that seemingly never gets satisfied than we might be getting close to a better definition.

Not everyday is filled with passion but when that idea pops up the next day and you have to find out something more, do something more, try it again no matter how many failures, then you may have what these people are talking about.

Board Meeting

2007-12-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

One of the great things about the family is its spontaneity.

We had our first board meeting during Christmas. Not everyone was there so not all ideas were heard. But it was nice to see the excitement.

The discussions went from where should the vineyard be, what to start with first (amphitheater, vineyard, restaurant, etc.) vineyard names (Faultline seemed to come out ahead), who should be the CEO and why and who would herd the cashmere goats.

The discussions got rather heated at times and someone pointed out that this is why they stay from family businesses. But we are a magnanimous group and emotions rarely last any length of time.

Spice of Life

2007-12-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

Sometimes half a phrase is better.

There are a lot of grape varieties. I really don't know if any were lost in the great phylloxera blight in the late 1800's but I am sure many people are working to make sure that none are lost again. At the same time there are new crosses being developed. Certainly some of these are for better taste and/or production as well as adapting to local environments.

In rummaging through the web for a good site that describes the vast variety of grapes I came across this fantastic site.

The artwork is great.

The writing is very interesting and informative.

Sangiovese
You’re a modest boy from Tuscany, seeking fame and fortune. You shed your woven straw attire for more austere threads of tannin with silky orange accents. At home, you began to turn your back on the rough childhood companions from the neighborhood, preferring to hang out in the cafes of Chianti with the French nobleman, King Cabernet. Now in America you’re the most stylish of a new generation of Italian immigrants. It appears that unassuming little boy named after the ‘Blood of Jupiter’ always was a would-be king himself… Italian royalty.

and the grape photos are terrific along with very good technical information

I hope there is no objection to using this information here. If there is let me know and I will delete it. But my intention is to promote the site. Appellationamerica.com, a great site.

Colors and Materials

2007-12-10T21:32:00.000-05:00

Here's a little discussion about the architecture of the vineyard.

I have walked and driven the vineyard in my mind trying to understand the physical possibilities. There's that long road to the main house lined with the traditional poplars. But of course they could also be olive trees. Somewhere there has to be olive trees even though they would take 10 years to mature. They become a legacy.

But the architecture needs color and the great earth tones of Tuscany are very appealing: raw sienna, yellow ochre, burnt umber and terra-cotta. I've never been really good at color but touring Florence, Sienna and Venice makes a person aware of the vibrancy possible.

I'm trying to discover how these colors are applied. It appears that the technique is fresco. That's where a lime based plaster is tinted and applied directly to the surface of the building.

Anyway it's a start.

Have you seen the stars tonight?

2007-12-10T19:09:00.001-05:00

OK I know this is off topic but I just couldn't resist.

Maybe it's not off topic.

Have you seen the stars tonight?
Would you like to go up on A-deck and look at them with me?

Have you seen the stars tonight?
Would you like to go up for a stroll and keep me company?

Did you know
We could go
We are free
Any place
You can think of
We can be

Have you seen the stars tonight?
Have you looked at all the family of stars?

Sulfite

2007-11-28T21:27:00.000-05:00

There is sulfite in all wines. When the amount exceeds 100 parts per million (ppm) the Food and Drug Administration requires labeling.

Adding sulfite to wines reduces spoilage.

At one point there was little control over the amount of sulfite added to wines. The wine industry has reached a level of sophistication that allows them to use less than 100 ppm and still achieve the excellent results.

Sulfite also exits in many foods. At the same time it is estimated that 1 in every hundred people are allergic to sulfite.

Terroirs are important.

2007-10-28T18:47:00.000-04:00

If you've bounced around wines for awhile the term 'terroirs' has probably come up. Last Christmas my daughter gave me a beautiful book titled Great Wine Terroirs. As I flipped through the book a photo caught my eye. It was a vineyard in the Rhone Terraces. The vines, untrellised, were growing out of a bed of rocks.

What I learned later is that the rocks slowly give off their warmth at night keeping the roots warm. OK that's positive for what looked like an impossible condition.

But the idea with terroirs is to understand how the soils, terrain, orientation of slopes, contributes to the quality of the grape and subsequently the wine.

A nice proof of this value is described on page 155 of this book discussing Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Regardless of the terrain or climate, most Cabernet Sauvignon wines have an unmistakable aroma of bell peppers that may be more or less marked. This aroma, known to botanists as aristolochia and to chemists as pyrazine, is comon to all grapes in this family (the Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc.) but it is always pronounced in the Cabernet Sauvignon."

But this pepper aroma changes to "ripe black currants, cedar spices and sometimes licorice" when grown in the gravel terraces of Gironde and Medoc.

So when selecting grapes to be grown in a particular region it is very important to understand what effect the 'terroir' will have.

Is there value to cute wines?

2007-10-26T18:08:00.001-04:00

My wife used to collect recipes from the newspaper. There are still a lot that we've used and still more that we are still trying out even though some are many, many years old. Of course now, new recipes come from the internet. It's more convenient since one can match inhouse ingredients with existing recipes.

On one that she showed me had a wine review on the other side. It talked about a recent trend (2005) of cute wines. You know, ones with crazy labels.

This article was clipped just when it was getting interesting. "Putting aside personal, tomboy distaste, wines designed by focus group tend toward lowest common denominator blandness. They lose all relation to the living, ever-changing mystery in a bottle, and then wine ceases to be the most interesting of all drinks and becomes ..........." That's where it ends, but I'm sure you can fill in the rest.

I keep trying different wines paying attention to the labels as well as their age and where they come from. More and more that "ever-changing mystery in a bottle" comes from those less than faddish labels.

Looking for an inexpensive wine? Maybe 'fifth growth"?

2007-10-23T23:13:00.000-04:00

Here's a bit of divergence.

While reading an article in a recent issue of Wine Spectator I came across the term 'fifth growth'. It was new to me so I hunted around the internet and found how Napolean III rated Bordeaux's about 150 years ago. Fifth growth refers to the lowest quality of Bordeaux. Obviously first growth, Château Mouton Rothschild, is among the best.

The article, about Chateau Lynch-Bages, a classic Pauillac (check the map) estate is a fifth growth. It's wines are well regarded and often obtain very high ratings. High enough to command an auction price of a 1961 vintage of more than 1,900 a bottle.

Although dollar value in not always a predictor of quality wines it is nice to be appreciated.

There's Numbers in the Vineyard

2007-10-17T00:13:00.000-04:00

Sometimes numbers are comforting. They get kicked around lot but I've been able to settle on a few for the typical vineyard.

Iowa State University Extension has good information about vineyards.

link

545 vines will cover an acre very nicely. There can of course be more or less depending on spacing of vines and row width. It costs about $10,000 and 3+ years to get one acre of vines to produce a good crop.

Then there's about 4000 bottles of wine in an acre of grapes.

link

This site shows 400 vines per acre and the Benzinger site show 1089 vines per acre. I'm comfortable with 545.

Incidentals

2007-10-09T22:18:00.000-04:00

The discussions went from spa, to restaurant, to pet care for visitors, to art gallery and yes, well there was also ...................... well maybe not yet. That's a discussion for another time.

It's a little like wine tasting. You can talk about wines as being good and bad but the appreciation comes from the subtleties of aroma, color and taste.

And what might seem like typical components of a nice vineyard/winery, the quality comes in the details.

2007-10-08T19:03:00.000-04:00

Conversations about the vineyard.

2007-10-08T17:56:00.000-04:00

Considering the diversity of interests in the family it was a surprise listening to how each person was interested in participating.

Maybe it was the excitement of the holiday gathering, the good food and drink.

Certainly it was vines and wines. I guess that's my basic interest. A chance to work outside, everyday. To get familiar with the land and the vines and all the interactions of life around them.

But there were other interests: art, music, food, craft and other, rather unusual incidentals that could nicely compliment a vineyard.

Everything seems to start with a crazy idea.

2007-10-07T22:57:00.000-04:00

This is about family. And attempt to keep it together, close.

Over the years this family has learned how important each of us is to one another. Sometimes in small ways and sometimes in very big ways.

And it seems that one of our characteristics is that no one is ever abandoned.

We've invited others into this family with various degrees of success. It's hoped that anyone who experienced some time with us enjoyed it.

So an idea arrives at one of our large gatherings. Sort of a crazy idea and sort of interesting.

A family vineyard.