Once again we are very grateful for our friends and families who welcome the opportunity to come and work in our vineyard – with food, wine, and entertainment as the immediate reward*.
If you have the desire to learn more about grape growing and see what it’s all about (and no, this isn’t the Hokey Pokey!), you are more than welcome to join us at The Vineyard at Arbor Creek in Maxwell, Iowa. Is is a lot of fun, though!
Beginning at 8:00 and probably finishing by noon, we will show you how to help make the grapevines more productive for the harvest season coming in just a couple months. If you helped prune before, you’ll be amazed at the difference two months can make!
*We do believe in what the Little Red Hen said — something like this, “And who will help us prune the vines”? … and all her helpers pitched in and they were rewarded in the end with the fruits of their labor — in the form of wine! Well, The Little Red Hen has become more sophisticated over the years.
Right now, John is at The Vineyard at Arbor Creek, spraying for the 2nd time those pesky Japanese Beetles. What an invasion. It seems that America was attacked by both at one time or another — the Japanese, and then the Beatles. Now they’ve ganged up on us and are attacking so many different plants.
I’m going to read up more on the Diatomaceous Earth … it’s natural, organic, and kills exoskeletal insects! On the other hand, it’s good for livestock as it kills parasites inside and out … and it’s good for people too, but it will be a while before I mix myself 1/4 cup of DE with anything to drink. But it sounds like it’s a kept secret until you familiarize yourself with it.
Have I digressed? Sorry.
It is a beautiful night outside tonight — what a reprieve from that heat we’ve had for the last 10 days or so! Just me, the tree frogs, locusts, some fireworks in the distance, and the computer outside. This is one of those times that I wish I would have ordered the backlit keyboard …. sometimes finding homerow is touchy!
We will be sending out emails and facebook notices regarding the Pruning Party on the 21st.
Feel free to reply to this post …. I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions (as long as they are basically nice!)
Have a wonderful week!
Barb
ottawavineyards 