Starting a Vineyard in the Mountains
On Tuesday, June 2, 2009, NC Cooperative Extension will offer a free, full-day workshop on what preparations should be made by growers who plan to start a vineyard in our mountain region. While wine grapes are a crop of great interest to many, they are also beset by issues such as spring freezes, economically-damaging diseases, and other potential problems. Successfully managing these problems requires proper planning and actions long before the first vine is planted. This workshop will bring-together some of the best authorities in the southeast on the subjects of vineyard planning and management, with presentations geared toward helping local growers make smart decisions about whether wine grapes are a good fit for their own farms.
The workshop begins at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, June 2, and will be held at the Watauga County Agricultural Conference Center, located at 252 Poplar Grove Rd. in Boone. There is no charge for the workshop, but pre-registration is required. To register, call the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office at (828) 264-3061.
Speakers will include Norm Oches, Director of the Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing; John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University; Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University; Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University; and Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University. Topics to be covered include Soils, Site-Evaluation, Cultivar Selection, Planting, Vine Management Concerns, Grapevine Diseases, and Vineyard Pest Management. Extension Agents Richard Boylan (Watauga/Ashe) and Adam Keeener (Avery) will moderate the discussions, and be on-hand to give local examples of working with growers who are beginning High Country Vineyards. A full schedule for the day follows:
- 8:30 - 9:00 Check-in - Moderator: Richard Boylan
- 9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and Housekeeping - Richard Boylan, Area Specialized Cooperative Extension Agent, West District, Watauga Center, Boone, NC
- 9:15 - 10:00 Opportunities and Challenges for High Elevation Vineyards in NC - Norm Oches, Director, Appalachian Center for Mountain Winegrowing, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
- 10:00-11:00 Soil and Site: Evaluation and Management Issues - John Havlin, Professor, Department of Soil Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
- 11:00-11:15 Break
- 11:15-12:15 Cultivar Selection, Planting and Vine Management Concerns - Sara Spayd, Extension Viticulture Specialist/Professor, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
- 12:15 - 1:30 Lunch on your own
- 1:30 - 2:30 Grapevines Diseases - Dr. Turner Sutton, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
- 2:30 - 3:30 Vineyard Pest Management 101 - Dr. Hannah Burrack, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC
- 3:30 - Question and answer session all speakers
