2008 Events will be scheduled for the 3rd Saturday of the month. Watch for event details to be announced If you have ideas for training topics ... please send email to any of our Board Members JUNE 08 WORKSHOP PHOTOS! Importance of Grape Quality on Wine Production. YOU CANNOT MAKE GOOD WINE WITH BAD GRAPES Dr. Sebastian Donner, Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute, demonstrating how to use testing equipment in the field. How equipment helps the grower determine the quality of their grapes before harvest time. Randall Vos, Viticulturist, Des Moines Area Community College, presenting "Vineyard Canopy and Crop Load Management" workshop. Quality grapes are a result of good canopy management that might include: shoot thinning, shoot positioning of combing, skirting, hedging plus some leaf pulling and cluster thinning. June 08 workshop at Diane and Gary Forristall's vineyard with Randall Vos giving hands on demonstration of canapy management. MANY THANKS to Charlie Caldwell for planning this workshop and for providng follow-up photos. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS .. below PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS: WORKSHOP DATE: Saturday, June 21, 2008 Time: 8:30 am to 12:00 noon Place: Diane & Gary Forristall Topic: Canopy Management Speakers: Randall Vos, Viticulturist, Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), Sebastian Donner, Wine Lab Supervisor, Midwest Grape & Wine Industry Institute at Iowa State University Fee: $15.00 WeIGGA member/ $20.00 nonmember Pre-registration: please call or email Charlie Caldwell, Black Squirrel Vineyard & Winery caldhome@aol.com or 712-566-2681 This viticulture workshop will cover many "whys', "how to", and "when" of canopy management. A hands on visual approach to managing the canopy will be demonstrated at the Forristall's vineyard. Following the canopy management presentation, Sebastian Donner will discuss what information he provides to the grower that send in grape clusters to his lab. This is a proactive workshop towards "canopy management" not a reactive approach. "Quality grapes don't just happen; they are the result of hard work by a knowledgeable grower;" all growers should attend. WORKSHOP Date: Saturday, May 17th Time: 8:30am - Noon Location: Danish Countryside Vines & Wines Phone: 712-764-2991 Topics: Conventional Pest Management Identification of Diseases Developing a spray program/schedule Others: What records to keep? Any other new things that Mike thinks is appropriate Presenter(s): Mike White (ISU Extension Viticulture Specialist) Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members! Since this workshop will be wrapped up at Noon, we are not going to do pot luck for this one; however, if you enjoyed that part of the pruning workshop, please let Charlie know! Questions or to RSVP: Please contact Charlie Caldwell to register for the workshop. He can be contacted at Caldhome@aol.com or 712-566-2681. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WORKSHOP DATE: Saturday March 15 - Pruning Time: 8:30am Location: Prairie Crossing Vineyard & Winery Advanced Pruning Review and Panel Discussion Topic: Review of pruning from planting to 4th year with classroom and vineyard presentations, followed by a panel discussion of pruning varieties from the members present Presenter(s): Charlie Caldwell (Education Chair) Additional Info: Please bring your pruning shears and any friends or interested people! There will be a pot luck lunch and wine tasting following the workshop. Cost: Free! However, if you want to stay for lunch and the wine tasting after the panel discussion, you must bring a pot luck dish to share with the group (plates, flatware, cups and drink will be provided). Questions or to RSVP: Please contact Charlie Caldwell to register for the workshop and to let him know the pot luck item you will bring. He can be contacted at Caldhome@aol.com or 712-566-2681. If this workshop's pot luck is well received, we may continue this with future workshops - please give us your thoughts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ return top of page         Our Thanks! to Mike White for sharing these info links: EXCELLENT set of 3 Cold Climate Pruning "Macro Media Breeze" presentations by Fritz Westover, Viticulture Research Associate at Virginia Tech University: a. Grape Vine Anatomy & Vine Balance: http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/westover1/ b. Selecting Fruitful Wood & Balanced Pruning: http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/westover2/ c. Cold Climate Pruning Strategies: http://breeze.ag.vt.edu/westover3/                                               .