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2012 SEASON
— Eleventh Harvest (thirteenth leaf)
Here's a fun find! We've been
watching all five owl boxes for two years and we finally saw at least one
owl! He's not a barn owl, which is the kind the boxes are designed for.
According to the Hungry Owl
Project, where we purchased the boxes, a family of Barn Owls can consume
about 3000 rodents in one breeding season! Our guy looks to be a Western
Screech Owl. He's also welcome and will hunt rodents though not as many as
he's about 1/10th the size of a barn owl.
December 2011 was one of the
driest on record, and it was sunny but cold, dipping into the twenties right
before dawn. We began pruning with three people (bundled up well) using
Pellenc electric pruners and tiers. As of the first part of February, only
one significant spate of rain let the crew prune straight though so they
finished the third week of February. By March 13th it was raining and we're
seeing the first of the buds unfurl. Frost fans were in place as of
April 10th. They ran one full night and twice for a few hours just before
sunrise.
In early May, with wind machines
stowed for the season, a large crew thinned shoots and suckered crowns and trunks.
We were on the tractor non-stop with the wild oats growing so fast
we could watch them. The crew completed a second pass to split the canopy
and position shoots by early June. With only one minor rain and a bit of
wind, flowering completed, berries swelled nicely into bunches, and we
enjoyed
the weather.
The rest of the summer was mild,
a little warmer than 2011, but not much—perfect for Pinot Noir. The crew went through in
August to drop anything with a hint of green or pink.
In
September after a lot of watching
and waiting we began picking on the 15th, about a week
earlier than last year, and then resumed on the 28th through October 5th...
So, a bit later.
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Harvest
Photos |
New Vineyard Friend
—
A Western Screech Owl in a Barn Owl Box!
Marguerites — Fred in Geyser View Block
Spring Bud
—
New leaves
unfurling in Three Oak Block with a frost fan in the background
Coloring up —
Home Block
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