Spring. Pruning is done. Steve cultivates the soil to prepare the dust mulch. Usually this takes place just one time, after what appears to be the last rain. This year, with the welcomed late March rains, it was necessary to cultivate three times. Each cultivation breaks capillarity between the dust mulch and the soil below, retaining the wetness in the soil. Spring, as usual was a burst of activity. This year, UCSB intern Sophia Delap joined us for most of it. A new addition was adding 9 bluebird boxes to the vineyard. We hope the bluebirds will set up nests and feed their young with many of the insects that can be pests to the vines. Meanwhile the barn owls were nesting and feeding their young with rodents from the vineyard. The culmination of spring is the leaf break on the vines and the forming of grape bunches. It was a ‘late spring’ with cool temperatures into June.
Summer. Olive flowering came late, but came on strong with the hope of a good harvest ahead. The temperatures began to warm and the grape plants extended their vines and fruit started to hang. While we could escape the summer heat, the vines and trees just stayed in place dealing with their habitat. In mid-July the grape development was looking plentiful and good. Then came the second wildfire at the beginning of August. The grapes continue to grow and ripen. They do what they know best to do. And we look forward to harvesting them. Yet, we are not yet sure of the future of these grapes. Will they have absorbed too much smoke to make them into wine? Time will tell. Yet we are so grateful that they are still here, continuing on with their seasonal cycles.
