Spring vineyards abound with work projects from soil preparation to pruning to disbudding to replanting. These pictures capture the change from spring to summer and the resiliency of the plants after 5 years of drought. Thanks to friends– especially the Memorial Weekend Work Party– that helped prepare the vineyard for a great growing season.
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- Winter rains created a green spring
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- Budbreak begins in mid-March
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- And by mid-April leaf out with the vines beginning to develop
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- The vines rebound from 5 years of drought
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- And continued rains
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- Show the resiliency in the vines
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- Shiraz rows reach out to each other
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- In late May grapes flower
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- Our Pedro Ximénez fruit flowers and takes form
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- The olive trees show bountiful promise
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- with spring flowers
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- Steve & Robbie under a flowering olive tree
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- Matt & Steve prep for Memorial Weekend Work Party
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- Together we replant vines
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- that didn’t make it through the drought
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- Cora the dog helps
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- as new plants set roots in wet soil
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- John and Robbie take a break from disbudding vines
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- While the Ruiz family
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- paints fences
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- with help from friends
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- Eileen and
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- others relax after the day’s work
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- to feast once again
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- and roast marshmellows
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- With spring project done, the vineyard is ready for summer
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- As flowers turn to fruit
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- The vines grow 3 times what they were last year
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- And create nooks to enjoy morning tea
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- And the summer vines are nourished by the sun and the soil.