# The vineyard



## Tommy (Sep 7, 2021)




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## Tommy (Sep 7, 2021)

2021 has been a particularly good year in our garden for cauliflower and beets, while tomatoes, summer squashes, sweet corn, and banana peppers all had respectable yields.

Throughout our marriage the kitchen garden has always been my wife’s domain and she rules it with a firm hand. My involvement has mostly been limited to building fences and rototilling. She enjoys the planning, creation, and tending of her garden and over the years I’ve been the beneficiary of the many wonderful vegetables she’s grown.

Spring of 2020, reined in by the initial wave of the covid virus, I was searching for a new outdoor home project to occupy my time. Growing grapes seemed like a good choice. Heck, grapes are easy to grow and low maintenance. A grape trellis makes an attractive landscape feature. We like most fruits and grapes are no exception. And being a perennial fruit in a whole different location, it wouldn’t infringe on my wife’s gardening domain. What’s not to like?

At least that was my thinking at the time.

There’s a saying that goes something like, “Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.” This is not something I believe, yet I’ll admit that sometimes it can feel that way.


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## bowmore (Sep 7, 2021)

I think the expression is ,"Man plans, God laughs"


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## Bellbird (Sep 7, 2021)

Beautiful looking grapes. I have just pruned my vine with very similar looking grapes. Its always a rush between the birds and myself as to who gets the most grapes. I've decided its time to cover them to keep them out.


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## Tommy (Sep 9, 2021)

*The Vineyard*

We live on the side of a large hill although, consistent with New England’s penchant for exaggeration, it’s called a mountain. The mowed portion of our property (the yard if you will) is relatively flat but the land behind it slopes up rather steeply. Our house faces in a more or less southerly direction.

Things I learned: In the northern hemisphere grape vines usually grow best on a south facing slope. Grape vines should be planted about eight feet apart and need four additional feet of clearance on each side. A mature grape vine can produce over 25 pounds of grapes per year.

Perfect! After some thought I staked out an 8’ x 20’ area on the base of the hill that looked ideal for our new landscape feature. That should be large enough for two vines. And at 50 pounds of grapes per year they should produce far more than enough for us to eat and make jam and still leave plenty of grapes to give away.

So …all I need to do is to clear the area of its current cover of brambles, goldenrod, and other weeds, put up a trellis, dig a couple of holes, plant some vines, and wait for the grapes.

Pretty simple. Yeah.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Over the years I’ve found that quick decisions can have unexpected outcomes. Though I’ve known this for a long time, that still hasn’t prevented me from making commitments that end up costing me more … in time, effort, expense,, emotional capital … than I ever expected.

_Proverbs 29:20 “Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”_


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## Tommy (Sep 16, 2021)

*Rocks*

With a pair of work gloves and the appropriate implements of destruction in hand, I headed for the site of our proposed vineyard. I realize that “vineyard” is a presumptuous name for this speck of land and a couple of grape vines but, hey … I’ve lived in New England for over 30 years now and may have picked up a little of the local penchant for exaggeration. Besides, we have to call it _something_.

Slowly I started clearing away 160 square feet of dense weeds. Did you know that that goldenrod has really tenacious roots? Or that brambles and sweet pea grow from large underground runners and just break off at the ground surface when pulled? After a good part of the weeds had been removed (more or less, sorta), I decided to do a little digging at the points where the three posts for my trellis will eventually go. I measured and staked each location.

There IS a reason New Hampshire is nicknamed “The Granite State”.

We have A LOT of rocks! Years ago, shortly after buying this house, I put up a fence for my wife’s kitchen garden. While putting in the 11 posts, I ran into at least a dozen large rocks … basketball size, even watermelon size rocks. But with sweat, ingenuity, and a little bad language I was eventually able to dig them all out and relocate them.

Therefore, when I started to dig for the first post hole I wasn’t too surprised to hear a familiar metallic “clank”. I moved to the second location. “Clank”. Third location. “Clank”. Darn! I started digging around one rock … and digging … and digging. It eventually became clear that this is not a rock I’m going to be able to move myself. It is a BIG rock. Digging at the other two locations gave the same result. I didn’t fully uncover any of them but it was clear that they are each probably at least three feet across. Arrgh!!



But by this time I’m determined that this is absolutely the very best location for our vineyard, so … what do I do next …?

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I often need to stop and remind myself that all of the problems I face in this life are trivial. Many, many other people face far greater challenges. And viewed from the perspective of eternity, all of man’s problems are insignificant. There’s so very much for me to be grateful for.

_James 1:2-3. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”_


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## Tommy (Sep 23, 2021)

*Dry Stone Walls*

In central New Hampshire you’ll see a lot of old dry stone walls; along roadsides, stretching across fields, peeking out from the forest’s edge. Many of these were built over 200 years ago. It’s estimated that in the mid-1800s there were about 240,000 miles of them in New England … that’s around 400 million tons of stone! Originally, the walls were not decorative. Rather, they served merely as a place to put the many rocks removed while clearing a field for planting. They also outlined the boundaries of a field. We have many such walls on our land.



The old walls contain a number of large and medium-sized rocks … my wild guess would be in the 100 to 500 pound range or larger. How those early New England farmers moved and stacked those stones is a mystery to me. Livestock was undoubtedly involved, along with leverage and a lot of Yankee ingenuity. That must have been a very, very hard, slow process.

As it happened, in September of 2000 we’d already arranged to have a guy come to our house to do some other landscape digging. “Scott” has a big, steel-tracked Caterpillar excavator. I asked him if he would also dig a trench through the vineyard area to remove the rocks while he and his machine were here.

Now in past years we’ve noticed that, as winter is coming to an end, the ground on the south sides of our stone walls are the first areas to be clear of snow. Possibly the sun’s heat is absorbed by the rocks and transferred to the ground beneath. So when Scott asked what he should do with the big rocks he removed, I asked if he could build us a small stone wall just uphill from the trench. Hopefully, the additional warmth from the wall will warm the ground around the vines and so start growth a little earlier in the spring.

Not only was Scott accommodating, but it turned out that he’s a real artist with his big yellow machine. Watching him gently pick up, sort, rotate, and place each of those big rocks was nothing short of amazing.



We asked him put the soil he removed next to the trench. Also, knowing that we’d lose quite a bit of volume after the rocks had been removed, we had him bring in about seven cubic yards of screened loam. Now we’re ready to start some real work.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Most of us take notice when a person does something really well. It tells us something about their character. When that person is a Christian who is motivated by their faith, their actions glorify Almighty God.

_1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God._


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## Tommy (Oct 1, 2021)

*Sifting Sand*

Basic manual labor … very basic. About as basic as it gets.

The original trench was a little over twenty feet long, four feet wide, and three feet deep. The goals were simple. Clean up the trench walls and floor, separate the stones from the removed dirt, and then return that cleaned dirt to the trench.

For nearly 50 years my wife has been a loyal partner through my many, often dubious, exploits and I love her all the more for that. This was no exception.

It has taken us many hours over several weeks to finish removing all of the stones, hauling them to one of two rock piles, and returning the dirt to the trench. Stones smaller than a ping pong ball have generally been left with the soil. Large rocks have been stacked at the end of the trench to be added to the rock wall at some future time. All of the rest have been loaded into 5-gallon buckets and carried to our resident rock pile behind the barn.

It was a very slow process, yet somehow not unpleasant. And there is a great sense of satisfaction in having the job completed.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

In the early years of my career I worked as a bench and field chemist. After a while I moved on to supervisory and then management positions but I always felt a certain longing for those earlier hands-on days of Pyrex glass and bottles of reagents. There’s a definite satisfaction that comes with working with your hands … whatever the task might be.

It’s wise to remember that nothing we do is unimportant. Ill-advised sometimes … maybe, but never unimportant.

_Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,_


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## Tommy (Oct 7, 2021)

*Grapevine Training*

Who would have though it? Grapevines need to be trained. Trained??? Yup. A vine planted in any decent spot will probably grow, but if the goal is to get a respectable harvest of grapes a training strategy is needed.

There are dozens of training methods. In New Hampshire, one preferred method is the “Four Armed Kniffin” system which was devised in the 1850s by William Kniffin.   I like it because, from the pictures, it looks more or less what I originally had in mind but didn’t know it had a name. But as it turns out, it’s a little more complicated than I had expected.



Basically, two stout wires are strung between posts above the plants. The lower wire is at 2-1/2 to three feet above the ground and to upper wire at 5-1/2 to six feet. As they grow, the vines are first pruned to have a strong central trunk and, when they reach each wire, the two strongest side shoots, called "canes"  are tied to the wire on each side. All other shoots are cut off. The new shoots that then grow from those four canes are the ones that will actually produce grapes.  After harvesting, the old canes must be cut away and replaced.

Things I learned. It takes at least three years from the time of planting for a vine to start producing grapes. Mature grapevines are heavy, so strong wires and posts are a must. Grapevines need to be pruned every year and you really have to understand what you’re doing before you start cutting.

Pruning is done while the plants are dormant. Around here, that means between January 1st and the end of March. I’ve been warned that it can feel absurdly extreme … cutting away maybe three-quarters of that beautiful vine you’ve just spent the whole summer growing. Still, I’m told it’s necessary to get a good crop.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

In many areas of our lives it’s sometimes necessary to take corrective action to stay in track toward reaching long-term goals. At times, those corrective actions can seem severe and painful but we know they are necessary. This is true in our eternal lives as well as in our earthly ones. Understanding God’s purpose can help us to make sense of life’s difficult circumstances.

_John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”_


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## Gary O' (Oct 11, 2021)

*I love this thread!*


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## Tommy (Oct 12, 2021)

Thank you, Gary.  That's high praise indeed coming from you.


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## Gary O' (Oct 12, 2021)

Tommy said:


> Thank you, Gary. That's high praise indeed coming from you.


Well, brother, you make it easy

Wonderful reads
....ending with a verse

*Gold*


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## Tommy (Oct 15, 2021)

*Planting Posts*

I’ve chosen pressure treated 4x4 pine for our trellis posts. The wood is relatively inexpensive, easy to work with, and I like the appearance. With the current covid-driven shortage of lumber, I feel fortunate to have gotten the last three straight, clean boards our local lumberyard had in stock.

Over the years I’ve planted any number of fence posts but I don’t consider myself to be anything close to skilled post installer. I’m more of the “dig a hole - put in the post - hold it relatively straight - pack the dirt back in” sort of post installer. Now for our vineyard, the posts needed to be both straight and sturdy so it’s time to learn a new skill. I resorted to everyone’s favorite “how to” information source … YouTube.

Like most things on the internet, YouTube research involves a very high degree of discernment. Loads of information … most of it bad … and one needs to sort out what is actually accurate and useful. I’ve watched dozens of different videos, each describing different, sometimes wildly different, approaches to installing posts.

What I learned (or rather, deduced): To be strong, a wood post should have between one-quarter and one-third of its total length buried in the ground. At least four inches of course gravel should be placed in the hole beneath the post to promote drainage. The post hole should be three times the diameter of the post and contain at least two vertical feet of concrete around the post. The top of the concrete should be covered with soil to prevent water channeling.

Scrounging around YouTube, I also picked up a couple of tips that are actually helpful. I’ve now learned how to hold a post straight by clamping two 2x4 boards near the top at a right angle to each other and positioning the other end on the ground.  In the picture below, it looks like the guy nailed the supports to the posts; I just used quick clamps and it worked fine.

It seems so obvious now and I don’t know why I never thought of it before



And did you know that bags of cement premix can be poured directly into the hole (dry) and then soaked with water? … no need to mix it first. Apparently this is a common technique and I can understand why!

It seems to have worked. The posts are straight and seem to be very strong.


*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

T’was ever thus …. There has always been a more than ample supply of people clamoring to tell others the “right” way to do something, or to act, or to think, or to believe. Deciding on what is true and right is a matter of personal discernment as God grants each of us the ability to discern truth. This applies to all areas of our lives.

_1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned._


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## Tommy (Oct 21, 2021)

*Choosing Vines*

October 2020.  It's time to decide what kind of grapevines to buy and where to get them …

According to the internet there are over 8000 varieties of grapes.  *8000!*  How to choose???

Well, our vines will absolutely have to be hardy enough to make it through our cold northern New England winters. I’ve probably driven through the beautiful wine country in central New York state over a hundred times, but it looks like our current location is just enough further north to make a difference in which varieties will survive.

Then too, we know we want “table grapes”. The majority of grapes varieties are “wine grapes”. During our “before children” days, my wife and I made wine … quite a bit of it actually. Been there, done that, got a few proprietary bottle labels around here somewhere as souvenirs. We also know we want seedless grapes. Those two things will help to limit the options … well, somewhat.

And of course it also depends on what’s available. So I called our local garden center and asked what types of grapevines they sold.

Long puzzled silence . . .

"We don’t sell grapevines.” Hmmmm … Then, in a blinding flash of the obvious, I contacted an area college and spoke with their grape expert.

Jackpot!!!

She not only recommended several suitable varieties but also pointed me to a reliable seller – Double A Vineyards in Fredonia, NY. Their web site contains a wealth of helpful information,

I was surprised to learn that grapevines need to be ordered about six months in advance. I looked over their offerings and chose a variety called “Canadice” and one called “Mars”. I’m not particular about the color, but for the record Canadice grapes are red; Mars are blue.


Canadice


Mars

I know that winter kill will be a very real threat to our new vines, and by the time we discover a loss it will be too late to get a replacement.   I ordered two of each … one to be the primary vine and the other to serve as a backup. I chose to have them delivered during the third week in April.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Not every grapevine is suitable for every purpose or setting. A vine that thrives on the hot, sunny slopes of Spain would wither and die in New Hampshire. Grapes that make a wonderful Merlot would probably make a terrible grape jam. But every variety has a setting and a purpose for which it is suited and in which it can shine. The trick is in making the right choice.

So it is with people. We each have characteristics and abilities that make us well equipped for some tasks but poorly suited for others. Likewise, we each have countless opportunities to serve in roles that may or may not make the best use of our unique talents. Pray to the Lord for guidance in making wise choices.

_1 Corinthians 12:4  There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work._


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## Shero (Oct 21, 2021)

Tommy: 
Have you considered a French-American hybrid, such as the labrusca varieties?


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## Tommy (Oct 28, 2021)

Thank you for your question, Shero.  Lambrusco grapes can produce some very nice wines indeed, but we were looking specifically for seedless table grapes.  If this venture is successful, we'll be using the grapes for jams, juice, and eating as a fruit - not for making wine.  Anyway, I seriously doubt that any of the Lambrusco varieties would survive our harsh winters here in north-central New Hampshire.

Do you, or have you in the past grown grapes?  If so, I'd love to hear about your experiences.  It's turning into a real adventure for me!


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## Tommy (Oct 28, 2021)

*Winter*
Our prospective vineyard stands quiet in the cold and dark. Winter in the lakes and mountains region of New Hampshire is, for me, an indoor season. This year, due to covid, no social activities will take place. It will be a time for study, planning, reflection, and rest.

A soil sample has long since been sent off for testing and test results received. Now there is research to be done, challenges to be anticipated, supplies to be ordered, dreams to be dreamt.

Spring will be busy when it arrives.





*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I’ve never been a big winter person, even less so as my history lengthens. All the same, looking at the bare branches and the frozen, snow covered ground, I know I could never be happy living anywhere without four distinct seasons. Something in my makeup wants … needs the variety. Even the annual reset that the winter always provides.

_Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace._


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## Shero (Oct 29, 2021)

Hallo Tommy, I just read your entire thread and learnt you have already purchased two vines: Candice and Mars. Candice was going to be a suggestion but instead of Mars, I would have suggested Concord. 

My brother tells me it is very easy to grow and can be used for table, making grape juice and jelly or jams and very tough and easy to grow in your area. Anyway, one to consider later on if you want and I wish you lots of good luck. In three years, you will be harvesting!


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## Tommy (Oct 30, 2021)

Thank you Shero.  I did look very seriously at Everest Seedless, a relatively new seedless concord-type variety developed by Cornell University.  In the end, I opted for Mars because of its lower susceptibility to disease.

I'm a total newby to growing grapes.  So far it's a fun adventure.  I'm sure I've made and will continue to make mistakes, but heck . . . I've never let that stop me before. 

Tommy


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## Shero (Oct 31, 2021)

Tommy said:


> Thank you Shero.  I did look very seriously at Everest Seedless, a relatively new seedless concord-type variety developed by Cornell University.  In the end, I opted for Mars because of its lower susceptibility to disease.
> 
> I'm a total newby to growing grapes.  So far it's a fun adventure.  I'm sure I've made and will continue to make mistakes, but heck . . . I've never let that stop me before.
> 
> Tommy


I admire your adventurous spirit Tommy and I can see nothing will stop you from achieving success


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## Tommy (Nov 4, 2021)

*Getting Ready*



Early April. Winter is clearly losing its grip on us. The vineyard is clear of snow and the ground has thawed. The vines will be here in just a few weeks so it’s time to be getting ready for their arrival. Two things I’ve been thinking about lately are soil conditions and aesthetics.

Aesthetically, although the vineyard itself needs to be weed-free (grapevines don’t like competition), we still think of the vineyard as a landscape feature and I want to have grass growing right up to the edge of it. The digging and refilling of the trench has left a fair bit of bare ground in the area so it will need to be reseeded.

What I learned: Two types of grass do well in our area – Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue. Bluegrass is nice because it spreads to fill in any bare spots that might occur in the future but it also produces a lot of thatch … you know, those brown dead blades that build up year after year and need to be raked out. That's a lot of work!  Fescue produces very little thatch but bare spots need to be reseeded.

An easy choice – I’ll plant fescue.

Soil conditions are another matter. The soil sample I had tested last year was from the native soil that had been taken from the trench. The top foot or so of soil now, however, is the loam that we had trucked in to finish refilling the trench. Lab results show the soil to be too acidic and somewhat lacking in phosphorus and magnesium. New England soils are notoriously acidic so I’m comfortable spreading a good dose of lime onto it, but for the others?

I’ll wait and see what happens during the summer and then add any fertilizer based on what I’ve seen.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

My wife’s peas were an utter failure last year. She’s used the same seed for years with good results but for some reason last summer the planting let her down. Gardeners understand whenever they plant crops that the result of their effort is never certain. We would certainly like a bounteous crop, but factors we can’t control, often don’t even understand, can cause the effort to fail.

The same thing is true for Christians when they sow the seeds of faith. Love for others compels us to want to share this wonderful thing that’s happened to us. To tell others about the reality of God, His love and forgiveness, His plan for our salvation and eternal life. Sometimes the seed takes root and flourishes and we give thanks and we rejoice. Other times, the effort appears to have been totally in vain although, unlike the gardener, we may never know the ultimate outcome.  We might not understand the reasons, but we do know it's in His hands.

_Matthew 13:3-2 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown._


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## Tommy (Nov 11, 2021)

*The Enemy Below*

“Chipmunks and meadow voles and moles .. Oh my!”

Overall, my wife and I enjoy the wild critters that call our land their home. When conflicts arise we usually try to come up with nonviolent ways to coexist with them.

Last year my wife’s garden experienced a fair number of losses due to various wee beasties that tunnel under the ground. Although frustrating, she usually plants enough so that we can absorb these losses. But this got me concerned about the long-term well-being of my soon to arrive grapevines.

What I learned. Although in some cases the roots of a grapevine can grow to a depth of perhaps 30 feet, the majority of the root system is located in the top two to three feet of soil.

Unlike most kitchen garden vegetables, a grapevine that I plant this year should live and produce fruit for many, many years if no misfortune befalls it. But because it will take at least three years for the vine to start bearing usable grapes, losing a vine would be a major setback … especially at our age.

The way I see it, I will at least have a fighting chance to defend against attacks from the land or the air, but from underground . . . ? Once a vine is in the ground it seems like there will be little that can be done to thwart an underground attack on its root system.

My solution … build a wall (of sorts) around the majority of each vine’s roots.

I bought a roll of 36-inch tall stainless steel hardware screen with half-inch square holes and made two cylinders each 20 inches on diameter. I then cut 20-inch circles of screen to serve as the floors and tied the parts together with stout zip ties to form baskets.



I then dug holes slightly larger than the baskets at each primary vine location, and set each basket in place leaving what will eventually be a short six to eight inch “fence” above ground around each vine. I’m hopeful that these barriers will help to protect at least some of the roots.



*Some wisdom from the vineyard.* From our first day on earth to our last, each person’s life is filled with dangers . . . from accidents, disease, violence, and other misfortunes. We all take what steps we consider prudent to avoid these dangers but, in this world, we will never be completely successful. Troubles will overtake us. Eventually we will all die.

But in eternity this is absolutely not the case for those who belong to Christ.

_John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand._


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## bingo (Nov 11, 2021)

Oh....yes... critters....looks like you have a solution.....when we lived in the  south...those green  Japanese  beetles were getting  all over our vines


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## Gary O' (Nov 12, 2021)

Tommy said:


> stainless steel hardware screen with half-inch square holes


Yes, that works.
Used a lot of it in our cabin garden.

One early growing season, we took an afternoon stroll thru our garden.
Stopping at the bush bean bed.
They were doing good.
Then
One disappeared in front of our eyes.
It was pulled from beneath, just like in the cartoons.
Then another.....and another.

We went to steel cattle feeders after that.
But the 1/2" steel mesh works too.....at least from underground raiders 

Topside was another matter

The steel mesh worked up top too



Then built elevated beds




Then the raspberry house
Steel mesh, top and bottom


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## drifter (Nov 12, 2021)

I envy your talent, Sir Timothy. Both yours and Gary's.


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## Llynn (Nov 12, 2021)

This is a very enjoyable thread.  I'm a fan!


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## Tommy (Nov 13, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> Yes, that works.
> Used a lot of it in our cabin garden.


*I do so admire your handiwork, Gary O'!* 

I was surprised how easy that mesh was to work with.  In stainless it was a bit pricey but I chose that because it would be buried.  When I use it above ground in the future I'll go with galvanized.

Loved your story about the bush beans.  It reminds me of what happened a few years back with my wife's cauliflower seedlings.  We didn't catch the little thieves in the act, but she went out one morning and the plants had just vanished.  No footprints, no stems, no signs of digging ... they were just gone!

I'm going to brazenly steal your design for your raspberry house.   Wife has been wanting a greenhouse so I'll copy your frame and then use a mixture of plywood, hardware mesh, and plexiglass and/or plastic sheeting for the roof and walls.


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## Gary O' (Nov 13, 2021)

Tommy said:


> I'll copy your frame and then use a mixture of plywood, hardware mesh, and plexiglass and/or plastic sheeting for the roof and walls.


Yeah, they now have this plexi  that doesn't get all brittle after a summer of sun.
I threw tarps on our garden houses in fall and winter, and bungied them pretty tight
Thought sure they'd collapse from the snow load, but they held quite well
The short 45 2x2s in strategic places were probably the difference


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## Tommy (Nov 18, 2021)

*Arrivals*

_“’O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’ he chortled in his joy!” (Lewis Carroll)_

On Tuesday, April 20th, I received an email message telling me that my vines have shipped … exactly as promised. On Wednesday, April 21st our UPS guy delivered the package. The time of waiting is finally over.

I was barely able to resist the temptation to open the package immediately but, with poor weather forecast for the next few days, I put it in a cool place instead, as instructed. Now, Saturday has finally brought us a nice day and we’re up and about early. The time has come to meet our new arrivals.



Like most mail order plants, the grapevines were shipped “bare root”, meaning all of the soil has been removed from around the roots. Inside a heavy plastic bag, each plant is individually wrapped with sheets of wet paper and packed in a large amount of wet shredded newspaper. Clearly, the AA Vineyards took great care to ensure that the plants wouldn’t be damaged during shipping and that the all-important fine roots wouldn’t dry out.

Each plant has a plastic tag attached that identifies the variety. All of them seem to be of decent size, but the Mars plants are noticeably smaller than the Canadice. Is this a natural difference between the varieties, I wonder? To my inexperienced eye, each plant’s root system appears to be well developed and there are good looking bud nodes on each of the clipped stems.



Our new grapevines look so much better than the bare root ground ivy my wife ordered from a different supplier last year. Of the 24 plants they sent, only two actually grew. I feel like our vineyard will be off to a good start.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Bare root plants are such dubious looking things. Deep down it’s hard to believe that the frail looking sticks in your hand could ever produce the beautiful mature plants you’ve envisioned. Yet with proper care and attention, a bare root plant that was created by an expert grower will produce buds, leaves, flowers and fruit at the proper time.

So it is with people who give their lives to the Lord, the master grower.

_Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them._


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## Tommy (Nov 25, 2021)

*Planting Day*

This is exciting and, well okay . . . maybe just a bit scary! The mood of the day is “I only get one shot at this and I want to get it right”. I think I’m ready . .  I think . . . .

The first step is simple - soak the plants in water for several hours. Yup, I can do that. I put all four vines into a 5-gallon bucket of water and let them soak while gathering the other needed materials and equipment and getting things ready.

The smaller plant of each variety will be what I call the “understudies” - that is, plants that are ready to step in and take over if the principle actor becomes unable to perform. These will be grown in 5-gallon buckets in the same soil as the primary vines and placed in the same general locations. The first to be planted is Canadice #2.

About the soil: As I may have mentioned before, the soil in our vineyard is stratified – native sandy soil under a thick layer of new screened loam. This is somewhat unfortunate but I don’t know how it could reasonably have been avoided. Thankfully, I did have the presence of mind to save back some of the native soil for later use.

So:
- a five gallon bucket with a bunch of drainage holes drilled through the bottom
- some medium sized gravel
- a well-mixed blend of loam, native soil, cow manure, and wood ash (for potassium)

I add a couple inches of gravel to the bucket for drainage. My wife holds the plant straight and at the right height while I add the soil mixture, spreading out the roots as I go. When the bucket is nearly full, I give a gentle tug on the stem of the vine to “seat” the roots and then finish adding the soil.



Next I drive a five-foot grade stake into the soil as straight and deep as I can get it. This stake has two purposes. First, it will provide support for the vine until it’s tall enough to reach the wires on the trellis. Second, it will support the growing tube.

“What is a “growing tube?” you may well ask.

Well, it’s a translucent blue plastic tube that, according to AA Vineyards, "protects the young vines, provides an ideal microclimate, and promotes rapid growth by amplifying the beneficial blue light hitting the plant".  Hmmm . . . time will tell, but based on the grower’s strong reputation (and the $1.35 price) I ordered four of them when I ordered the vines.

Finally, with the growing tube duly installed, I water the plant thoroughly. The process is basically the same for the other three vines.



Bare sticks poking out of the ground. Blue plastic tubes.  Um .… I sure hope I did this right.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Each of us makes many decisions every day. Most of these are of no great consequence but sometimes they are important. On occasion they can be of monumental importance. It’s human nature to hope that we’ve made correct choices and not overlooked anything. We’ve learned from experience that things can and do go wrong and that errors can be costly … physically, financially, and emotionally.

Thankfully the Lord never makes mistakes and always keeps His promises.  In our spiritual life we can always find peace.

_John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid._


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## Tommy (Dec 2, 2021)

*Weeds*

A weed, by definition, is just a plant that’s growing somewhere it isn’t wanted. This is purely a human problem. After all, there are *no* weeds in nature.

The birds and beasties that share our property here do a really good job of spreading plant seeds around, but when the sweet pea and cow vetch that we enjoy so much in our meadow start appearing in our garden and flower beds, they become weeds that need to be eliminated.



What I learned. Weeds compete with grapevines for nutrients and can spread diseases. Ideally, a minimum six foot weed-free zone should be maintained in every direction around each vine.

Okay . . . the hill where our vineyard is located is covered with a lush diversity of native plant life. Among the dozens of varieties found there, the most notable are sweet pea, goldenrod, and bramble. How will I keep these miscreants from moving in?

Bare ground would require almost constant weeding. The use of herbicides is out of the question. That seems to leave mulching. Time to head back to “YouTube University”!

I’ve read that grass clippings can spread disease to grapevines so that won’t work. Leaves, especially oak leaves, acidify the soil. We do use bark mulch in some of our landscaping but it’s somewhat costly and not always effective in preventing weed growth. The same with landscape fabric. But … newspaper! Yes! We have plenty of old newspaper, it’s free, and someone on Youtube says it works so it MUST be true!

Measuring tape, stakes, and string in hand I carefully survey and mark the weed-free zone. I have to cheat a little on the yard side because six feet would extend too far into the yard, but the other three sides should be fine.

As the newspaper is spread out, I secure the overlapping corners with dozens of melon-sized rocks. (Have I mentioned that we have lots of rocks here?)

It’s a lot of manual labor and the result is not at all pretty. Pretty awful in fact. It looks like . . . well, it looks like about 150 square feet of old newspaper covered with a bunch of randomly placed rocks. Because it’s done, I’ll try it for a while to see how well it works but clearly a more attractive solution is going to be necessary.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

We’ve all made poor choices from time to time. I certainly make more than my share. Sometimes these choices have started me down a path of self-destructive behavior that might continue for some time. Then one day, I wake up and admit to myself that what I’ve been doing is wrong and totally out of character for me. As a person who has given his life to the Lord, my actions have been inappropriate and unwanted. In effect, they are weeds in my Christian life.

At those times I have to do some personal weeding. I bring my error to the Lord and humbly ask for His forgiveness and He always forgives me … His mercies are new every morning.

_1 John 1:19 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness._


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## Aunt Bea (Dec 2, 2021)

Be thankful for your rocky New England soil.

Every rock you see is one less weed to pull.

A stone mulch will warm the soil and still allow moisture to get through.


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## Jackie23 (Dec 2, 2021)

I've just discovered your thread, Tommy, and I have to say it is wonderful!

My late husband was a gardener, he always had a vegetable garden and I have my flowers....gardening is a ongoing learning experience and it does have its challenges ....I try to instill in my children and grandchildren the joys of digging in the dirt and planting. 

Keep up the good work!


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## Tommy (Dec 3, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> Be thankful for your rocky New England soil.
> 
> Every rock you see is one less weed to pull.
> 
> A stone mulch will warm the soil and still allow moisture to get through.


Thank you so much for that, Aunt Bea. You're wise person and a special friend.

My "glass half empty" side is always lurking, waiting for an opportunity to come to the fore.  It's one of those persistent weeds in my life.  Your post is a lovely and most welcome reminder of how very, very much I have to be grateful for.


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## Tommy (Dec 3, 2021)

Jackie23 said:


> I've just discovered your thread, Tommy, and I have to say it is wonderful!
> 
> My late husband was a gardener, he always had a vegetable garden and I have my flowers....gardening is a ongoing learning experience and it does have its challenges ....I try to instill in my children and grandchildren the joys of digging in the dirt and planting.
> 
> Keep up the good work!


Thank you, Jackie 23.  You're very kind.

What a wonderful gift to be giving to your children and grandchildren!


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## Tommy (Dec 9, 2021)

*Planting Grass*

Unlike our former home which had a “lawn”, this one has a “yard” . . . strictly my definitions, mind you.

A *lawn* is demanding and fussy. Evenly green. Smooth and weed free, Neatly trimmed and edged. Raked and thatched. Requires the annual use of chemicals.

A *yard* is low maintenance and comfortable. Possibly green(–ish). Although mostly grass, our yard here also includes clover, moss, violets, and just about anything else that’s green and can be mowed. You can drive your truck on a yard.

Still, the bare earth around our vineyard needs a jump-start.

My first attempt to plant grass took place in mid-April. To say it was a dismal failure would be a HUGE understatement.

The first thing I discovered was that the small birds in our area are particularly partial to tall fescue grass seed. Sparrows, juncos, finches, and assorted other feathered felons were there by the dozen blissfully munching my seed, Those little guys are totally fearless when it comes to food. I could almost step on them before they would grudgingly fly off a short distance, only to return the minute I left the area.

Then too, the spring winds blew the straw mulch around leaving bare patches of dirt everywhere, and the spring rains washed the remaining seed into little pools, resulting in small, dense clumps of seed and large areas of seedless soil. At the end of two weeks (the alleged germination period for the seed), hardly a single blade of grass had emerged.

A month has now passed. Natural food for the birds has begun to appear, and the wind and rain have subsided considerably. It’s time to try again.

Back in April I used a spreader to sow the seed. This time I’ve decided to do it by hand. It seems to me that I can spread it more evenly this way and . . . well, there’s just something satisfying about not using a machine to do the work.

After lightly raking the ground, I spread the seed and my wife follows with a thin layer of straw. I then set up a sweep sprinkler on a timer to water the whole area for 30 minutes each morning.



The birds are back but far fewer of them this time.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I’m hoping for a better result this time around, but if this planting fails then the next time I’ll try a different seed. After that, maybe some starter fertilizer. Then something else. I won’t give up.

I fail in my spiritual life as well . . . just about every day it seems . . . but I never give up. I humbly bring my failures to the Lord and he forgives me, setting me back on my feet to continue trying. He is my strength.

_Proverbs 24:16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes._


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## Jackie23 (Dec 9, 2021)

My yard is a combination of Bermuda and St Augustine grass....the St Augustine is very challenging here....also have patches of different weeds....Maheia being the biggest pest....I used to be more diligent about the lawn....now I'm happy if it's green.


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## Gary O' (Dec 9, 2021)

Tommy said:


> I’m hoping for a better result this time around, but if this planting fails then the next time I’ll try a different seed. After that, maybe some starter fertilizer. Then something else. I won’t give up.


If you know someone that rents an aerator for their lawn care, you might ask them for the plugs.
Great for starting a lawn.
Done it a few times.
Spread the plugs
Run over it all with a golf cart towing something that'll bust up the plugs (like a chunk of wire fence)
Water
Wait


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## Tommy (Dec 10, 2021)

Jackie23 said:


> My yard is a combination of Bermuda and St Augustine grass....the St Augustine is very challenging here....also have patches of different weeds....Maheia being the biggest pest....I used to be more diligent about the lawn....now I'm happy if it's green.


 Yes!  Green is good!

What makes St. Augustine grass challenging for you?

I'm not familiar with Maheia.  What is it?


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## Tommy (Dec 10, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> If you know someone that rents an aerator for their lawn care, you might ask them for the plugs.
> Great for starting a lawn.
> Done it a few times.
> Spread the plugs
> ...


What a great idea, Gary!  Thanks!!!  I'll remember that in the event that I have to have to plant a larger area i the future.


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## Jackie23 (Dec 10, 2021)

Tommy said:


> Yes!  Green is good!
> 
> What makes St. Augustine grass challenging for you?
> 
> I'm not familiar with Maheia.  What is it?


Good Morning Tommy, 
No wonder you didn't know Maheia.....I misspelled it...it is Mahia....tough to mow, dulls blades
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/bahiagrass/
I have a hard time getting St Augustine established mainly because I have too much shade and the harsh Texas heat and drought conditions. Looking back, I'm sure we could of had better luck if we had planted more drought friendly... but at this stage I just go with what I have.


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## Tommy (Dec 16, 2021)

*Bark Mulch*

It’s late May, and I’m grudgingly having to admit to myself that the “newspaper and rocks” mulching scheme isn’t working well at all.

Because of the roughly 8-9% grade of the ground’s surface, it appears that much of the water the vineyard receives simply runs off. The wet newspaper then dries and gets “crispy”, and even light winds cause it to rip from beneath the rocks. I’ve probably spent more time moving rocks and replacing newspaper than I would have if I had just been hand weeding the area.

Unwelcome blades and shoots are also finding ways to come up under, around, and through the newspaper. And on top of everything else, well . . . it’s just plain ugly!!!

“Plan B” is to try bark mulch. At our local Ace hardware store I found Scott’s _Naturescapes_ bark mulch in _Deep Forest Brown_ (who comes up with these names anyway?) for $5 a bag. I need a dozen bags to create a roughly two-inch thick layer of mulch.

Lugging hundreds of pounds of rocks out of the vineyard is no treat and I have to be careful doing it because of my recent hernia repair. (Oh, I may have neglected to mention the hernia I got last fall while moving rocks. Suffice it to say, that isn’t something I want to do again.)

On the other hand, there’s a profound sense of satisfaction in gathering up and disposing of all of the crispy newspaper. An almost vengeful satisfaction.

Spreading the bark mulch was uneventful and the result looks nice.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

$60 for bark mulch and the effort involved in spreading it isn’t really a big deal. Certainly not even close to being a game changer. It’s not in my nature to give up on things, but sometimes a problem can be so difficult or costly to remedy that a person decides to abandon the project entirely.

An event from my past:

In the early 1970s I inherited my grandmother’s car. It was a beautiful, top of the line 1957 Buick Roadmaster that my grandfather had purchased shortly before his death. Having never driven before, my grandmother had to learn to drive and get a driver’s license. She was never comfortable behind the wheel so she rarely drove. The car was in like new condition and had very few miles on the odometer. Through the years it had always been stored in a heated garage and serviced regularly.



I babied that car, but after a couple of years it started burning oil. I learned that the old rubber valve stem seals had deteriorated with age, so I carefully removed the cylinder heads (quite an accomplishment for me) and took them to a local machine shop to be rebuilt.

A few days later the engine developed a bad knocking sound. I took it to the local Buick dealership and, after running up a sizeable bill for the cost of their diagnostic work, was told that the push rods were bent and it would cost another $300+ to fix it. It turns out that the machine shop had used incorrect valve stem seals when they rebuilt the cylinder heads.

At the time my wife and I were young and struggling financially and couldn’t afford to get it fixed. And we desperately needed transportation. When the dealer offered to buy the car for $500 (_less the cost of the diagnostic work, of course_), I felt that I had little choice but to accept the offer.

There have been a few other times when I’ve chosen to give up on something that was dear to me because the physical, emotional or financial cost was more than I was willing or able to pay.

I’m forever in awe of the price our Heavenly Father paid to rescue us.

_John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life._


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## Gary O' (Dec 16, 2021)

Man, I love yer posts, Tommy

They are put together so well, so very well


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## Tommy (Dec 17, 2021)

Thank you so much, Gary.  You've shared so many fascinating accounts with all of us at SF over the years; I'm glad that I can make this small contribution.  I do enjoy writing them.


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## Gary O' (Dec 17, 2021)

Tommy said:


> I do enjoy writing them


I can tell.

That's the fun of it


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## Tommy (Dec 23, 2021)

*Trellis Bracing*

Grape trellises need to be strong.

A quick search of the internet will tell you that the oldest living grapevine in the world may be “The Great Vine” located at the Hampton Court Palace in London, England. It’s said to have been planted in the year 1769 which would make it now 252 years old. This single vine reportedly produces about 600 pounds of grapes each year. Remarkable! They must have a *really* strong trellis.



In my lifetime, each of my vines could maybe … just maybe … produce 25 pounds of grapes … if I’m really lucky. Still, I would like the wires that the vines grow on to be tight and the trellis posts to stay straight.

The usual way to offset the tension on the trellis wires is to anchor the posts into the ground using guy wires from the outside. That, however, would require clearing more weeds and digging more holes into very rocky, maybe even impenetrable, ground. (Have I mentioned that our land has a lot of rocks?) Hmm . . . I have a different plan.

The way I see it, if the wires are trying to pull the posts toward each other, then I’ll just put stout braces between the posts to keep that from happening. I haven’t heard of anyone else doing it this way, but hey . . . it makes sense to me.

After a trip to the lumberyard for materials, I attach pressure treated 2x4s to both the front and back of the posts using 3/8-inch lag screws. I then cut 4x4 corner braces and finally add several 4x4 spacers to keep the long boards from bowing. It LOOKS really strong.



One of the great advantages of being a novice builder is that I don’t know enough to recognize a really dumb idea when I get one. Is this one of those? We’ll see.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

For me, our little vineyard project has involved a lot of physical effort, creativity, frustration, uncertainty, and hope. It’s also been a very satisfying exercise in learning about myself.

I know that, like the grape trellis, I too need additional support in order to live a successful Christian life. Both in good times and in bad, my strength alone can’t keep me from failing. But through God’s grace I have a special source of inner strength that I know will never, ever fail. It is my hope, my strength, and my joy forever.

_Philippians 4:12-13  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength._


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## Tommy (Dec 30, 2021)

*Wire*

It’s now the middle of summer and, to me at least, all of the vines appear to be doing well. This would seem to be a good time for me to install the trellis wires on which the vines grow.

I guess wire has been with us since antiquity. It’s certainly been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember - used for everything from holding up a sagging car muffler to carrying data on the internet - but I’ve never really given it much thought.

Sooo . . . when I learned that grapes should be trained onto 9 or 10 gauge wire I didn’t bat an eye. The handiest source seems to be our local Tractor Supply store which offers 9 gauge wire in 171 foot coils. Although I only need around 50 feet of it for the trellis, it’s inexpensive and I figure I can probably find a use for the rest of it sometime in the future.

I’ll attach it to the posts using 3/8” screw eyes, but wire does stretch and I figure I’ll want a way to adjust the tension. So, back to everyone’s favorite source of limitless “expert advice” … YouTube.

I’ve never heard of a “wire strainer” before, but it’s a ratchet gizmo that stretches wire. My thought is that I’ll use a wire strainer at one end of each wire and a turnbuckle at the other end. That way, I can fine tune the tension using the turnbuckle and - when I eventually run out of threads on the turnbuckle – I’ll back it all the way out again and take up the slack with the ratchet. Great plan, huh?





A couple of days later Tractor Supply sends me an email message saying that my order is ready for pickup. I drive to the store and a young girl wheels out a trolley with my wire on it. A smile, a chipper “Here you go”. Yikes!!!!!!!



Shock! Panic! I’m not exaggerating when I say that the spool of wire weighs well over 100 pounds. That’s definitely more than this oldster is gonna try to lift onto the bed of a pickup truck. With help from the store staff it got loaded. I won’t try to describe unloading it at home, but gravity played a major role and it definitely was NOT pretty.

Nine gauge wire. Watching the folks on YouTube, twisting and winding their wire looked easy. They didn’t exactly SAY it was 9 gauge wire they were using but since they were putting up a grape trellis I just sort of assumed . . . Bad mistake!

Some here might already know this, but I didn’t. Nine gauge wire is the stuff they use to make chain link fencing. It DEFINITELY doesn’t like to bend. It’s absolutely not something regular mortals can just twist with their bare hands. Using bolt cutters, I cut my first two sections and take them into my shop, clamp them in a bench vise, and beat on them with a hammer for about ten minutes until I have something that loosely approximates the needed loops and bends at the ends.

Next, back to the vineyard. I take down the cotton strings that had been placeholders for the wire and start attaching the wire. Attaching it to something simple – like an eye bolt or turnbuckle is challenging but pretty straightforward. Attaching it to the wire strainer? Aaarrrgh!

The wire forms huge inflexible loops. The wire strainer rotates. The wire slips off the spindle. The wire jams on itself. I’m starting to think this was maybe not such a great plan.

Then, after a good half hour of fighting with it, I finally arrive at something that looks like it might hold. A (very) brief moment relief is quickly replaced by the realization that there is yet a second wire to be installed. At least this time I know what to expect.



It’s the end of the afternoon now. The wires are straight, bowstring tight, and look pretty good if I do say so myself.

Anybody want about 100 feet of unused 9 gauge wire?

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Working on our little vineyard has made me aware that experiencing difficult situations in the past has made me better able to persevere when things get challenging. While stringing wires on posts isn’t a big deal, other life challenges can be far more complicated and an attitude of determination can make a huge difference. Moreover, those hard won victories and disappointing defeats have given me a better perspective and appreciation of what is truly important. I’m actually coming to value the difficulties I’ve had to overcome . . . in all aspects of my life.

_Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us._


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## Gary O' (Dec 31, 2021)

Tommy said:


> Anybody want about 100 feet of unused 9 gauge wire?


Sometimes....sometimes @Tommy .....you remind me of me

However, everthing looks mighty good


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## Tommy (Jan 1, 2022)

Thank you Gary ... on both counts.


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## Tommy (Jan 6, 2022)

*Deer

Aesop’s Fable of the Fox and the Grapes

One day a hungry fox spied a beautiful bunch of ripe grapes hanging from a vine on a high trellis. The fox’s mouth watered as he gazed longingly at them.

The bunch hung high overhead and the fox had to jump for it. The first time he jumped he missed it by a long way. He then walked off a short distance and took a running leap at it, only to fall short once more. Again and again he tried, but without success.

Finally he sat down and looked at the grapes in disgust.

“What a fool I am,” he said. “Here I am wearing myself out to get a bunch of sour grapes that are clearly not worth my effort.”

And he walked off scornfully.

Moral: There are those who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach.*

Well, I guess things might have been different in Greece in the 6th century B.C., but today’s foxes don’t normally eat grapes. Deer, on the other hand, do - fruit, leaves, and vines.

To be clear, we do enjoy the deer that share our property with us. Usually in groups of between two and ten, they are a common sight here. Very pretty, graceful animals.



Watching the antics of the spotted fawns never fails to bring a smile. I recall the little one that spent over 15 minutes racing aimlessly around a depression in our yard, only to suddenly stop, curl up under a large cinnamon fern and fall fast sleep. Or the little guy that got tangled in his own gangly legs while crawling through a six-bar gate.



In spite of what the experts say, deer will in fact eat almost anything that catches their fancy. We forgive them for sometimes munching on our landscape plants, but the grapevines . . . well, that’s a whole different matter.

Especially during these early years, browsing by deer could easily cause a serious setback to our vineyard plans.



I’ve had enough experience with deer to know that none of the folk remedies and commercial repellents are very effective. The surest way to keep deer out of a garden is with a fence.

An electric fence has a certain appeal to me. It appears to be relatively easy to install and doesn’t detract from the appearance of the vineyard as much as a solid fence would. Researching electric fences, however, I discover that there’s a potential problem. Electric fences don’t always play nicely with deep snow. Deep snow can insulate the deer from the ground (ground contact is necessary for the current to flow through the animal). The snow can also short out the wires making the fence basically useless.

It seems like a fence that provides a physical barrier will be needed. Thinking about it further, a free-standing frame might actually be possible but it would involve a lot of time and planning, and I’d like something NOW. It looks like my best option at the moment will be driven posts and chicken wire, _but what about those darned rocks . . ._ ?

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

My work on our vineyard has given me some wonderful opportunities for contemplation. Today I’ve been reflecting on the way I look at life’s problems. It seems to me like _the larger a person’s view of their own life is, the smaller any particular problem appears_. While my 73 years in this world have been sufficiently complex, they make up but a small episode in my real life which is eternal.

Thankfully, although I might temporarily agonize over a challenge – whether financial, health, or yes, even deer – it isn’t hard to step back and remind myself that, in the big picture of things, my troubles here are of little real consequence.

_John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”_


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## Gary O' (Jan 6, 2022)

Tommy said:


> It looks like my best option at the moment will be driven posts and chicken wire,


I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it

Not proven by me


My grampa believed in bone meal in little mesh sacks staked in strategic places
I think he believed more in his .30-06


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## horseless carriage (Jan 6, 2022)

In another thread Tommy, I posted a shirt that my wife made for me. Had I seen this thread first I would have put it up here.
Heck, who needs an excuse? Am I a lucky fellow, or what?




> Gary O' said:
> I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
> I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it


Where we live in The New Forest there's some rather narrow lanes, often you will come across a small herd of deer, they just leap, almost from a standing start, straight over high bushes, no problem at all.


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## Gary O' (Jan 6, 2022)

horseless carriage said:


> Where we live in The New Forest there's some rather narrow lanes, often you will come across a small herd of deer, they just leap, almost from a standing start, straight over high bushes, no problem at all.


Yeah, seems deer have springs for legs.

The muleys up at the cabin, migrate.
They head to Christmas Valley in late fall
Come spring, they're back......and thick

The novelty wears off after a summer of them


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## Tommy (Jan 7, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> I've been told, our black tails can jump a six foot fence.....if they want to
> I've also been told if they can't see thru the fence, see to the other side, they won't jump it
> 
> Not proven by me
> ...


I read about a way of creating an optical illusion using just a few wires that's _supposed_ to keep them out.  Something having to do with the way their eyes work.  I'm skeptical.

My wife felt that dog hair might make a good deer repellent.  She tried it on her new holly plants.  The deer weren't amused and ate the hollies anyway.

Your grandpa was right about .30-06 *IF* you can catch them in the act. My choice would be #4 buck, but at this stage I suspect all I'd find would be hoof prints and no vines.


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## Tommy (Jan 7, 2022)

horseless carriage said:


> In another thread Tommy, I posted a shirt that my wife made for me. Had I seen this thread first I would have put it up here.
> Heck, who needs an excuse? Am I a lucky fellow, or what?
> View attachment 202383View attachment 202382
> 
> ...


A lucky fellow indeed!  Great shirt and an interesting selection of wines.  I trust you've made a point of sampling each of them at least once.


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## Gary O' (Jan 7, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Your grandpa was right about .30-06 *IF* you can catch them in the act. My choice would be #4 buck, but at this stage I suspect all I'd find would be hoof prints and no vines.


Yeah, I'd fire off a 12 gauge into the air, just to watch 'em all scatter.
Thing is, they got used to it.
They'd still scatter, but only a few yards.
Then graze/munch their way back to our garden


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## Tommy (Jan 13, 2022)

*The Fence*

In years past, I volunteered as a docent at a local environmental research reserve. As an environmental scientist it was a natural fit for me and I enjoyed being able to share this beautiful and interesting location with our visitors.

One of the many research projects being conducted at that time was a long-term study involving Japanese barberry . . . an invasive plant that can destroy native forests by crowding out the understory flora.

The researcher maintained a number of study plots for different experiments. Around each plot he had erected an eight-foot high fence to keep deer from interfering with the plant growth within. After a very short time, however, he had to add another four feet if wire to the top of the fence because deer were jumping over the original eight-foot high barrier!

Compared to those study plots, our vineyard is tiny. The fenced area will measure only 20 feet by nine feet. Because of the small size and the trellis within, I’m fairly confident that a six-foot fence will keep the deer out. Fairly … confident …

I’m planning to use seven steel t-posts and galvanized chicken wire to build the fence. Because of buried rocks, I have little hope that the fenced area will be exactly rectangular or the posts perfectly straight, but I’m hopeful that it will serve the purpose until I can come up with a better solution.

On my first attempt each post hits rock, but after trying a few nearby locations they all go in far enough to completely bury the anchor plate … all but one. That one is on a corner and it must be directly over a VERY BIG rock. It will need a guy wire to support it.

The chicken wire goes up, er, well . . . the way chicken wire goes up but it’s not too bad. I’m using zip ties to attach the wire to the posts. I’ve come to love zip ties – they’re almost as useful as duct tape.

After a couple of days’ work the posts are all standing at their various angles, the wire is wavy, but at least the fence is up. I’ll consider that to be a small victory.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Until now I had never heard of a “post pounder”. This is an 18 pound steel tube that’s sealed at the top and has handles along each side. To use it, you slide the tube over the top of the post, grasp both handles, raise the tube about a foot, and then “vigorously” slam it down onto the top of the post. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat . . .



Using this tool, I was able to accomplish something that would otherwise have been extremely difficult for me to do. Yes, if I hit a rock, it’s still a rock and I have to reposition the post. It still takes the same amount of kinetic force to move the stake through the soil but the post pounder greatly improves both the efficiency and the ergonomics of the task. So the post pounder doesn’t change what IS, but it does make what IS much easier to master.

Faith can have a similar effect but on a much grander scale. Faith does not alter God’s plan; what WAS and IS and IS TO BE. Rather, through it He enables us to fulfill our roles in that plan.

_Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them._


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## IFortuna (Jan 13, 2022)

Tommy said:


> View attachment 182612


Yum!  I can feel my blood sugar sky rocketing.


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## Tommy (Jan 20, 2022)

*Attack!*

*The Invasion of the Voracious Leaf-Eating Beetles from New Jersey.

******** Suspense ********** Chills ********** Terror ***********

Hehe! No, it probably wouldn’t make much of a horror movie, would it?

Early August 2021. It was inevitable that insects would eventually become an issue in the vineyard, but frankly I didn’t see this one coming. I’ve been more concerned about our many hornets eventually damaging the ripe fruit.

I admit that Japanese beetles are attractive little monsters (as much as a beetle can be attractive) . About a half-inch long, they have a dark, metallic green body with shiny, bronze colored wing covers. The internet says they were first identified in the US in 1916 in Riverton, NJ where they were most likely imported in the soil of nursery plants. Today they are well established in all states east of the Mississippi River except Florida and Louisiana.



The adult beetles eat the leaves of plants, leaving only a skeleton of leaf veins. The larvae (grubs) eat the roots, mostly of grass. At the moment I’m not seeing them in large numbers but if they become well established in the yard they could become a serious problem.



What to do?

I’m reluctant to use a chemical insecticide that might harm other, beneficial insects. It seems that a common approach is to just pick the adults off the leaves by hand and drown them.

After putting a little soapy water into an empty plastic food container, I approach my prey . . .

As I reach for the first one, it flies away. Um, okay. That’s not what happened in the YouTube video .

I try again. This time it’s a group of four beetles blithely enjoying an afternoon snack. I sneak up on them holding the tub of soapy water under the leaf. I swat down on the leaf and one goes into the water while the others fly off.

After a little more research I learn that the time to “pick” beetles in is the early morning when they’re sluggish. I’m not a late sleeper, but this doesn’t strike me as a really great way to start my day.

Eventually, I find that by grabbing them quickly I can get about half and the ones that get away don’t seem to return very quickly. Their season lasts for six to eight weeks and I think I’ll be able to keep the damage to the leaves to an acceptable level.

This works well enough for now, but as the vines get larger it could get pretty labor intensive. I’ll spend some time this winter looking for better control methods.



*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

In days long past, growing crops was, for many, an essential part of life. A poor harvest meant a hungry winter for the family. Insects could be literally life threatening. For most people in the developed world today, home gardening is merely a satisfying diversion, a self-imposed challenge.

Yes, I’m thoroughly enjoying our little foray into the world of viticulture (grape growing) and look forward to many rewarding grape harvests, but how high does it actually rank on my list of “important stuff”? Well, to be honest, not high at all.

That list centers around my service to the Lord, the well-being of my family, my friends, my neighbors, my fellow man.

At any time, the vineyard project could meet with an unfortunate end but the experience, this small interaction with God’s creation, will endure.

_Matthew 6:19-21  Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also_


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## Tommy (Jan 27, 2022)

*Gate*

A fence without a gate isn’t much of a fence. At the moment there’s plenty of good browse for the deer, but winter’s on its way so it’s time for me to complete the job.

An initial thought:

For about eight months of the year having a plain, full-sized gate would be just fine, but in the winter, when the snow piles up and ice is common, opening a full-sized gate could be a challenge.

To help with this problem I’ve decided to make a one-foot high insert to put into the bottom of the gate opening. This is made of painted 1 x 3 pine and stainless steel hardware mesh and is attached to the posts using my new best friends - zip ties. The insert will keep the bottom of the actual gate a foot off the ground to make winter access easier but it can be easily removed when necessary by cutting the zip ties.



The gate itself poses a couple of problems. First, there are the crooked gate posts. I tried … really tried … to keep them straight when ponding them into the ground but the buried rocks still deflected all of them somewhat.

The second issue is the posts themselves. Steel t-posts are fine for attaching fence to but the “T” shape of the post doesn’t work well for other things. Things like . . . hinges.

For each hinge, I’m using a heavy U-bolt with wooden spacers and an eye-bolt. They seem to work alright and the eye bolts are somewhat adjustable . “Adjustable” is a good thing in this case.



*“Never bolt your door with a boiled carrot”**.*

That is said to be an Irish proverb. I read that on the internet so it MUST be true.

My gate latch is just a length of steel chain that loops around the edge of the gate and attaches to a hook on the fence.

It seems to work.

Better than a boiled carrot at any rate.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Although it might not look like much, I did put a fair bit of thought and effort into creating the vineyard gate using the time, energy, and resources available. While working on it, however, I am constantly reminded that there are many things far more important than building a gate.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will give me the wisdom and strength to always do my best in leading a Christian life.

_*2 Timothy 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.*_


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jan 27, 2022)

@Tommy I love gardening and all your posts about your grapes made my day. It also brought back memories of a grape arbor my dad built for me when we first had our house built. 
The photo was taken about a year or two after planting the grapes. We had several varieties on the arbor and it didn't take long for them to cover the whole top. We picked from the inside as well as the outside. He put patio blocks on the inside and we had the kiddie pool in there until the grapes grew over the top. 
I made homemade jelly for years from those plants.


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## Tommy (Jan 28, 2022)

Wow, Ruth n Jersey!!!  That is so very, very great!  It's a beautiful arbor - your dad was really creative and had a good eye for design.

I love the kiddie pool.  Thanks for sharing this.


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## Tommy (Feb 3, 2022)

*Hornworms*

Hawk moths first came onto my radar about 25 years ago when I stumbled upon one beside a coastal trail in Maine. It was an impressive little beast about four inches long with attractive black, brown, and white markings like the one pictured below, known as a _laurel sphinx_.



I had been aware of hornworms long before that encounter because of the tomato worms that would attack our tomato plants every year, but I’d never made the connection. Hornworms are the larvae of many types of hawk moths, including the _five-spotted hawk moth_ (tomato worm) and the _laurel sphinx_ which prefers our lilacs and ash trees. Unfortunately, they also seem to have a taste for grapevines.



The good news:

* At each stage of their life cycle hawk moths have a lot of natural predators . . . birds, reptiles, other insects, and parasites.

* I’ve only seen a few of these green eating machines on our vines to date, and when found they’re easy to deal with. My preferred approach is to just cut them in half with garden shears.

The not-so-good news:

* Hornworms can do a whole lot of damage to plants in just a short time.

* They can be hard to spot. They hide under leaves or on stems and can blend amazingly well with the plant.

What I learned: The internet is loaded with suggestions for getting rid of hornworms. Unfortunately, almost all of these pertain specifically to tomato worms. There seem to be three general approaches:

- remove them by hand
- engage in chemical warfare
- encourage natural predators

I tend to shy away from using chemical pesticides. My first job after college graduation was a two year stint as a research chemist developing herbicides and I have some appreciation for both the benefits and the risks of using such products. That pesky _Law of Unintended Consequences_, y’know.

A related biological approach involves the use of a bacterium called _bacillus thuringiensis_, Bt for short, but its safety and effectiveness in this particular situation appear to be rather doubtful.

Natural predators sound like a good bet … we already have many of them and I might try to increase the numbers of ladybugs and praying mantis to shore up the defenses. Attracting more of our insect-eating birds to the vineyard is also worth a try.

But it looks like physically removing them will still be my first line of defense. Some of the recommendations from the internet are downright silly. “Shake the plant” and “Wash them off with a hose” … they’re kidding, right? These little guys have a firm grip!

Because they feed mostly at night, one person pointed out that they _glow_ under the beam of a black light flashlight. Somehow I just can’t picture myself in the middle of the night snipping hornworms by black light.

For finding them, one thing does work well . . . looking for hornworm droppings. Yeah, I know. GROSS! But because they eat a lot, they also poop a lot. The distinctive black barrel-shaped feces on a leaf are a sure indication that there’s a hornworm nearby.

If I have to be in the vineyard every day picking Japanese beetles anyway, I guess I can just add hornworms to the list of targets.

In the first post in this thread I wrote “Heck, grapes are easy to grow and low maintenance.”

Those words are now starting to haunt me.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I don’t hate hawk moths. They’re not only attractive and interesting insects, they’re also a significant part of the food chain in our little local ecosystem. What I do hate is what the larvae do to our grapevines. Those that are caught in the vineyard will get absolutely no mercy from me.

As Christians, the Bible tells us that the way we respond to the wrongs of our fellow man must be completely different. It can be difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, to forgive someone when they have done something hurtful to us, but that is exactly what the Lord wants us to do. Just … as … He ... has … forgiven … us ….

_Romans 12:21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good._


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## RadishRose (Feb 3, 2022)

Tommy said:


> *Attack!*
> 
> *The Invasion of the Voracious Leaf-Eating Beetles from New Jersey.
> 
> ...


My father used to pay me and a friend money for each Japanese beetle we drowned in kerosene. I don't recall how much, whether pennies or nickles.

He armed us with those short, Skippy peanut butter jars with the metal screw tops and a small amount of kerosene in them.

We'd hold the open jar under a leaf and scrape them in with the lid.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Feb 3, 2022)

@RadishRose my dad did exactly the same thing and I think I used a Skippy jar as well. 
Being a nurseryman his whole life he had what he called, rose fever, which meant he had to have every new variety that Jackson and Perkins rose company ever put out. That was a big rose grower back in the 50s.  
Actually I got pretty exited when he would bring  home a new one.
I'd help him plant and water it. After awhile I knew the names of all the roses.
The climbing rose in this 1952 photo, with me is a shoot he started from a bush type rose. It wasn't suppose to be a climber. Many people suggested that he get a patent on it but he just enjoyed growing them.


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## Tommy (Feb 4, 2022)

RadishRose said:


> My father used to pay me and a friend money for each Japanese beetle we drowned in kerosene. I don't recall how much, whether pennies or nickles.
> 
> He armed us with those short, Skippy peanut butter jars with the metal screw tops and a small amount of kerosene in them.
> 
> We'd hold the open jar under a leaf and scrape them in with the lid.


Nice story, Rose.  I love it!!  Makes me wish our grandchildren lived closer to us. 

If you're in the area sometime during beetle season, you're welcome to stop by . . . y'know, if you want to relive some old memories . . .


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## Tommy (Feb 4, 2022)

What a nice picture, Ruth.  Is that a stuffed bunny you're holding? 

My maternal grandfather also loved roses.  Mostly tea roses, as I recall.  I still remember the smell of "rose powder" in their garage.  It was a pleasant smell.  One that I always associate with their home.


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## Jackie23 (Feb 4, 2022)

I've fought horn worms for years, my method is to throw the fat buggers on the ground and smash'em to bits....they are a pest.
Ruth, I used to order roses from Jackson and Perkins, I wonder if they are still around.....I still have 2 roses living that I planted from them back in the 60s.


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## RadishRose (Feb 4, 2022)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> @RadishRose my dad did exactly the same thing and I think I used a Skippy jar as well.
> Being a nurseryman his whole life he had what he called, rose fever, which meant he had to have every new variety that Jackson and Perkins rose company ever put out. That was a big rose grower back in the 50s.
> Actually I got pretty exited when he would bring  home a new one.
> I'd help him plant and water it. After awhile I knew the names of all the roses.
> The climbing rose in this 1952 photo, with me is a shoot he started from a bush type rose. It wasn't suppose to be a climber. Many people suggested that he get a patent on it but he just enjoyed growing them.  View attachment 206797


@Ruth n Jersey I love that pic of you with the roses! How funny that you hunted beetles too. With a Skippy jar!.

How nice you father was such a gardener. Now, you carry it on.

My mom loved those Skippy jars. They were glass, with measurements on the side and held small leftovers well. With holes punched through the lid, they made a nice home for a few fireflies... a bit of grass in there too.  The jar and fireflies were gone from my bureau in the morning, though.

I must say, that rose bush in your pic is magnificent!


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## RadishRose (Feb 4, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Nice story, Rose.  I love it!!  Makes me wish our grandchildren lived closer to us.
> 
> If you're in the area sometime during beetle season, you're welcome to stop by . . . y'know, if you want to relive some old memories . . .


@Tommy, yes you and Ruth are taking me back!
If I ever get up to NH, I'll be happy to drown a few beetles for you


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## Ruth n Jersey (Feb 4, 2022)

@Jackie23 I gave a quick look and Jackson and Perkins is still selling roses. Boy! are they expensive now.  My dad preferred Floribunda roses over the hybrid tees. They had more flowers but the hybrids made such beautiful arrangements and had nice long stems. 

@Tommy I think it is a stuffed bunny I really don't remember having it though. 

@RadishRose we could have a beetle drowning contest but only if we use a Skippy jar, I had my moms Skippy jar when she moved in with us. Finally the top gave out a few years ago. 
After picking beetles for quite a few years my dad came home with a long carboard tube that attached to, I think, a jar. It held some sort of powder which I'm sure was highly poisonous. He would go down the row of roses and  when you pushed the tube in a big puff of the power would kill the beetles on contact. 
No telling what it was doing to our lungs but people didn't think about that back then.


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## Tommy (Feb 10, 2022)

*Setback*

Late August 2021. Looking back to late April when we were just planting our new vines, in post #30 I wrote:

_“’What is a “growing tube?’ you may well ask. Well, it’s a translucent blue plastic tube that, according to AA Vineyards, protects the young vines, provides an ideal microclimate, and promotes rapid growth by amplifying the beneficial blue light hitting the plant. Hmmm . . . time will tell”_.

The vendor’s instructions say “Shelters should be removed before winter” but from what I can see the plants seem to be doing well and I just have to take a peek at what’s inside those tubes.



*Ack!!!  Double Ack!!!!*



Time has indeed “told”, and the tale isn’t pretty. Weeds and insects seem to have found the tubes to “provide an ideal microclimate” for them too and have left the trunks stripped bare.

At the start, peering down into the tubes I could see lush leaf growth and I do believe at that time they were working as advertised. But, in retrospect, I should probably have removed them a month ago.

The parts of the plants above the tubes appear quite healthy. I’m hopeful they’re healthy enough to prepare the plants to survive the coming winter.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

People in the field of advertising can serve a useful purpose in society. In theory, their task is to increase sales by educating the public about the “Features, Advantages, and Benefits” of the product or service they represent.

Although honest advertisers make a point of not specifically misrepresenting their product, it’s contrary to their interests to point out the negative. It’s up to consumers to do their own evaluation.

I’ve pondered the question, “Do Christians buy into the promises of the Bible without critically evaluating its claims?”

No. It isn’t even a relevant question. The Bible is many things but it is not an advertisement. I’ve known people who have come to give their lives to the Lord via may different paths, but never one who has been “sold” faith solely on the basis of reading the Bible.

The fact is that our own spirit convicts us, God accepts us, and from that point forward the Holy spirit works within us and we can follow with the utmost confidence that He will never let us down.

_Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths._


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## Gary O' (Feb 11, 2022)

Tommy said:


> I did put a fair bit of thought and effort into creating the vineyard gate using the time, energy, and resources available.


And it shows

Nicely done


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## Tommy (Feb 17, 2022)

*Foundations*

A few decades ago (oh how time flies!), my wife and I were shopping for a new home. There was this one that appeared to have everything we wanted and more. A great location, a beautiful large lot, about 3000 square feet, great layout, plus … a gorgeous year round sun room and a balcony off the third floor master bedroom. And we could probably afford it . . . maybe . . .

On further inspection, however, we found worrying cracks in the foundation. It turns out that the cement used in creating the foundation was defective. The cost to remedy that problem would have been totally prohibitive for us. Needless to say, we were disappointed.

The roots and trunk of a grapevine are the plant’s foundation. If they are strong and healthy, the plant can endure serious challenges and still survive. But if they are weak or damaged, the vine won’t produce much and even relatively minor stresses can spell the end of the plant.

I’m told that for this reason, during the early life of a grapevine, the health of these parts of the plant has to be the highest priority. Even if that means slowing the growth of the vine by cutting away more of it than seems reasonable, the strong trunk that results will be well worth the sacrifice.

When, with luck, a grower is able to grow TWO healthy trunks for a single vine the benefit is even greater. Should damage to one side of the plant result in the loss of a season’s grapes, the other side may still be productive.



When I removed the growing tube from our primary Canadice plant, I discovered that it has two trunks! Yay! They are each thinner than those of the more robust Mars vines but when it comes time to prune I’ll try to force myself to do what is necessary to ensure that next summer they’ll both become strong and healthy. In the long run, it should pay off.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Of course, our vineyard is no more than an interesting hobby, but in “real life” the wise person also invests extra time and effort in building “strong foundations”.

When we’re young, putting our best efforts into our academic studies can result in a more satisfying career. The great (and sometimes painful) effort that we put into raising our children is more than repaid if they grow to become respectable adults. Even the care we put into managing our finances can go a long way to ensuring our ongoing lifestyle.

In the scope of eternity, our faith and our obedience to the Lord, although sometimes difficult, are the means by which we build our eternal foundation.

_Matthew 7:24-27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”_


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## Gary O' (Feb 17, 2022)

Man. Tommy, these are great reads
Puts me in the mind of some daily devotional books I've read


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## Tommy (Feb 18, 2022)

Aww gee shucks, Gary.   Thank you!

Our little vineyard project has been exciting in its own little way, but in the beginning I didn't realize how it would bring me closer to my Lord.  That's been a real blessing.  If you or anyone else gets even a little enjoyment from reading my ramblings then I'm twice blessed.


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## Tommy (Feb 24, 2022)

*Fall*

One of my favorite autumn memories comes from the fall of 1975. My wife and I were as poor as church mice, but we were young and healthy and full of life. All good things were possible back then.

It was during the heyday of our brief home winemaking enterprise. Our good friend Beverly had a co-worker who had recently purchased a property that included a sizeable apple orchard. He had neither the time for, nor interest in that year’s crop and told Beverly that she could have all the apples she wanted. Sooo . . .

We loaded the back of her old pickup truck with just about every apple it would hold.



We then took the apples to a local cider mill where they pressed them for us for ten cents a gallon and we ended up with 110 gallons of juice. After splitting it with Beverly and her boyfriend, my wife and I had 55 gallons of glorious apple juice to play with.

We had fun turning most of that juice into a fairly decent apple wine, but with a few gallons I was determined to try my hand at making some authentic, old time APPLE JACK. Today’s commercial products called apple jack are actually distilled in factories, but originally applejack was made by a process called “jacking”. Fermented apple juice is frozen and the ice that forms is removed. This greatly reduces the amount of water and therefore significantly increases the alcohol content in the final product.

Well, over several weeks I froze bowls of fermented juice, carefully ladling out and discarding the resulting ice with a slotted spoon. I anxiously anticipated a few bottles of a tasty and historically authentic high proof beverage.

In the end, if I was to say my applejack “wasn’t very impressive” it would be a gigantic understatement. It was actually pretty darned awful.

It was an interesting experience all the same.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

It’s now early November. Today I looked at the vines in our vineyard. Those plants that were recently lush green and vibrant are now brown and scrawny looking. I’m told that they will come back next summer bigger and more robust than before. That’s probably true, but at this point I’m finding it pretty hard to believe.



I guess I just have to be patient and wait to see what happens. It is a clear reminder to me that anticipation is not at all the same thing as having faith.

_Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”_


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## Gary O' (Feb 25, 2022)

Tommy said:


> I’m told that they will come back next summer bigger and more robust than before.


They will

They surely will


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## Tommy (Mar 3, 2022)

*Winter Mulch*

Like much of New England, New Hampshire is well known for vibrant autumn colors when the leaves begin to turn. The scenery can be stunningly beautiful, but the “color season” is invariably short-lived. By the time November arrives many of the trees have lost all of their leaves and those that remain show only various shades of brown.

Our night time temperatures are dropping below freezing now. It’s time for me to think about getting our vines ready for bed . . . mulching them for the long winter to come.

*What I learned**:*  I had assumed that we mulch plants in the winter to protect them from the cold. It seems I was wrong.

In cold climates, winter mulching of sensitive plants serves several purposes. First and foremost among these is to keep the ground frozen so the plants stay dormant. Otherwise a brief winter warm spell could cause the plants to begin to bud too soon. Subsequent freezing would then cause winter die-off.

From what I’ve read, it seems to me that the colder the local environment, the more varied (and uncertain) are the approaches to winter mulching. Some people simply mound up extra soil around the base of the plants. Around here, I think most people use a thick layer of straw, leaves, or other loose organic material for insulation.

For better or worse, I have a slightly different (and very possibly foolish) plan.

Plain straw or leaves tend to get matted down after a while and lose some of their insulating properties. As it happens, when we bought our current house we inherited a large rubber container full of shredded pine . . . the type that’s commonly used for bedding in horse stalls.

My plan is to fill gallon plastic freezer bags with this material. In theory, the sealed bags will keep the shavings dry and prevent matting. This will enhance the insulating properties of the mulch.

Um … that’s the plan anyway . . .



I’m starting out by putting a thin layer of straw around the base of the plant. I then place the bags of shavings on top of the straw. Finally, I put a good layer of straw over and around the bags and cover the whole thing with burlap.



The end result “looks” impressive to me but looks don’t count for much. Once we have a thick layer of snow on the ground, I hope it will provide good insulation to keep the vines asleep until spring arrives.



*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

There doesn’t seem to be any really certain way to mulch grapevines for a harsh New Hampshire winter. There are just too many unknowns. I really don’t know what to expect when spring returns.

I’ll just have to wait and see. I’m okay with that.

Even thinking about my eternal life, I realize that sometimes there has to be room left for surprises.

_“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived” —
the things God has prepared for those who love him —“ 1 Corinthians 2:9_


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## Gary O' (Mar 3, 2022)

Tommy said:


> “What no eye has seen,
> what no ear has heard,
> and what no human mind has conceived” —
> the things God has prepared for those who love him —“ 1 Corinthians 2:9


One of my very favorite verses


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## Tommy (Mar 10, 2022)

*Snow in the Vineyard*

The winter’s first snowfall is late this year, arriving just three days before the winter solstice.  Watching these big flakes filling the air brings to mind a poem I learned in grade school.

_Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep._

I think Robert Frost was probably thinking about just such a New Hampshire night as this when he wrote _Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening_ in 1922.

There’s always something almost magical about the first real snowfall of the year. Whether its arrival is calm and gentle or windy and dramatic, the event transforms the drab late autumn landscape into a glistening white wonderland.

Tonight the vineyard is peaceful and the woods and rock walls are absolutely lovely . . . as the snow gently fills the woods.



Nature has a way of constantly reminding me of my many, many blessings.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

What did I ever do to deserve this amazing world? The answer, of course, is that I don’t deserve it at all. God’s creation is His gift - freely given to all of mankind. A gift of love. How we view it and show our appreciation for it is up to us.

_Psalm 8:3-5 “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the Stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? and the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and majesty!”_


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## Tommy (Mar 17, 2022)

*Winter*

There’s a special charm to winter. Winter scenery has its own unique beauty. It’s a time when things like old movies, crackling fires, thick soups, and freshly baked bread come into their own. Life slows down. Winter is a good time for rest and reflection.



Of course it has its down side, too.

January this year has been a bit harsh by New Hampshire standards. The temperature when I woke up this morning was -15 F and we’ve had many other nights when it’s dropped below zero or into the single digits.

I’m a little concerned for the survival of our vines but not overly so. The varieties we planted are supposed to be able to survive winter temperatures as low as 15 to 20 below zero.

At the moment there is a good foot of snow on the vineyard which is providing some insulation. The secondary vines that are in the garage could fare better as our garage is normally a few degrees warmer than the outside temperature.

We made our preparations. At this point we can only wait and see.

Still, what if some of the vines don’t survive? It’s an interesting question to ponder.

Certainly, if one or both of the primary plants is lost I’ll replace them with the understudies – assuming that they survive. But if three or all four of the plants were to die . . . ?



I could possibly try to find a variety that is even more cold hardy. But because of the delay in obtaining quality grapevines, those wouldn’t be available to plant until the spring of 2023. That would mean we wouldn’t see any fruit until fall of 2026 at the earliest. We’re not getting any younger. Would it even be worth the effort?

On the other hand . . . there are some pretty climbing roses that grow wild on our land. Maybe we’d just transplant a few of those and change the name from "The Vineyard" to "The “Rose Garden”.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

_*"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." (Nelson Henderson)*_

For many years I’ve believed this quote to be about leaving legacies – tangible or intangible; great or small. I still think that’s likely what Mr. Henderson had in mind when he penned that line, but over the years I’ve come to question its actual significance.

Although the phrase “the true meaning of life” as used here is clearly literary hyperbole, it is human nature to want to do things that “leave a mark” on our world.

Build a business or a notable structure. Invent something useful. Create artwork. Instill values in our children. Do something that will inspire future generations . . . or plant a few humble grapevines.

The unfortunate truth is, however, that legacies rarely last. Most often the “tree” we plant today will, in a relatively short time, be ripped out by a future owner of the land to make room for a swimming pool.

Our structures will decay, our businesses will collapse, our artwork will be cast aside, our values rejected, our ideals perverted by those who re-write history.

Ultimately there has only ever been one person whose legacy will endure forever.

_1 Peter 1:3-5  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time._


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## Tommy (Mar 24, 2022)

Creative Musing

The calendar might say it’s nearly spring, but a quick walk to the mailbox tells a different story. While waiting out these last few weeks of winter, this is a good time for a bit of . . . well . . . _constructive daydreaming_ for want of a better term.

In theory, our vineyard won’t begin producing grapes until about 18 months from now but it’s never too early to be thinking ahead. What are we going to DO with all of those dozens of pounds of grapes that we harvest?

Haha. Hey, if I’m gonna daydream I might as well daydream BIG!! Y’know . . . ?

Naturally, since we’ll have far more than we can eat fresh ourselves, the obvious first thing to do will be to share them with our friends. That’s what we do around here. Our neighbor next door in particular always shares blueberries from her bushes with us and it will be nice to be able to return the favor.

Then, within reason, my wife will put up jars of jams and preserves that we can both use ourselves and give as gifts, but there are other options as well.

Frozen grapes. This was a favorite of my uncle Bob. Always conscious of his weight, he would keep a supply of frozen grapes on hand for a light, low calorie snack. They’re really good! As ours will be seedless they should work well for this and, according to the internet, grapes can be kept in the freezer for a year.

Raisins. My wife wants to try her hand at making her own raisins. The process sounds pretty straightforward. I don’t know what their shelf life might be but we should be able to make them in small batches as we need them using grapes from the freezer.

Still, I’ve been searching for other, more creative dishes that grapes can be used in as well. We did a little experimenting in this area over the past few months. One really good dish we found was “Apple & Grape Pie Baked Oatmeal”. Paired with a cup of Greek yogurt is makes a really tasty and nutritionally balanced breakfast. I’ll post the recipe here if anyone’s interested.



Another dish we tried was “Grape & Chicken Stir Fry”. We’ve been looking for a good savory grape dish. This one was, hmmm . . . well, not exciting. Buried in white rice we found it to be pretty bland. Still, with my wife’s cookery skills it could be a starting point for something more interesting.



If anyone reading this has a suggestion for a good grape dish, I’d really love to hear about it.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I’ll readily admit that I’m not much of a cook and am blessed to have a wife who is very talented in that area. Most of my cooking knowledge has been picked up from the sidelines. I do know that recipes can require the use of many ingredients, tools, and techniques if the dish is to be a success.

The Bible gives us a recipe of sorts for the primary characteristic that distinguishes those who follow Christ. That characteristic is Love.

Although I know all of the ingredients, I’m still not very good at using them. At any time I can look back and see times during the past few days when I’ve failed. But unlike in the kitchen, I don’t have the option of stepping aside and letting someone more talented do it for me.

This one’s all on me, so I’ll keep trying.

_1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres._


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## Aunt Bea (Mar 24, 2022)

Another version of grape pie from Naples, New York.

I've never made one, but I have purchased a few from roadside stands over the years.

https://homeinthefingerlakes.com/concord-grape-pie/


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## Gary O' (Mar 24, 2022)

Tommy said:


> What are we going to DO with all of those dozens of pounds of grapes that we harvest?
> 
> Haha. Hey, if I’m gonna daydream I might as well daydream BIG!! Y’know . . . ?


If your grapes are anything like what we had at a previous place, you can count on many pounds of grapes.

Ours were just concord ("table grapes"), but they went nuts
Vines running amok
Just from a few starts

We ate our fill, made jams/jellies
Gave baskets full to neighbors

Hope to be able to do that again in a few years

Love reading your posts @Tommy 
They're always so complete


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## Tommy (Mar 26, 2022)

Aunt Bea said:


> Another version of grape pie from Naples, New York.
> 
> I've never made one, but I have purchased a few from roadside stands over the years.
> 
> https://homeinthefingerlakes.com/concord-grape-pie/


That looks sooooo good, Aunt Bea!  Thank you for the recipe!! 

I've read that our _Mars_ grapes will have a flavor very similar to Concords. We'll definitely try this recipe the next time we find Concord grapes at the grocery store.


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## Tommy (Mar 26, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> If your grapes are anything like what we had at a previous place, you can count on many pounds of grapes.


Thanks for the encouragement, Gary!  We certainly would like that to be the case.  Central New Hampshire is hardly the best place to be trying to grow grapes, but we're hopeful and it has been enjoyable.

At current market prices, I estimate that it will take about 400 pounds of grapes to break even on this project!


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## Tommy (Mar 31, 2022)

*Pruning*

A couple inches of new snow fell last night. It was a feeble attempt as most of it has already melted by mid-morning. Winter is starting to lose its grip on us.

The time has come to prune our grapevines.

I’ve been looking forward to this moment with both excitement and, I admit, a little trepidation since last fall. I think I know what needs to be done.

At this point, the plants should have had time to establish sound root systems and have gotten a start on what will become their permanent trunks.

This second season will see the trunks grow taller and thicker, hopefully to the point where they can be tied to the upper wire. That’s their final destination.

This year we’ll also see some “lateral shoots” growing from buds on the sides of the trunks. Some of these will be tied to the wires and a year from now will be called “fruiting canes”. The following year, they in turn will produce their own shoots on which our first grapes will grow.

At least that’s the theory. 

_Mars_ #1, the vine on the right, is the most robust plant so I’m pruning it first. To be honest, it isn’t as painful as I had imagined it would be. I think the intervening winter and the miserable appearance of the dormant plants has softened the blow.



After cutting off all of side shoots, one more quick snip the vine is now just a single stick reaching to about five inches above the lower wire. I’m happy to see a good number of healthy looking buds on the remaining trunk. This year, one strong lateral shoot reaching to the top wire will be trained to form the rest of the trunk. Other lateral shoots will be tied to the wires to become next year’s fruiting canes.



I’m less confident about _Canadice_ #1, the vine on the left. I was pleased when I found that it was producing two trunks, but it’s clear that they’re both too thin. Noticeably smaller than “the diameter of a pencil” which seems to be the standard for a one year old trunk.



I decide to leave only the strongest of the two and prune it to about one inch below the lower wire. My hope is that one of the remaining buds will form a good strong shoot that can become the permanent trunk.



Soooo . . . for better or worse, the first pruning is complete.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Because I’m new to this, my pruning was necessarily done with a lot of uncertainty. An experienced grower would be more confident. But when our Heavenly Father “prunes” His children, He knows exactly what he’s doing. Understanding that, even my most difficult circumstances become blessings.

_John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”_


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## Tommy (Apr 21, 2022)

*The Morning After*

College days. College parties. And those memorable mornings after. An apartment littered with dirty dishes, empty cans, overflowing ashtrays, broken furniture, and the occasional left over celebrant from the previous evening.

Walking around our land this morning has a definite “morning after” sort of feel.

Tree branches broken by the wind and heavy snow, deer-browsed landscape plants, and dirt-covered piles of snow make for a less than pretty picture. And then, there’s . . .



The eastern meadow vole is a cute little critter closely related to hamsters.

It has an important role to play in our little ecosystem. Its job is to produce lots and lots of offspring . . . and then to be eaten. It’s a major player in the local food chain. Our owls, hawks, foxes, weasels, and other larger carnivorous beasties rely heavily on voles as a food source.

Meadow voles are strict vegetarians, They feed on grasses, bulbs, and bark. *Including the bark of grape vines!* I’m hopeful that those little hardware mesh screens around our vines will be sufficient to deter them.

Voles are active all year and spend most of their lives above ground. During our snowy winter months they “tunnel” in between the grass and the snow. As the snow melts, the mess left by their trails becomes visible.



Winter’s damage is an inherent part of living in a wild place such as this. Most things can be remedied, at least to some extent, but the cycle will continue to be repeated winter after winter. Ultimately we can only learn to cope. To coexist.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

Several years ago a friend of mine lost most of his hearing. Not over time, not due to an illness or injury, but it happened in an instant . . . one minute his hearing was fine, then it was gone. Doctors have not been able to explain why.

I think it’s human nature for us to want to think of ourselves as strong, intelligent, and capable to some extent, but sooner or later troubles ultimately find a way of overtaking us. In reality, we’re all rather “breakable” beings – physically, mentally, emotionally, socially . . . .

Sometimes our problems can be mended. Sometimes they can’t. It can be comforting to know that the same God that made us and sustains us also has a ultimate plan for us. His love never fails.

_Romans 8:28  "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."_


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## Gary O' (Apr 21, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Sometimes our problems can be mended. Sometimes they can’t. It can be comforting to know that the same God that made us and sustains us also has a ultimate plan for us. His love never fails.
> 
> _Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."_


Amen


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## Tommy (Apr 28, 2022)

*Removing Winter Mulch*

It’s mid-April. The Spring of 2022 is still in its infancy but I sense that the danger of a serious freeze might now be past for this year. Meteorology, like all science, is inexact and, like all science, the further one moves from the general to the specific in terms of time and space, the less reliable it becomes. We could still get a ‘killing frost”, even well into May, but . . .

The growing season for grapes in this area is absurdly short. A decision has to be made. It’s time for me to unwrap our vines.



Although the straw I used in the mulch has lost a bit of its loft, it isn’t nearly as matted as I thought it might be.



The wood shavings in plastic bags held up wonderfully! They are just as fresh and fluffy as when they were when I placed them there last fall. I should be able to store them just as they are and use them again next year.



As for the vines themselves, I can see no change. They’re still bare, doubtful sticks with no sign of swelling where the buds will appear. Hopefully that will change within the next few weeks.



Time for more watching and waiting . . .

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

In spite of its current bleak aspect, our little vineyard is a place of contemplation and clarity for me. In a way, I liken it to a snug, protected harbor on the rocky New England seacoast. For a short time I can be shielded there from the tumult of daily life.

As springtime slowly creeps over central New Hampshire, I marvel at the sheer scope and complexity of creation. The hand of the Creator can be seen everywhere.

My faith is an awesome gift given in love and received with gratitude.  A gift of which I am totally unworthy.  It is truly a source of “ínexpressible and glorious joy”.

_1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls._


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## Tommy (May 26, 2022)

*Bud Break*

In the shotgun sports of skeet and trap shooting, the interval between the release of the clay target and the time it is broken by the shooter’s shot is but a fraction of a second. That’s fast!



If a letter gets delivered by the post office the day after it’s mailed, that too is fast! If it takes a week, that’s slow.

A two week vacation can go by amazingly quickly, while a two week illness can seem to drag on forever.

Our perception of time is relative.

For this past month I’ve been trying to “think” leaves onto our grapevines. Staring at naked sticks, the time has fairly crawled while I’ve waited to find out whether or not the plants survived the fairly harsh winter. Then today . . .



Yes!!! Nearly two weeks into May, leaf buds are beginning to open on all four of the vines. The two Mars variety plants look the best. The more delicate Canadice vines less so, but at least I know that the roots survived.

The buds of a grapevine are unusual in that each contains three areas with the potential to grow shoots – one primary bud and two backups. If the primary bud is damaged, one of the other two can still produce a new shoot. With luck, there may still be more to come.


(Canadice #1.  Hard to see, but a handful of buds have opened near the bottom.)

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

The word “patience" can be defined as the quality of bearing pains or trials calmly and without complaint. It implies suffering, enduring, or waiting _as a determination of the will_ and not simply under necessity.

Regarding our grapevines, I have failed dismally in the area of patience.

At my age, I live daily with the knowledge that I’m getting closer to the end of my time on this earth. Although I’m certainly in no hurry to die, I find that do look forward with hope and some excitement to moving into the next, eternal, perfect stage of my existence.

I pray that I will be able to live out my days in obedience to Almighty God, and that I’ll be able to master true patience until the time when “He comes again or calls me home”.

*2 Peter 3:8-9* But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.


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## JonSR77 (May 26, 2022)

Tommy said:


> *The Fence*
> 
> In years past, I volunteered as a docent at a local environmental research reserve. As an environmental scientist it was a natural fit for me and I enjoyed being able to share this beautiful and interesting location with our visitors.
> 
> ...



That kind of tool is extremely effective...but, you are scientist, you know the deal....fulcrum and all that. That kind of work is a big strain on the lower back. I have herniated disks on L4 and L5. One of the reasons they failed, was from chopping wood...weight at distance, brought down with speed. So, you know, just be careful there...

very much like the Ephesians quote.   God Bless You and your work!


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## Tommy (May 27, 2022)

JonSR77 said:


> That kind of tool is extremely effective...but, you are scientist, you know the deal....fulcrum and all that. That kind of work is a big strain on the lower back. I have herniated disks on L4 and L5. One of the reasons they failed, was from chopping wood...weight at distance, brought down with speed. So, you know, just be careful there...
> 
> very much like the Ephesians quote.   God Bless You and your work!


Thank you, Jon.  Sorry to hear about your back.  Does it give you much trouble?

I do try to be careful but my good intentions aren't always reflected in actual practice. 

In this case, with the post pounder I found that I could do most of the work with my leg, arm, and chest muscles.  The tool is heavy enough to provide a good part of the vertical force.   I have, however, done many other ill-considered things in the past.  I'm living proof that being knowledgeable doesn't always equate with making wise decisions. 

Under other circumstances I would have preferred to hire someone with a post hole drill to drill the holes and then I'd have installed p/t wooden posts.  On our land, however, post hole drills wouldn't likely work due to the buried BIG rocks.  

Yes  ... all of Ephesians 2 is a source of great encouragement and joy for me.


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## JonSR77 (May 28, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Thank you, Jon.  Sorry to hear about your back.  Does it give you much trouble?
> 
> I do try to be careful but my good intentions aren't always reflected in actual practice.
> 
> ...



well, yes, I have back problems.  Typical L4 and L5 issues...generally...and then I am post a few car accidents...


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## Tommy (Jun 5, 2022)

*Feeding Time*

We know that, like all living things, plants need the right kinds and amounts of chemicals in their diets to grow and reproduce. Farmers and most home gardeners use commercial or natural fertilizers to provide those chemicals that may be lacking in the soil.

But WHAT chemicals and HOW MUCH of each?



*What I learned:* The three chemicals that plants need in the greatest amounts are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Containers of commercial mixed fertilizer are usually marked with three numbers, maybe something like 16-4-8, but what do those numbers mean? They are simply the percent (by weight) of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium found in that particular fertilizer.

How do our grapevines use these chemicals?

A catchy (although not strictly scientific) rule of thumb is to use the phrase “Up, Down, and All Around”.

Nitrogen helps to promote lots of green leafy stuff, the most visible part of most plants, hence the term “Up”.

Phosphorus helps our vines to develop strong, efficient roots. Although healthy roots are very important, they’re below ground and out of sight. Therefore the term “Down”.

Finally, potassium is critical to a vine’s overall health. Among other things , it’s vital to plant respiration and the movement of water and nutrients throughout the plant. Potassium affects the plant “All Around”.

Last fall I sent samples of our vineyard’s soil to the UNH Cooperative Extension Service for analysis. According to their report the soil in my vineyard contains plenty of phosphorus but it could use more nitrogen and potassium. How much? They recommend two ounces of calcium nitrate and four ounces of potassium sulfate per vine.

So off to Amazon for chemicals.



Okay . . .

Kitchen scale – check!
Paper cups – check!
Extra soil – check!
Mixing tub – check!
Watering can – check!

I think I’m ready to go. I ‘ll apply half of the recommended chemicals today and the other half in about a month.

I weigh the chemicals into paper cups and put about a gallon of soil into the tub.



Mix the whole thing really well and sprinkle the mixture around the base of one of the vines. Then repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Finally I water everything well.

I think I can almost hear the vines whispering “thank you, thank you”.



You’re entirely welcome. 

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

As I’m busy feeding my grapevines, it occurs to me that this concept of “Up, down, and all around” applies to my faith life as well.

*Up:* The way I conduct my day-to-day life. This in the “me” that others see. It’s the “visible me”. My living witness for my Lord Jesus.

_John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”_

*Down:* Studying scripture helps to strengthen my spiritual foundation. The “roots” of my faith.

_2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work._

*All Around:* Constant prayer touches every aspect of my faith. Prayer of worship. Prayer of joy. Prayer of praise. Prayer of repentance. Prayer of supplication. Prayer of thanksgiving. The list is endless.

I can and do talk with Almighty God whenever I want to. And He listens. I find that to be very humbling . . . and totally wonderful.

_Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus._


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## Gary O' (Jun 5, 2022)

Amen


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## bowmore (Jun 5, 2022)

I admire all your efforts, and wish you a bountiful harvest. Right now I have mixed feelings. For the past years in my tiny plot of ground, I have planted 4 one gallon tomato plants and enjoyed the full ripened taste of them. This year will be different, as we have moved to an apartment. I have a planter with chives and thyme, but that pales in comparison to our last place.


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## Tommy (Jun 7, 2022)

bowmore said:


> I admire all your efforts, and wish you a bountiful harvest. Right now I have mixed feelings. For the past years in my tiny plot of ground, I have planted 4 one gallon tomato plants and enjoyed the full ripened taste of them. This year will be different, as we have moved to an apartment. I have a planter with chives and thyme, but that pales in comparison to our last place.


Thank you, bowmore.  It will be at least another year before we can expect to get any fruit from these vines but we're okay with that.  For me, it isn't really about the scope of the project or the fruit we might eventually get.  Rather it's about the challenge and the chance to interact with God's creation.

During the last few years of my working life I had very little opportunity to do this sort of thing.  One day, during an event at the school where my wife taught, I picked up a tiny jade plant for the princely sum of $1.  It had a total of three leaves.  I put it in a small pot on the window sill in my office and nurtured it along as best as I could. Today that plant is about two feet across and lives in a window near our breakfast table. It's still a daily source of joy for me.



I wish you success and, even more importantly, much enjoyment from your chive and thyme plants. Post a picture if you get a chance.


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## RadishRose (Jun 7, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Thank you, bowmore.  It will be at least another year before we can expect to get any fruit from these vines but we're okay with that.  For me, it isn't really about the scope of the project or the fruit we might eventually get.  Rather it's about the challenge and the chance to interact with God's creation.
> 
> During the last few years of my working life I had very little opportunity to do this sort of thing.  One day, during an event at the school where my wife taught, I picked up a tiny jade plant for the princely sum of $1.  It had a total of three leaves.  I put it in a small pot on the window sill in my office and nurtured it along as best as I could. Today that plant is about two feet across and lives in a window near our breakfast table. It's still a daily source of joy for me.
> 
> ...


Oh my goodness @Tommy, that Jade looks just like one I had many years ago...even the same window! Got such a feeling when I saw that, but those days are gone.

Mine wasn't tiny like yours to start, but small anyway. My son  named it "Quan Tahn" when he was little, LOL.

Once, I made the mistake of putting it outside for a short while (full sun).. the leaves sunburned, but it recovered.

Finally, this very old plant perhaps needing more nutrients fell victim to a pest; these little white fluffy flea-like things. I think they were mealy bugs.

I was young and stupid and instead of asking at the nursery, I bought the wrong poison and killed Quan Tahn!

Thanks for listening.


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## Tommy (Jun 8, 2022)

I'm glad the picture brought some memories @Radish Rose.  I enjoyed hearing about Quan Than! 

Thanks YOU for your response.


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## Tommy (Jun 18, 2022)

*Mole*

_“As he hurried along, eagerly anticipating the moment when he would be at home again among the things he knew and liked, the Mole saw clearly that he was an animal of tilled field and hedgerow, linked to the ploughed furrow, the frequented pasture, the lane of evening lingerings, the cultivated garden-plot.”

Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows_




This was NOT really what I wanted to find. I’ve begun seeing what appear to be mole tunnels in our vineyard.





It isn’t a surprise; we’ve had moles throughout our yard since we moved here, but still . . .

My first response (after stomping down the raised tunnels) was to do a little research on the furry intruders.

*What I learned:* It turns out that moles are pretty interesting little critters. They’re not rodents, as commonly believed, but rather are closely related to shrews and hedgehogs.



Aside from popping out once a year to find a mate, they’re very solitary animals and pretty much spend their entire lives underground. Their unique anatomy allows them to thrive in the low-oxygen environment of their tunnels and borrows.

Moles have very poor vision but a keen sense of smell. They’re one of the few animals that can smell in “stereo”.

They have an extra thumb on each of their front paws to allow them to dig. Six fingers on each hand! (I once knew this girl … oh, never mind). Their fur is short, soft, and doesn’t lie in any particular direction. This makes it easier for them to go both forward and backward in their tunnels.

And they don’t eat plant material, just worms, grubs, and insects. That’s GOOD news! If my vineyard mole will eat the larvae of Japanese beetles and the like, then I guess I can forgive it for munching down a few beneficial earthworms.

The one downside as I see it is that VOLES (which ARE rodents and DO eat plants and roots) often use the tunnels of moles to get around underground. Maybe I need to post some “NO VOLES” signs around the vineyard.  

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

When I first realized that a mole had moved into our vineyard, I was really quite put out. I mean, how dare this destructive little “rat” presume to threaten our vines! It was only after I learned more about the animal that I came to appreciate its virtues.

This event started me thinking of various people I've encountered in my past. People who, I’m ashamed to say, I looked down on (or looked past) as being … well … lowly and just not worth my attention. Instead I was more often drawn to those who were well educated, sophisticated, attractive, well off, powerful … the “pretty people”.

With advancing age, I’ve finally come to realize how truly superficial and downright trivial appearance and sophistication are; that the world’s idea of education is grossly overrated; that wealth and power are totally meaningless unless they are used for good purposes.

How many opportunities have I missed to share time with some truly wonderful and worthwhile people because of my own ignorance and vanity? Opportunities to do good. Opportunities to grow and gain real wisdom.

_1 Corinthians 1:27-29  "But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence."_


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## Tommy (Oct 26, 2022)

*Update*

_“Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to, while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway.” - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit_

We had a very nice summer here in the lakes and mountains region of New Hampshire. More blue sky than clouds, daytime temperatures in the 70s to mid-80s with cool, comfortable nights, and just the right amounts of rain at just the right times.

The vines in our little vineyard were gorgeous (at least to me). They grew like crazy, more than making up for their seemingly slow start last year.





Other than a little bit of weeding and picking off a lot of Japanese beetles, there hasn’t been much for me to do for the vines. Now the days have become cool; the nights frosty. In a couple of weeks, I’ll add their winter mulch and put them to bed until spring returns.

*The “understudies”.* You might recall that when I ordered these vines two years ago I also ordered a duplicate of each to serve as backup in the event that either of the primary vines did not survive. These were planted in 5-gallon buckets in the corners of the vineyard.

Somewhat to my surprise, those two vines also survived the winter. When it became clear that the primary vines were doing well, I gave those “understudies” to my neighbor, Andy, to plant in his garden. Although they were a bit on the small side, once he planted them in the ground, they too began to grow and thrive.

One day in August I was visiting with him and he took me out to show me his grapes!! Yes, just a few, but one of his plants was actually producing fruit!! Now, in theory, vines are only supposed to produce grapes on two year old shoots. Hehe, it seems that this particular plant didn’t get the memo.

*Some wisdom from the vineyard.*

I am absolutely delighted that Andy’s vine has produced fruit! It must be encouraging to him, as it is to me as well. *That* is the way things are supposed to work. The successes of others encourage us and, in turn, our successes encourage others.

On a much grander level, if we live in the Lord and He in us, then through His power we will be able to produce fruit as well . . . fruit of a different and better kind. The fruit of the Holy Spirit. When we produce these kinds of fruit we please the Lord and we encourage our brothers and sisters as well.

_Galatians 5:22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."_


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## Gary O' (Oct 26, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Galatians 5:22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."


Great and timely text for me to read...and reread.....and reread.

Thank you for this, my brother

Grape vines look great!


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