Rain, Rain, Go Away come again some other day

What happened to the drought of 2016? Certainly no worries about water table levels at this point, as we haven’t seen Lake Ontario at these heights for many years.

More importantly and of immediate concern is how difficult it is to get onto the vineyards to dehill the canes from their winter soil beds, especially since bud development is being excelerated with the rain and warmth.

We were a bit behind this year because I had to be away for a week of work with the Canadian University of Dubai, and Pete, our stalwart tractor guy, is on a medical leave for a while.

Dave was able to help a bit but is pretty busy producing new beer for his “Strange Brew” brewery.

So virtually, the moment I got back, and knowing ark inspiring rain was coming, I started dehilling the King Eddie vineyard, because its the most clay rich of the three vineyards, making it the most slick after even a little rain.

I did a rough job of knocking down the hills over the weekend while Vida staffed the store, but needed our new vineyard employees to actually finish the job of pulling the canes above the soil.

They worked in mucky conditions, with twenty-pound clay globs on their boots, Monday morning, through drizzle and showers, managing to finish rescuing the last canes just as the deluge descended. Hurray!

We have today and tomorrow to unearth the remainder of the Apple House vineyard (half done) and all of Velo before we get swamped again.

The Brighton Gravelly sand in those two vineyards drains brilliantly and should permit us to get the tractor pulling back soil starting this morning. Whereas it will be the middle of next week before we can get equipment back to King Eddie.