Grape Field Day On Tap

Posted by Christina Herrick|July 17, 2012

Juice and wine grapes will be the talk of a day-long seminar at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center’s (SWMREC) 23rd annual Viticulture Field Day on July 25.

The event, sponsored by the Michigan Grape Society and Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, includes various workshops on subjects such as trellis construction, fungicide timing, and cost-saving machinery. Sessions, in both the morning and afternoon, will be led by MSU AgBioResearch scientists Tom Zabadal, Bernard Zandstra, David Francis, Annemiek Schilder, Rufus Isaacs, and Paolo Sabbatini, and viticulture experts Dan Nitz, Jenny Wells, Diane Brown, Glenn Davis, and Michigan Grape Society directors Steve Tomac, Coleman Hunt, and Mike deSchaaf.

Due to the lack of rain in many areas in Michigan, organizers have added a special workshop on low-cost irrigation of newly planted vineyards. This hour-long session will begin at 8 a.m. Registration is required by emailing Diane Dings at [email protected] or calling 269-944-1477, ext. 203.

Equipment demonstrations will take place at 1:15 p.m. The day will conclude with a Lake Michigan Shore Wine Showcase at 4:45 p.m., followed by a steak cookout at 5:15.

The cost for the field day, which includes a Michigan Grape Society membership, is $45. The fee for current society members is $25. The public is invited to attend.