Blogs

March, 2023

From the Ground Up

In our last newsletter, we expressed our hopes for a nice wet winter. Well, we had one day with six inches of rain, and a couple of weeks later, one day with five inches, which made conditions challenging. All the rivers and creeks and dams filled and were tested. I think most people fared pretty well. all things considered. We are still hoping for more but not all in one day!

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February, 2023

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

There is a guy at mass who prays for rain all year round. After we received six inches of rain in one day, I am thinking I should ask him to stop for a while!

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January, 2023

From the Ground Up

What is it like to have a business where every year in January, you start over? It’s called growing grapes.

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December, 2022

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

The days go slow but the years go fast. I just completed my fiftieth harvest in Santa Barbara County.

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November, 2022

From the Ground Up

From a quality standpoint, harvest was very good but a few varieties were low in yield. Megan has her hands full with the new vintage and the new wines are progressing well.

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October, 2022

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

Difficulties can definitely arise from something that you have no control of, a constant issue with my life in farming

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September, 2022

From the Ground Up

I thought I left the heat behind 50 years ago when I moved from Delano in the San Joaquin Valley to Santa Maria. We are right in the middle of a major heat wave, which can be detrimental to grapes.

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August, 2022

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

August is here and we are within five weeks of harvest. The vineyards are starting to show signs of maturity.

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July, 2022

From the Ground Up

The crop this year looks to be normal in size. What is normal anyway?

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June, 2022

Toccata - A Little Bit of Dust from the Dirtman

It is bloom time, which means that the vines flower and the berry emerges. We need decent weather to make this happen and what we have had is close enough.

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