Here are a couple pictures of our vineyard. I love the way it sits on a hill over looking Dry Creek in Modesto. Unfortunatly I didn't get to go on a day we were harvesting. There are a few worthwhile, labor intensive steps we take to help us get plump, sweet grapes.

Vines that are full of bunches of grapes need to be thinned to allow the best bunches of grapes to get more nutrients and grow large. When growing table-grapes, it is better to have too few than too many bunches.

As the grapes are starting to ripen, pull off the leaves surrounding the bunches so the sun can shine through onto them, which will increase their sugar content and bring full color to the grapes.

We also girdle the vines just at the right time. This involves cutting away a strip of bark around the vine's trunk with a special 2 bladed knife. When we girdle the vine, great care is taken so that cuts are made enough through the trunk tissue to remove the Phloem and Cambium tissue without disturbing the Xylem.

Physiologically, the Phloem is responsible for the movement of the carbohydrates produced by the photosynthesizing leaves to developing parts of the plant. Removal of this tissue prevents translocation of carbohydrates to the root system, making it more available for fruit growth.

The longer the grapes are on the vine, the sweeter they get. We leave our grapes on the vine as long as possible, usually harvesting just before the first rainfall. However, if the grapes are not quite fully ripe and rain is coming, it is best to harvest them to prevent rot and mold.

Here you can see Golden Thompson Seedless raisins and Red Flame Raisins drying in our dehydrator. I snuck in the dehydrator while it was running to snap a picture.

I hope you enjoyed this small tour of our Farm. Michael Colombo