Viticulture Extension for the Pennsylvania Wine Grape Industry Where am I from? • Hometown – North East, PA
• More wineries than stop lights
• Grapes and wine help drive local economy
• High school mascot: The Grapepickers (no joke) What do I value?
• Family
• Hard work
• Hobbies: • Fishing • Riding bikes Where my enthusiasm for viticulture research and extension began • 2006-2009 (undergrad at Penn State) • Thanks, Mark Chien! • Thanks, Elwin Stewart!
• Helped manage research vineyards and collect data • Thanks, Bryan Hed!
• Set up NE-1020 variety trial • Evaluated winegrape suitability • Thanks, Rob Crassweller! Where have I been?... learning viticulture in the eastern US….
• Penn State – BS, • Virginia Tech – MSc, • Cornell – Post doc, Dec 2009 May 2012 Feb 2016-2017 • Virginia Tech – PhD, May 2016 Extension
Communicating with people to help as best as I can…
…especially those with common goals who are much bigger risk- takers than me YOU – the PA wine grape industry stakeholders Serving the Pennsylvania grape and wine industry • Extension philosophy: • Educate and conduct applied research • To benefit Pennsylvania grape and wine industry stakeholders
• WE ARE A TEAM with common goals: • Vineyard and winery productivity, profitability, and sustainability • Grape and wine quality • Statewide, regional, and national recognition How will I fulfill my extension vision and philosophy?... • Charts and darts…. sometimes • I have worked with many don’t cut it growers over the last decade • “Just get to the point”
• I think like a grower (I hope) • Provide practical information: • Makes fiscal sense • Increases efficiency • Maintains vineyard health and sustainability • Increases productivity • Increases quality • Increases success Preferred extension methods… Results from a recent PA wine grape industry survey:
(D. Gardner) Site visits
• It is hard to meet people and see vineyards from the office….
• Visit • Ask / answer questions.
• Survey industry members to define extension priorities Challenges for viticulture extension
• Serve ALL grape growers • American, Hybrid, V. vinifera • I have experience working with all of these
• Pennsylvania is a big state • Making most of regional travels
• Serve both new and veteran industry members • Always be practical First couple months on the job – meet industry; understand issues and concerns • May 1 • Start date!
• May 5/6 • PA WMRB Conference • Tremain Hatch
• Vigor management and training systems
• Rest of May and early June: • Four to five grower roundtable meetings • Will get notification out in March or early April Canopy management workshop
• Late May / early June
• Fruit zone management • Manipulate grape composition • Manage rots • Crop load and crop thinning? • How to evaluate if crop needs thinned?
• Ask Molly, Heather, and/or Bryan to join • Wine sensory • SLF update • Disease management Viticulture “truths” • Cultivars often only “work” in a • 23 °Brix is not imperative to make great very specific situation wine. – survive; produce and ripen an – “Food reds”, whites, rosés, blends, sparkling… economical crop
• Proper site selection can make life easier.
• Quality is important; crop yield and vineyard health are equally important. – Quality-quantity are not inversely related Thank you. I am very fortunate. THANK YOU I look forward working together!
[email protected] 814-440-5534 (mobile))