Aug. 26 prospective wine-grape grower workshop to be ripe with information

HOUSTON — A Prospective Wine-Grape Growers Workshop on commercial wine-grape production will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the offices of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service for Harris County, 3033 Bear Creek Drive in Houston.

“The workshop is a one-day educational program designed to provide an overview of the unique requirements and economic risks associated with the establishment and operation of a commercial vineyard in Texas,” said Fritz Westover, AgriLife Extension viticulture advisor for the Texas Gulf Coast region.

Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. the day of the program, and online pre-registration is available by going to  http://agriliferegister.tamu.edu and entering the keyword “wine” to find information on the workshop.

Westover, who will provide program instruction, said the workshop was created to address common concerns potential grape producers may have prior to committing valuable resources toward a commercial vineyard enterprise.

Program topics include necessary viticulture expertise, site selection, risk factors, labor requirements and economics.

“The program will help prospective growers decide if grape growing is a good fit for their farm and lifestyle, and what they would need to do or consider for their vineyard to be commercially successful,” he said.

The workshop fee is $150 per person or $250 per couple, and includes educational materials and lunch.

The workshop also serves as a prerequisite for application to the Texas Viticulture Certificate Program offered by Texas Tech University and AgriLife Extension. For more information on the certification program and other prospective grower and advanced educational programs offered by the AgriLife Extension viticulture team, go to http://winegrapes.tamu.edu.

For more information on this workshop, contact Westover at 281-855-5608 or fawestover@ag.tamu.edu.

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