RICHARDS — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Navasota Soil and Water Conservation District will present the third annual Gulf Coast Vineyard Field Day from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. April 12 at The Vineyards at Grand View.
The vineyard is located at 10365 Summer Lane in Anderson, near Richards.
“The Vineyards at Grand View is an up-and-coming operation entering into its third and fourth leaf of Blanc Du Bois and Lenoir grapes on the Watson vine-training system,” said Fritz Westover, AgriLife Extension viticulture program specialist from Houston and a program coordinator. “The vineyard is just over 6 acres and is beautifully maintained and highly productive, and will provide a great setting for this year’s field day.”
Speakers will include Westover, Dr. Justin Scheiner, professor of viticulture and enology at Grayson College, and Jerry Watson, a winegrower with Austin County Vineyards. The program will begin with a welcome by Bill Thomas, owner, The Vineyards at Grand View.
Topics will include vineyard canopy assessment of third and fourth leaf vines, managing the Watson vine-training system, pest and disease management in bloom and fruit set, petiole sampling procedures and fertilization.
“A demonstration on soil-moisture monitoring and sensor installation will be provided by the vineyard crew, and the program also will have a products showcase and displays by vineyard product dealers,” Westover said.
The program will offer three general Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units for licensed pesticide applicators.
The cost of the field day is $40, which includes a chicken fried steak lunch. All registration and payment will be at the door, but attendees must RSVP in advance with the number attending by email to fawestover@ag.tamu.edu.
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