LUBBOCK — The Texas AgriLife Extension Service will conduct a Prospective Wine-Grape Grower Workshop from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. June 17 for people interested in commercial wine-grape production.
The workshop will be held at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock, located at 1102 East Farm-to-Market 1294.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the program to immediately follow.
“This workshop will be useful to those considering planting a commercial vineyard or those thinking about expanding a smaller operation to a commercial scale,” said Dusty Timmons, AgriLife Extension viticulture adviser for the High Plains and West Texas.
The workshop was developed to help small-scale producers determine if it was both economically feasible and individually suitable for them to commit to a commercial vineyard enterprise, Timmons said. Program topics include necessary viticulture expertise, site selection, risk factors, labor requirements and economics.
He noted that AgriLife Extension presents prospective grower workshops in regions of Texas conducive to wine-grape production, and the workshop is a prerequisite for registration and acceptance into the Texas Viticulture Certificate Program.
“This is the last workshop before we start taking applications for the next viticulture certification program,” Timmons said. “We hope people interested in getting their professional certification will take this opportunity to attend the workshop so they can meet that requirement prior to applying for that statewide program.”
The application period for the next certification program will be from June 1-30. Notification of acceptance will occur by about July 15, with registration approximately July 15-Aug. 31. The program will begin on or around Sept. 15.
For more information on the viticulture certification program, contact Dr. Ed Hellman, AgriLife Extension viticulture program director, at 806-746-6101 or ewhellman@ag.tamu.edu.
The AgriLife Extension viticulture team also offers advanced programs for learning more about the nuts and bolts of grape growing in Texas, Timmons added. More information on workshops can be found at http://winegrapes.tamu.edu under Educational Opportunities.
The cost for the prospective grower workshop is $125 per person or $200 per couple, including educational materials and lunch.
Online registration for the workshop can be completed by going to the AgriLife Conference Services website at http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu and entering “wine grower” in the keyword field.
For more program information, contact Timmons at 806-787-5110 or dtimmons@door.net.
-30-