Well, the vineyards are looking mighty fine right now. We sent through the bossiekapper (grass cutter) through each block and cut down the korog (barley) that had been growing as a cover crop. All that's left now between the rows is a scorched pale stubble, accentuating the lush lime-green leaves of the young shoots that are sprouting along the cordons.
We also finished suckering (removing excess shoots) so that each vine can channel all its energies to the shoots with the best positions and best potential for bearing fruit. This also helps later with canopy management to ensure that there is good air flow but also enough shade for the grapes later on in their development. Now we must keep to our strict spray programme in order to prevent any diseases developing at this crucial stage of growth.
I love this time of year; each block just oozes promise and, if you walk through the vines, you can even see the small bunches of grapes before they flower. Just be careful to keep an eye on the ground as you walk though; this time of year is also when our reptilian friends start to emerge and add a bit of excitment to the average day on the farm. Just a week ago I was enjoying a rare moment relaxing on the hammock in the garden when a puff adder slithered right underneath me! Thank goodness it seemed more interested in the chicken coop than me... but rest assured, no animal was harmed in the production of this week's blog; the snake catcher arrived in good time, removed the snake (pulling his tail out first, by hand!) and relocated it to Driftsands Nature Reserve. I have now to decide whether or not to enroll on a Snake Awareness, Identification and Handling course... would you?!
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