January 28 - 29
A meeting to discuss alternative viticulture will be offered by Penn
State Cooperative Extension of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The goal of
the meeting is to bring perspective and information to the often
fuzzy realm of non-conventional commercial viticulture, including
sustainable, organic and biodynamic methods. Recently, there has been
a tremendous interest in these new techniques of farming wine grapes.
It is the objective of this meeting to give sound and practical
information on subjects that exist outside of our customary
agricultural experience, and are too often tainted with hyperbole. A
group of serious individuals, researchers, growers, vendors and
extension agents will present their views and experience of this new
frontier in grape growing. It is hoped that, armed with this
information, new and experienced growers will be able to decide for
themselves if they want to employ these practices on their own farms.
This is a day and a half meeting, which will be held at the Spring
Garden Conference Center in Middletown, PA, just east of Harrisburg.
The cost will be approximately $100 per person for both days, which
includes coffee, continental breakfast, drinks and snacks on both
days, and lunch on the first day. A list of motels and restaurants
in the area list will be provided with registration materials. For
more information and registration, please contact Mark Chien at
717-394-6851 or email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Speakers will include Gunther Hauk of the Pfeiffer Center (NY),
William Brinton from Woods End Research Lab (ME), Vicki Bess from BBC
Labs (AZ), Al MacDonald, president of Oregon LIVE, Alan York, a
private biodynamic consultant (CA), Alice Wise, viticulture extension
agent for Cornell University on Long Island (NY), Don Lotter from the
Rodale Institute (PA), as well as local (eastern U.S.) growers with
experience in using alternative viticulture in their vineyards
Travis and Elwin Stewart will offer updates on their research
activities, including results from two years of compost trials on
commercial cooperator plots.
Pre-registration deadline is Jan 17.
