Dirt Farmer:
"A farmer who works on the soil, distinguished from one who operates a farm with hired hands or tenants."
Gentleman Farmer:
"A landowner who has a farm as part of his estate and who farms mainly for pleasure rather than for profit or sustenance."
I consider myself a proud dirt farmer.
For the first time ever, I hired people. We planted 2,900 plants Friday and another 4,000 plants yesterday. I didn't just watch or supervise. I had dug holes, then went back to dig them deeper to accommodate the long stem and roots. All but about four inches of it goes in the ground.
I worked long days. I suppose I did it for "pleasure" but it was hard work. The grape vineyard might eventually be profitable. The farm's pumice soil is unique. It creates extraordinarily fine particles. The grape roots will extract rich flavor notes. In five years we will know if those flavors are considered superior in the markets for Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec wines.
Photos are by veteran photojournalist Tam Moore, and by my 15-year-old nephew, Liam Flenniken, who came down from Portland to help me plant grapes.
Liam Flenniken is an incoming sophomore at Lincoln High School in Portland. He is able-bodied, and has a great attitude and work ethic.
My neighbor, Collin Nelson, who is also installing a vineyard, is helping.
Grape with identifying clone type and lot number.
Grape vines come in bundles of 25, labeled by their variety, specific clone, and row from which it was taken at the plant nursery. A bin holds about 2000 plants. Neighbor Steve Glass and daughter Kara kept track of which plant-lots went into which rows of my fields.
A person places a plant in the empty holes a few minutes ahead of the planters.
Each plant is placed by hand directly under a drip.
Photo below shows crew planting. In the background is the house built by my grandparents a hundred years ago this year. Originally it was about 480 square feet for my two grandparents plus their five children. The house was a "kit house" and came on a truck from Montgomery Wards.
I appreciate the Guest Posts I have been able to publish during this busy period of long days getting the vineyard planted. We get by with a little help from our friends.
Lovely.
Dirt farming is tough. I admire you, and I'm so glad to see young people with dirty hands.
I moved cattle this morning. They'll assist the sheep and deer and elk in trimming the grapevines along my fences, and their dung will, I expect, contribute to the terroir of any wine that comes from the malbecs and cabs here as your wonderful minerals will make yours. (That part of terroir is rarely noted by oenologists, I think. But we dirt farmers generally live in a thin patina of feces).
Can’t wait to try the Malbec with a hint of melon.