A vineyard lush and full of grapes is a joy to behold. Not only is it aesthetically gorgeous to look at but fascinating to study. The same is true with orchards. They have grandeur, permanence and beauty. Viticulture, the science of growing grapes, is not like any other form of farming, and the agriculture of fruit is every bit as fascinating and complex.
Vineyards and orchards take years to bring to fruition, if you’ll excuse the pun. Choosing the correct vines, trees or shrubs for the climate and soil is vital to the success of this kind of agriculture. Getting it wrong can take years to rectify. Once planted, time must pass before the plants get established, grow to maturity and produce a healthy crop. Vines, for instance, can take three years or more before the plant even begins to bear good quality grapes. It may take even longer for a tree to bear oranges, grapefruit or apples. All the fruit we take for granted in the store has been tended and nurtured by farmers over years. Yes, the plants may produce a crop each year, but they are the same plants that are producing year after year and require lots of TLC to keep them healthy and productive. After all, how would you feel if you kept giving and never got anything in return?
The tasks of planting, tending, monitoring, maintaining, pruning, protecting and harvesting at the right time are an ongoing challenge, but one that farmers take on year after year, with pride.
The dollar investment in vineyards and orchards can be enormous. Planting one is always a gamble, but a gamble that farmers mitigate with their priceless knowledge, careful planning, vigilance and great care. Planting a bad crop of runner beans one year can be corrected the following year. Planting the wrong vines or trees is much less easy to turn around. It may be years before a farmer discovers that a tree is not producing good fruit, by which time, money has been spent and lost. The farmer can also never be assured that a crop will reach maturity until deep into the growing cycle. While this is true of all agriculture, it is a particularly sensitive issue with vineyards, groves and orchards. Weather alone can devastate a crop. If you think about the orange groves in Florida, which are susceptible to early frosts, you’ll understand why the farmers there spend thousands of dollars and stressful hours protecting the crops from this killer.
Farmers are justifiably proud of mature vineyards, groves and orchards but never rest on their laurels. Keeping the plants healthy and productive is on ongoing endeavor. They continually renew, installing young plants that will grow to maturity as the older ones become more frail and less productive. It is this detailed attention to vineyards and orchards that ensures a continuous supply of fruit – for all of us.
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