Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/210765
GRAPEGROWING produce data sheets for growers and print my pesticide-use recommendations, as well as collect my field data using a barcode reader. A friend gave me a free copy of Rbase, which at that time appeared to be the up-and-coming database system, so I used it. My first database required me to type SQL code to make it I am not trying to imply that viticulturists are luddites. They are not. Certain technologies have been adopted by a large percentage of growers. work. Bubble-jet printing technology was new then—and I was pretty sure the printers were not designed to be used in pickup trucks full of dust—but since they were relatively inexpensive, I thought I would try it. The setup worked great and saved me a huge amount of time and effort. In other words, the return on investment was obvious and immediate: I could print datasheets in my truck and any spray recommendations on the spot. Another great benefit was that all of the pest-monitor- The Davis Weather VP2 from Davis Instruments determined what pest was attacking the leaves at a winery in the Sierra Foothills. ing data were automatically entered into the database for later analysis—something that had not been possible before. Database systems for farmers have come a long way since then. They are very userfriendly and can capture all sorts of data using devices like iPads, smartphones, weather stations, soil probes and, yes, even drones with video cameras and infrared sensors. However, my informal survey asking growers in California how they are using database software has revealed that most seem to use them primarily for pesticide use reporting, which by law must be submitted to the County Agriculture Commissioner's office each month. Given the sophistication of farm database systems, using them primarily for pesticide use reporting is like using a Boeing 747 to fly from Sacramento to San Francisco. I realize there are some farming companies that use the complete functionality of farm database systems and are using them to fully implement the "measure to manage" approach to farming. However, it is my experience that many small and midsized growers are not taking advantage of farm database systems. Furthermore, I often speak to growers who collect farm-management data using several different systems that do not "talk" to each other. Weather data is Your success is our prioritY Daily wine industry news at winesandvines.com Win es & Vin es D EC EM b er 20 13 37