Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/946131
March 2018 WINES&VINES 27 HERE'S WHAT WORKS too big, in the second year it was too small, then in the third year it was just right. Using a mechanical harvester meant Fishleder now had enough people to hand pick where the machines could not go. The future: For the smaller grower, Fishleder sees an increase in "specialized service providers so that smaller growers can get the benefit of the big guys." For the vineyards he manages, Fishleder is looking into more efficient sprayers that cover more ground per pass, as well as experimenting with leaf pullers. He would also like to use automation to eliminate the position of irrigation supervisor in the next few years. Available and affordable As vineyard equipment specialists, Pellenc Group has developed a number of affordable tools that reduce labor inputs while improving quality and profitability. Mechanical hand pruners: Pellenc has a battery-operated small tool line that includes two mechanical pruner styles. These light- weight, ergonomic shears reduce the effort needed to make a cut, significantly increasing worker productivity while avoiding repetitive- motion injuries. In addition, they allow older workers to prune for many more years and keep pace with younger workers. While cost depends on use, John Felice, the North Coast sales rep for Pellenc America, notes that Pellenc's most common grapevine unit costs $1,250. Mechanized tying: For $1,400, you can purchase Pellenc's Fixion tying gun, which will tie vines using four types of material—from durable plastic that lasts 10-12 months to bio- degradable materials that last six to eight months. Felice explained, "One person with a tying machine can do the work of one-and-a- half to two people, depending on the terrain. It pays for itself in the first season of use." Tractor attachments: Pellenc's Multi-Viti Frame allows automation of up to five vineyard tasks: pre-pruning, precision pruning, wire- lifting, leaf pulling and trimming. Much like a Swiss Army knife, separate single-function tools can be hitched and unhitched to the frame in a few minutes. Felice said that the Multi-Viti makes economic sense if you have 30 acres or more, suggesting that smaller vineyards use it as a shared asset. Precision mechanical pruning: Out of necessity, Australia and other labor-starved regions have been mechanically pruning their vines for many years. This practice gave a 12- inch "box cut," or hedge, around the vine, which leaves an excess of spur positions. In North America, pre-pruning or cane pulling are used to eliminate the labor required to remove the pruning wood, but the "final cut" is still done by hand. Pellenc now offers some- thing close to true automated pruning. First, a tractor operator runs their Disco pre-pruner through the vineyard, removing most of the wood and mulching it in one pass. Then the Pellenc Precision pruner makes a more accu- rate second pruning cut, using infrared tech- nology to track the cordon. In this way, it improves upon the old "box cut" style. It still requires some hand cleanup but reduces labor by 70% or more. Felice stated, "If you had a 20-person crew, you now need three to five people. It's a huge change." Leaf removal: Pellenc also offers a leaf re- mover as a separate machine. These newer mod- els address grower concerns about vine damage, efficiently pulling leaves while being very gentle to the canopy. Priced in the mid-$20,000s, they make sense for a 30- to 40-acre vineyard. Sustainable practices reduce labor Dr. Stephanie Bolton is the director of sustainable winegrowing and grower communications for the Lodi Winegrape Commission. Started in 1991, the commission represents 750 Lodi grow- ers farming nearly 100 varieties and 100,000 acres of wine grapes. Its $1.8 million annual budget is used to conduct programs in marketing, grower education and viticultural research Lodi has vineyards of all sizes. Bolton notes that "certain growers may be focused on maxi- mizing yield, while others are growing for super high-end wine brands." Yet a common priority is a general need to mechanize, in- crease labor productivity and "have one tractor pass take care of multiple needs." Bolton added some insights about the cur- rent agricultural work force. Not only has the average worker's age increased in the past 10 years, that average worker is less flexible. He or she may now have a family and can't move from region to region to follow the seasonal crops. Bolton explains, "Farmers now, more than ever, need to be good bosses and incentivize workers to stay. That's part of the sustainability message, how sustainability is more than or- ganic. It's about taking care of the people and the environment for business longevity." Sustainable practices: Bolton gave two interesting examples of sustainable practices reducing labor needs. First, the Lodi Wine- grape Commission helped fund a study about barn owls and found that using them to re- duce gophers (plus voles and other rodents) cost about 34 cents per gopher, compared to $8.11 per gopher using traditional human interventions. Second, incorporating bio con- trol (retaining predators or parasites that help to mitigate the target pest) into your vine mealybug program can prolong the effective use of your mealybug insecticide. Shared vineyard services: Bolton sees a bright future for shared vineyard services, which benefit the small grower and create a side job for the service provider who is likely a grower as well. Currently, leaf pulling, mechanized pre- pruning and fertilizer spreading are all available in the Lodi region on a fee-for-service basis and supported by the Lodi Growers Commission in their online directory. Bolton sees a future for additional shared services such as virus-scouting crews, composting, bio-control specialists and nursery ordering/logistics. For growers with less acreage, battery- powered suckering devices, which weed wack suckers without causing the operator to bend over, are an option to reduce back strain and increase productivity. Looking to the future, Bolton sees more growers replanting to a high-cordon system, Tractor attachments can be used to accomplish a variety of vineyard tasks, including trimming (pictured).