Compared with summers 30 years ago, summers in the Northern Hemisphere are lasting 15-30 days longer than they used to. Temperatures in excess of 65°F are starting earlier and lasting longer. As far as I know, similar datasets are not available for Ireland, but I'd bet it's true here as well.
As of yesterday, we are having about a five-day interlude with the remnants of Hurricane Erin. Massive seas, some wind, and occasional downpours mark her passage. I hope she doesn't dilute the grapes.
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| Hurricane Erin |
After Tropical Storm Erin became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season, it accelerated its development in an unprecedented manner, strengthening from TS to Category 5 Hurricane in just about 24 hours. It then decreased in strength but grew vastly bigger. It now occupies a good portion of the Atlantic as it barrels up the coast of North America, causing flooding along the way.
The latest word is that Erin has three options: 1) to turn right and head for the British Isles as a post-tropical cyclone, 2) to turn right and head for the Iberian Peninsula, or 3) pass to the west of the British Isles toward Iceland. Regardless of the outcome, our weather and vines will be affected again around harvest time. Everyone is watching and waiting.
We've had several visitors this week. Our cousins from Germany, Florian and Celine, stayed most of the week. OCC Member Garry Crothers and Marie stopped by for a short visit en route to Galway. It was great to meet the 'single-handed' sailor whom Alex helped cross the Atlantic during Covid. It turns out he is also a viticulturist with a vine in a polytunnel. Today, our friends Miriam Moore and Gilly Fogg will be spending the night. They, too, will want a tour of the vineyard. Let's go!
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| Florian, Alex and Celine |
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| Daria, Garry, Marie and Alex |
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| Alex and Garry talking vines |
Meanwhile, everything everywhere all at once was taking place. We have a water mains break which has been plaguing our backyard for weeks. When did they finally decide to check it out? Of course, this week. Martin the diviner and John the executive from the Kilmeena water scheme have been conducting tests, and it is definitely a water mains break. To find the pipes was an ordeal since the builder moved them from the original setup. I walked with the diviner and was amazed at how it works. Martin said I should give it a try, and John said few people have the gift. John does not. I was overwhelmed when the metal rods Martin offered reacted when I walked over water. I'm a diviner! I always knew I was electric and could set off all kinds of equipment without touching it, but this is pure magic.
So Alex immediately made me a pair of rods for divining. I've been walking the land determining where everything is. It's a bit supernatural, but I guess I have to accept it. New career in store? Nah.
The digging starts on Monday, oh joy, just in time for a hurricane.
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The weather was stunning again today. Alex drove down to Kilrush so I was on duty. Fed the donkeys and let them into the North fields, watered the plants, fed the cats, and bagged the grapes. Most of the Rondo are now protected, including the baby plants.
An amazing fog rolled in from the sea and engulfed Clare Island. It rolled down the coasts along the northern and southern reaches of Clew Bay but not up the middle. If the donkeys hadn't asked to be let out into the other fields, I would have missed it.
The grapes are maturing rapidly, and so we started bagging them yesterday to protect them from the birds. The Rondo are particularly nice this year, although we do have some powdery mildew. We have a heatwave underway, so we'll have more than 5 days of 25C heat and hopefully enough moisture to plump them up.
Our 4 plums are ripening as well, so we may have a banner season.
David Llewellyn, of Llewellyn's Orchard and Lusca wines and ciders, and his wife Anna and their two boys, Lenny and baby, visited us today. David has been growing grapes for ~35 years, starting as a hobby before becoming his profession. He has about 1/2 acre planted with mostly Rondo. Half of his vines are under a long cloche polytunnel where he grows the Cabernet and Merlot grapes. His vines are planted much closer together than ours, with only one spur per vine.
After visiting the vineyard and winery, we sat down to a simple lunch of sandwiches, cherry tomatoes and pickles. We sampled Meadosweet, Black Currant, and Crabapple and Rosehip cordials, followed by apple, currant and blackberry squares. It was a very pleasant day in glorious sunshine. Anna and Lenny were delightful, and it was fun to meet them all.
While Spain and Portugal are melting with temperatures in the mid-40s, we are basking in 25°C and sunshine. The grapes are ripening at a fast pace. And since we had some evidence of mildew, I've been spraying the vines with a dilute solution of apple cider vinegar. I smell very nice.
Mildew spray recipe
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