BY Stephanie Specchio
FINGER LAKES--Many local farmers experienced damage from the unprecedented cold snap in mid-May. While the extent will not be fully known for some time, growers have predictions and are documenting their losses.
Frederick Frank, from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery on the west side of Keuka Lake, noted that “our vineyards in Hammondsport received less frost damage than our vineyards in Hector. It is difficult to predict the yield loss at this point. We will need to wait for the secondary shoots to emerge to determine how fruitful they are. We should be able to predict our yield loss more accurately in about a month.”
Weis Vineyards owner Peter Weis has determined that they lost 100 percent of their primary buds on the vinifera. Their winery is about midway on the east side of Keuka Lake.
“If all secondary buds come out, we would have a max of 30 percent of a regular grape yield,” said Weis.
According to General Manager Kerry Keller, Glenora Wine Cellars sources most of their grapes from growers around Seneca Lake, including independent grower Glenora Farms, owned by Jeff Morris. Glenora Farms serves Glenora Wine Cellars as well as other wineries, including Lakewood Vineyards, Heron Hill and Nathan K. Wines.
“Most of our cold-sensitive varieties grow between Route 14 and Seneca Lake,” said Morris. “We estimate that these crops experienced between 5 and 35 percent damage. We’ll still have a crop, but it will be smaller. We also have vineyards on Dundee Glenora Road; these did not do as well. We lost 100 percent of the Marquettes and the Cayugas and between 50 and 80 percent for others planted on this road.”
The team at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards is still assessing and was unable to provide updates.
Atwater Vineyards, on the east side of Seneca Lake, comes in at the other end of the spectrum. Vineyard Manager Chris King said, “Fortunately, most of our vineyards were largely unscathed. While we have a couple of areas that are more damaged, we should have a close-to-normal crop. This event was extremely widespread, affecting most of the state, so we are grateful to have fared as well as we did. Our hearts go out to our fellow growers who did not do so well. This was an event we will all remember.”
“Farmers and the industry are resilient,” added Morris. “I’m confident we will all persevere.”
FINGER LAKES--Many local farmers experienced damage from the unprecedented cold snap in mid-May. While the extent will not be fully known for some time, growers have predictions and are documenting their losses.
Frederick Frank, from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery on the west side of Keuka Lake, noted that “our vineyards in Hammondsport received less frost damage than our vineyards in Hector. It is difficult to predict the yield loss at this point. We will need to wait for the secondary shoots to emerge to determine how fruitful they are. We should be able to predict our yield loss more accurately in about a month.”
Weis Vineyards owner Peter Weis has determined that they lost 100 percent of their primary buds on the vinifera. Their winery is about midway on the east side of Keuka Lake.
“If all secondary buds come out, we would have a max of 30 percent of a regular grape yield,” said Weis.
According to General Manager Kerry Keller, Glenora Wine Cellars sources most of their grapes from growers around Seneca Lake, including independent grower Glenora Farms, owned by Jeff Morris. Glenora Farms serves Glenora Wine Cellars as well as other wineries, including Lakewood Vineyards, Heron Hill and Nathan K. Wines.
“Most of our cold-sensitive varieties grow between Route 14 and Seneca Lake,” said Morris. “We estimate that these crops experienced between 5 and 35 percent damage. We’ll still have a crop, but it will be smaller. We also have vineyards on Dundee Glenora Road; these did not do as well. We lost 100 percent of the Marquettes and the Cayugas and between 50 and 80 percent for others planted on this road.”
The team at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards is still assessing and was unable to provide updates.
Atwater Vineyards, on the east side of Seneca Lake, comes in at the other end of the spectrum. Vineyard Manager Chris King said, “Fortunately, most of our vineyards were largely unscathed. While we have a couple of areas that are more damaged, we should have a close-to-normal crop. This event was extremely widespread, affecting most of the state, so we are grateful to have fared as well as we did. Our hearts go out to our fellow growers who did not do so well. This was an event we will all remember.”
“Farmers and the industry are resilient,” added Morris. “I’m confident we will all persevere.”
