Mahers Vineyard (Norm & Anne Maher)

This is a journal of the development of the vineyard.

Day 1 20/7/03

The first 6 rows, 90m long and 3m apart were ripped to a depth of 450mm and hilled up with a mounding plough. There is a more than expected amount of vegetative matter in the soil particularly couch grass. It is planed to use herbicide to control this. Soil very friable and holding moisture well. Some clay found at 800mm.			Norm “Outstanding in his field”.

Day 12 2/8/03

Believe it or not wet weather set the schedule back a week. End posts are 150mm treated pine 800mm in the ground. A tie back assembly will be added later. Intermediate posts are OneSteel Gripfast posts 2.4m driven in 600mm below original ground level at 8m intervals. The first four rows on the windward side also have a 100mm treated pine post in the centre of the row.

Norms’ comment on the day.

“How much is it to hire a pneumatic post driver?”

Day 35 24/08/03

	Planting day 150 Grenache and 150 Tempranillo vines being planted. White 1m Growguards are being used to protect each plant and to accelerate growth
		Anne “Put that on the Internet and you’re dead!”

Day 42 31/08/03

The drip irrigation is now being installed. 13mm polypipe with 4l per/hour drippers are being used. The drip line is attached to a wire with black cable ties. The photo above is from the bottom towards the house.		The vineyard is already attracting wildlife. Here is a friendly blue tongue checking out the Grenache vines.

Grenache on 16 September, Tempranillo still at woolly bud.

Grenache budburst commenced 10 September.

Day 52 10/09/03

Day 69 27/09/03

All vines suffered severe frost damage with all leaves and shots now dead. The weather has been somewhat unusual with high winds and high temperatures, with daytime temperatures up to 30 Celsius on the 23/9/03.

Day 106 14/11/03

Trempranillo vines showing this growth in just 36 days after severe frost damage.

Day 169 21/1/04

Day 232 26/3/04

	General shots showing growth since 27/9/03