Reynaldo Robledo, brings some of his award winning Lake County wine to share at the Lake County Winegrape Commission's annual dinner on June 28, 2009. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – Presentations on the status of potential appellations, marketing of Lake County wines, and this year’s goals for the Lake County Winegrape Commission punctuated the commission’s annual dinner meeting June 28 at Moore Family Winery.

Grape growers new to the area joined veteran growers in attendance as more than 100 people enjoyed food provided by Julie Hoskins, Chic La Chef, and wines from the host winery and other Lake County wine producers.

Executive Director Shannon Gunier welcomed the group of winegrape growers and guests while jokingly reminding all that they were going to be subjected to business topics because they were there for the commission’s “dinner meeting,” emphasizing the word “meeting.”

She acknowledged the commission’s board by introducing those who were in attendance. She expressed special thanks to Steve Moore and his family for donating the use of the facility and hosting this year’s event. Guests enjoyed appetizers, wine, and the unique view from the winery’s patio area before being seated in the tasting room for dinner and presentations.

David Weiss spoke to the group about efforts to establish the Big Valley – Lake County and Kelseyville Bench – Lake County appellations, explaining that both are being pursued at the same time.

“If we differentiate the area, we can then differentiate the grapes,” he told attendees.

Cost of formation is estimated at $25,000, and the Lake County Winegrape Commission has provided seed money, he noted.

The layout of the two American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) has been done, and the organizing group is soliciting proposals. Based on his experience in helping put together development of the Red Hills Lake County AVA, Rick Gunier, owner of CPI Marketing, was hired to assist the growers in formation of the appellations.

In a separate presentation, Paul Wagner of Balzac Communications, the commission’s public relations firm, described plans to reach out to the growing number of wine consumers under the age of 30. They want “wine with adventure and authenticity,” he said.

While the economy is experiencing a period of bottoming out, domestic wine sales have gone up, Wagner told the group. He spoke of making changes in marketing to meet the changes in consumption, getting a laugh when he said, “You wouldn’t be farmers if you weren’t optimists.”

As a part of the marketing campaign, the commission is working to put together a “Crush Camp,” in which the top 10 sommeliers will be invited to work in Lake County. “We will work them so hard, they will give us their money and join our church,” Wagner joked.

The time is right for “telling our story,” newly elected board chair Peter Molnar told the dinner attendees, noting Lake County’s progress from historical, to traditional, then professional wine production.

Speaking on the topic “Lake County Rising,” Molnar emphasized moving forward to show pride in our area, letting consumers know about the quality of wine grapes from Lake County.

The “true, authentic stories” from our region will help accomplish this goal and help bring prosperity to the area, he said.

Gunier wrapped up the presentations with an outline of the commission’s programs for the next year.

She encouraged growers to use the confidential pricing section of the commission’s Web site, adding that it benefits all to do so.

She noted that grower education is continuing to be a priority for the commission; organic workshops and other seminars are planned.

In the 18 years since formation of the commission, acreage of wine grapes has grown from 3,000 to nearly 10,000, and the number of growers has increased from 40 to 158, Gunier told the group.

In addition, “Lake County” now appears on the front label of 278 wines, and that number is growing, too, she said.

For information on the Lake County Winegrape Commission, including its schedule of workshops and meetings, visit the Commission’s website at www.lakecountywinegrape.org .

The Konocti Fiddle Club performs at the Friday Night Farmers' Market in Clearlake on Friday, July 31, 2009. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE – This week's Friday Night Farmers' Market will feature musical performances and host of high quality goods and produces from the county and the region.

The Friday Night Farmers Market runs every Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., June through August, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. through September.

The market takes place at Redbud Park, 14655 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

This week the Konocti Fiddle Club will liven up the evening with performances by homegrown talent.

The successful certified farmers' market focuses on bringing locally and regionally grown fresh produce, value-added products and freshly prepared foods, as well as handcrafted and cottage industry arts, crafts and entertainment.

For more information or to become a vendor contact the market manager at 707-694-2294, or the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce at 707-994-3600.

The venue is sponsored by the Lake County Community Co-op, the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and the city of Clearlake.

LAKE COUNTY – All around vineyards in Lake County, winegrape growers are checking weather reports, irrigating grapes, and watching for insect and disease problems.

Growers are finishing the heavy work of late spring/early summer, awaiting veraison (French term used for when grapes soften and mature) which should begin in one or two weeks for some of the early varieties, said Walt Lyon, winegrape grower and one of the first board members when the Lake County Winegrape Commission was formed in 1992.

He owns Lyon Vineyards in Kelseyville and farms another vineyard with his son Jeff who is on the current commission board of directors.

At this time of year mildew is a main concern for growers, although Lake County does not typically have a huge mildew problem, he said.

With warm weather, the mildew possibility goes down, said Lyon. If cool temperatures are present for any length of time, growers may have to dust or spray to prevent mildew. Many of the winegrape diseases must be battled via preventative measures.

Growers are watching weather reports daily and have access to forecasts on the Lake County Winegrape Commission’s Web site. Having been among the first farmers to plant new vineyards in 1967, Lyon said he continues to learn about winegrape production and finds that new technology is helping growers with their tasks.

Watching for leafhoppers and mites is high on the to-do list for winegrape farmers this time of year. Mites like excessive heat and can do some damage to vineyards. There are certain predatory mites that can be introduced to the grape vines to destroy the damaging leafhoppers, Lyon added.

In addition, growers may be mowing cover crops and doing some leaf removal from their vines. Removing some leaves to expose a little bit of sunshine is done by hand to help production, Lyon said. In the meantime, there is not much cultivation now, but irrigation is necessary.

“We give them enough (water) to feel good and bring the grapes up to harvest time,” which can be as soon as late August for some varieties, Lyon said. “We want to make sure the vines don’t cook.”

“In the Vineyard” is a new monthly submission from the Lake County Winegrape Commission. For information about Lake County’s winegrape industry and the commission, visit the commission’s Web site, www.lakecountywinegrape.org .

Witnesses at the hearing included farmers, ranchers, consumer group representatives, and government officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In addition to the witnesses testifying, Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson recognized Jeff Almer from Perham, Minn. to speak about his mother who was a victim of the Salmonella outbreak caused by peanut butter in 2008.

"Ensuring a safe food supply is a top priority for the House Agriculture Committee, and we want to play a role in developing strong food safety policies that are practical and address the problems in the system," Chairman Peterson said.

"None of the producer witnesses at the hearing today would support the Food Safety Enhancement Act as it is written," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-6). "It is clear that members of the committee and our witnesses are concerned about the new authority the bill gives FDA to regulate on the farm production practices. The notion that FDA can dictate to farmers in every region of the country, growing and producing a vast array of crops and livestock for a range of markets, is irrational. I will continue to work with my colleagues to improve this food safety legislation."

Written testimony provided by the witnesses is available on the committee Web site: http://agriculture.house.gov/hearings/index.html .

A full transcript of the hearing will be posted on the Committee website at a later date.

Witness List

Panel I

Mr. Larry Wooten, President, North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, on behalf of American Farm Bureau Federation, Raleigh, North Carolina

Mr. J. Patrick Boyle, President, American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C.

Ms. Carol Tucker-Foreman, Distinguished Fellow, The Food Policy Institute, Consumer Federation of America, Washington, D.C.

Sam Ives, DVM, Ph.D., Director of Veterinary Services and Associate Director of Research, Cactus Feeders, Ltd., on behalf of National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Amarillo, Texas

Mr. Kent Peppler, President, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, on behalf of National Farmers Union, Mead, Colorado

Mr. Bob Reinhard, Director of Food Safety for Sara Lee, and Chairman, Technical and Regulatory Committee, of the National Turkey Federation, Downers Grove, Illinois

Mr. Nicholas Maravell, Owner and Operator, Nick's Organic Farm, LLC, Potomac, Maryland

Mr. Drew McDonald, Vice President National Quality Systems, Taylor Farms, Inc.

Panel II

Mr. Jerold Mande, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

Ms. Cindy Smith, Acting Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

Mr. Mike Taylor, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland.

Local farmer Jim Leonardis displays bounty from his Lakeport farm. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE – Barber’s Country Farm in Kelseyville and Leonardis Organics in Lakeport began supplying the Lake County Community Co-op’s (LCCC) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes last week.

This is the second season that boxes have been supplied by local organic farms in Lake County.

Heirloom Italian squashes, lemon cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and fresh Genovese basil will provide the bulk of the locally produced contents of this week’s CSA box.

Throughout the season, subscribers will get to enjoy the flavors of locally grown heirloom tomatoes, varieties of Asian and heirloom cucumbers, bell peppers, potatoes, multi varieties of beans, including Edamame (soy beans) and much more.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), subscriptions to weekly boxes supplied directly from the farm, is one of many ways small local farmers can successfully thrive in small communities such as Lake County.

Proponents of agro-ecological farming systems, such as CSAs, believe that making a commitment to supporting local, organically grown produce not only provides the freshest, tastiest, healthiest food for the consumer, but also provides it less expensively, increases the percentage of the profit the farmer receives, creates a strong connection with food sources, reduces greenhouse gases and pollution (because delivery distances are a fraction of the average 1,200 miles food travels to the consumer in America), and creates a stronger local economy by keeping more dollars circulating in the local community.

People interested in the CSA can contact LCCC at 707-993-4270 or following the links for the buying club at http://lakeco-op.org .

“You can also contact the farms directly, or meet them at a farmers’ market,” added a LCCC spokesperson. “Farm-direct purchasing is a whole new level of connecting with your food source and community.”

Contact Barber’s Country Farm at 707-349-2518 and Leonardis Organics at 707-483-4004.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) joined 265 of his colleagues in voting for the Agriculture Appropriations Act.

This bill will help protect Americans’ food safety, boost rural economies, protect Americans against price fluctuations for necessities and help feed struggling families. In this bill, Congressman Thompson secured $27 million in funding for several agricultural research projects that are important to Sonoma County.

Included in the bill was $24.5 million to fight Pierce’s disease, a major threat to California agriculture that has spread to other states.

In the late 1990s, this disease was responsible for the complete destruction of more than 1,000 acres of grapevines in Temecula. This funding will be allocated to plant inspection programs and viticulture research institutions.

“We cannot let up in the fight against Pierce’s disease, and its vector, the glassy winged sharpshooter,” said Congressman Thompson. “Our local economy, from the tourist industry to the farming community, would be devastated if Pierce’s disease spread throughout our district. And while we’ve made progress, recent events underscore the need for aggressive actions. Glassy winged sharp shooter eggs were found on plants shipped to Napa and Sonoma Counties. We can’t rest in our fight against this disease.”

“Pierce's Disease could be more devastating than Phyloxxera in that we have no cure much less an environmentally acceptable cure as we did with Phyloxxera. With Phyloxxera we could replace rootstocks. The only available remedy for Pierce's today is some chemical toxin,” said winegrape grower Andy Beckstoffer.

“I applaud Congress for passing this bill, because it’s extremely important to our industry,” said Ron Bartolucci of Bartolucci Vineyards. “The glassy winged sharpshooter infects grape vines with a very devastating disease, Pierce’s disease, and the funding that will be available to control that insect, and provide necessary funding for research to resolve the problem will be very important to our industry, and our industry’s future, because without it, it could devastate us.”

The bill also contained $2.15 million in funding for Sudden Oak Death, Research and Control.

Sudden Oak Death is a fungus-like pathogen that has decimated oak trees, and can even infect other plant species like our prized Redwood trees. This disease has stricken at least 12 of California’s counties and has spread to the Pacific Northwest. This funding will be allocated to the research, eradication and control of this pathogen.