(09-23-2021, 05:12 PM)Senor Fantastico Wrote:

(09-23-2021, 04:32 PM)jagibelieve Wrote: What is a "DOV style" vineyard?  Also do you only do grapes (raisins) or do you double-crop anything?

Our homestead is not quite complete, but I am considering a small portion of beauty-berries along with my planned orchard at this point.  They are abundant and wild out here and make a great jelly, juice or even wine.  Of course, I won't be growing/harvesting for a living, more of a "hobby farm" kind of deal.  Perhaps when I retire from my "real" job I might venture into more, but right now my focus is on trees and cattle (I have a few head grazing a portion of the property).

DOV is Dried-On-Vine. There's different styles but it looks like this:

https://twitter.com/julioepb/status/6978...25696?s=19

Normally, when the crop ripens you pick the fruit and lay them down on paper trays to dry in the sun. Like this (all though that field is oriented wrong)

https://twitter.com/BiolaRaisin/status/1...12611?s=19

Traditional raisins are a little unique in that you grow the crop, but then at harvest instead of just picking it off and sending it in, you have to dry the crop, and the grower takes in all the risk in that process. When they're on the trays, ANY moisture introduced will induce mold, sometimes insects get into them, or lately the smoke stops the solar radiation from being able to dry them and they might start to ferment. Quite a lot can go wrong. But if you get it right, you'll make more. 

DOV takes a lot of that out of the equation by allowing the fruit to dry suspended in air - the moisture problem especially. In the Tweet above, they cut the fruiting canes to stop water flow to the fruit. You can see the dead leaves already and the fruit is yellowing. The tradeoff is it takes a very dangerous 3 week and substitutes it for a longer 8-10 week period and the problem then becomes can you get it done before the temps start dipping into the low 80s. 

All in all though, much less risky, and that style of vine and trellis will produce a heavier crop to boot. Then to top that off it's more easy to mechanize the harvest process. Pretty win-win. 

And no not only grapes. I actually have more almonds than grapes now but my heart's much closer to the vineyard. My brothers grow different things too, mandarins, pistachios, cherries. A little wheat. I'm the only one dumb/stubborn enough to stick with raisins lol.

How easy is it to switch to a different crop?  I’m sure there are “players” that have a quota or so for different buyers.  Or something of the sorts.  Can you switch up the field and sell other crops easily or are you stuck short term on the grapes/raisins? 

You make it sound easy, but the transition to DOV Seems to be easy enough?? No? You’ve stated the risks.  Maybe try a percentage one year and see how it goes before fully going all in?

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