We are back today for part two of our series “Six Essential Factors for Starting and Growing a Successful Vineyard.” Refer back to episode 32 for part one of the series if you haven’t listened to it yet. Just make sure you listen to both episodes to hear all six factors new growers need to understand and consider before planting a vineyard.
In this episode, two of our favorite growers and friends, Rob Warren and Katy Jane Seaton, are joining the show to give their perspectives and advice on the topics of vineyard management and labor, vineyard economics, and grape variety selection and marketing. Even if you’re an experienced grower, you’ll enjoy hearing from Rob and Katy Jane as they share their experiences.
Let’s get into part two of this series!
In this episode, you will hear:
- How long it took Rob to have positive cash flow and how long it took to make a profit.
- What Rob would tell someone who was thinking of starting a vineyard about cost and cash flow
- Common misconceptions of managing a vineyard
- What size vineyard Rob started with and where he is now
- How Rob built his crew and trained them
- What Katy Jane’s plan in grape growing was and how it has evolved
- How Katy Jane’s variety selection strategy changed and how this related to the marketability for selling fruit and wine making
- Katy Jane’s top advice for new growers when choosing what varieties to plant
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Resources:
Checkout Fritz’s new Prospective Winegrape Grower Course (https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/growsmart) at VirtualViticulureAcademy.com. With over 5 hours of guided video content, this course shows you through examples, illustrations, and more what you need to know to make good decisions from the start for growing a successful vineyard. Use the code PODCAST at checkout to get the course for only $200.00 through the end of 2023.
If you have questions about today’s episode or other grape growing questions, go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button.
Today’s Guest:
Rob Warren is the owner of Desert Willow Vineyard in Seminole, TX.
Connect with Rob:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desertwillowvineyard
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desertwillowvineyard/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjWaulJw7tATQC3trzhPJQ
Katy Jane Seaton is one of the owners of Farmhouse Vineyards based in Brownfield, TX and now with their Farmhouse Vineyards Marketplace in the beautiful Texas Hill Country.
Connect with Katy Jane:
- Website: https://www.farmhousevineyard.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarmhouseVineyards/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmhousevineyards_tx/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC38criman5XKfX5ckSzPCPQ
Episode Sponsor:
Thank you to our friends over at SensorInsight for their sponsorship of today’s episode. SensorInsight provides actionable information for your vineyard operations. Their mobile app and dashboard visualizations provide irrigation, weather, and soil moisture analytics from your sensor systems. Visit them today at https://sensorinsight.io. And don’t forget to mention the code Underground to receive a discount on your SensorInsight solution.
