Hardscrabble Journal

Tentative

Tentative best describes almost all our current decisions. 

In the vineyard, a combination of slow growth and some freeze damage gives hesitation and uncertainty to our first pass of shoot thinning. This is a task that is usually straight forward, fun and satisfying. But looking at the vines today, there are too many unknowns. We could continue to wait, but with very warm temperatures on the horizon, the vines will take off all at once and soon we will be behind. 

I hate being behind. The difference between a good farmer and a lousy farmer is one day. The good farmer is a day ahead and the lousy farmer a day behind.

Tentative also describes our anxiety with reopening the winery. While we are getting good state guidelines, we feel that same hesitation and uncertainty as we do in the vines this spring. Except we have a lot more experience with vineyard problems.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Journal: May 12, 2020