As the 2013 winds down, the truck numbers becomes fewer and it’s easier to hear the geese and Sandhill cranes travel from the north. The seasons and years seem to go faster maybe from more meetings, reports, regulations and deadlines. Or possibly because the figurative road ahead is shorter than that left behind. In any case, I needed to get this first Coffee Shop article out to you since Matthew Hoffman introduced me as a contributor back in August. (See Matthew’s Coffee Shop article, Introducing Paul Vertegaal – Coffee Shop Contributor.)
I am fortunate to have learn quite a bit from growers and consultants, along from my experience and observations. Some of the intellectual and practical foundation I rely on has come form previous UCCE farm advisors. I thought it might be good to review those who have preceded most of us now working in the artful science of winegrowing. The following is a list of farm advisors who have worked in part or in whole on grapes in San Joaquin County since the co-establishment of Farm Bureau and UC Cooperative Extension in 1914. The San Joaquin County Farm Bureau was established by grower vote, which required a 20% commitment of the county’s 3,000 growers. In other words, at least 600 growers had to become members. Members contributed dues of one-dollar annually.
As I mentioned I owe a lot to growers, but also to these gentlemen. This season has taught all of us a bit more about winegrowing. In my next Coffee Shop article we can begin the “post-game” analysis.
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San Joaquin County UCCE Farm Advisors Through the Years
| Tenure
1914-1917 1917-1919 1919-1928 1928-1943 1943-1947 1947-1949 1949-1958 1958-1986 1986-Present |
Farm Advisor
Frank Lyons Ralph D. Robertson J.W. Adriance O.V. Patton Clark Swanson Loren A. Estabrook Gordon F. Mitchell James J. Kissler Paul S. Verdegaal |
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