Since the last update, Mother Nature decided to quit messing around and dealt us some real winter temperatures - 16F overnight yesterday and 19F this morning.
In an attempt to save nectarine buds that are just about to bloom, our neighbor is out in the orchard with fans to move cold air away from the trees. These smudge pot heaters will warm the air by a few precious degrees, potentially determining the difference between a great crop and no crop.
Farming is challenging and when we sip some glorious wines from the Northwest it does well to remember the folks laboring to save this tenuous of products.
