Wine Evaluation Workshop

February 1, 2011 at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center. View brochure.
This Wine Evaluation Workshop will be an all-day event held the day before regular programs for Southwest Michigan Horticulture Days and has a separate registration.

Participants will be skillfully guided through a series of highly informative wine tastings by a panel of sommeliers. Leading the panel will be Ron Edwards, MS, Service & Beverage Consultant and Educator. Other evalua­tors include Serafin Alvarado, MS, Corporate Educator, Southern Wine and Spirits of Illinois, and Chris Cook, food and wine writer.

Lake Michigan Shore Appellation wines and wines from viticultural regions around the world, which are similar to the climate of southwest Michigan, will be evaluated in blind tastings. Wines from other regions will be chosen to represent good examples of the expression of the variety. Consideration will be given to the price-point of some of these wines.

The wine evaluation workshop is targeted to wine grape growers, winery personnel, tourist and hospitality staff, restaurateurs, wine retailers, wine distributors, media, and others seeking a working knowledge of basic wine tasting and the quality of wines of southwest Michigan.

Annual Southwest Michigan Horticultural Days

February 2-3, 2011 at Lake Michigan College's Mendel Center in Benton Harbor. View brochure.
MSU Extension in partnership with the Michigan Grape Society, Lake Michigan College and the Michigan State Horticultural Society has put together another packed two days of workshops for area fruit and vegetable growers. On February 2-3, a variety of sessions will be offered at Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Recent Advances in Vineyard Technology and Pest Control Workshop

February 24, 2011 at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center. View brochure.
The world of vineyard pest management is changing quickly with new pesticides and new pests to control. At the same time, the cost of control continues to climb. It is imperative that growers and their advisors have the latest information on vineyard pest management to keep ahead of these trends and to remain competitive.

Growers, crop consultants, and vineyard scouts should attend the February 24 in-depth workshop “Recent Advances in Vineyard Technology and Pest Control” organized by MSU Extension to learn about the latest in vineyard technology that can improve spray deposition, increase insect and disease control, and minimize fruit losses. Andrew Landers, from Cornell University, is an international expert in optimizing sprayers to ensure that growers get the most out of applications. Dr. Landers has pioneered the use of simple and low-cost methods for sprayer improvements, as well as designing more sophisticated sprayer systems for use in juice and wine grape canopies. His entertaining and engaging speaking style will provide practical advice that growers can adopt in their workshop the next day. Dr. Landers also has a practical guide to vineyard spraying that will be available at a highly reduced price to those who pre-register – a $55 value for $25.

The program will be complemented by presentations to provide advanced and in-depth treatments of important topics for understanding the complex world of vineyard pest management. These will include an overview of the many new vineyard pest management chemicals and how well they perform against key insect pests (Rufus Isaacs, MSU Entomology) and diseases (Annemiek Schilder, MSU Plant Pathology). MSU’s viticulturist Paolo Sabbatini will discuss how knowledge of vine function can help growers decide when it is worth spending money on vine protection from pests, and John Wise (MSU Entomology) will review recent research on rainfastness of insecticides and fungicides, plus some recent comparisons of vineyard sprayers.

David Schwallier from Wilbur Ellis will speak about spray adjuvants and how to use them effectively in vineyard pest management programs. With their vast knowledge of vineyard management, several selected Michigan grape growers will also provide a grower panel discussion during the program to discuss what works, what doesn’t, and to share some experiences and ideas for improving vineyard pest management.

This is a unique opportunity to gain state-of-the-art training in vineyard pest management from experts in their fields (RUP credits have been applied for).