Luke Haggerty is a viticulture extension specialist with Cornell’s Lake Erie Regional Grape Program, whose research helps over 840 grape farmers along the Lake Erie Grape Belt. He discusses how crop thinning was used on farms to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Haggerty says:
“Last year’s frost in the Lake Erie Grape Belt resulted in a very heavy crop load this year for both Concord and Niagara growers. 2013 is going to be an exceptional year and will probably be talked about for years to come.
“For some, the vines put on more grapes than it could handle, which could cause the fruit to not ripen properly as well as hinder the health of the vine. To alleviate some of the risk, many growers used crop thinning. Crop thinning is a technique developed by researchers at the Cornell Lake Erie Regional Grape Program where grape harvesters are adjusted to only take off a portion of the grape crop. Having a vineyard with over 16 tons an acre was common in the Lake Erie Grape Belt, but many growers decided to thin the crop down to a manageable 8 to 10 tons per acre. This ensures the grapes will meet the appropriate sugar levels and the vines will maintain good health and put on another good crop next year.”
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