Vital Vidal Tasks

Critter fencing is installed around the perimeter of the Vidal acre

Connie's Post

At present date, we are not able to be a presence at the farm everyday and the wildlife knows it. in southern maryland, a vine's most feared predators are the deer and small critter, looking for tasty tendrils and succulent young vines to strip down to nubbins. later in the year, we will worry about birds picking at the grape clusters. don't even think of the september drunken hornets!

all vineyards seem to have a common critter problem. a few have dogs patroling the vineyard fields, and others employ noise canisters to scare birds. some try bad smells for the furry critters and deers (home gardeners will know what i'm talking about--irish spring soap, blood meal sprinkles, rotten eggs and peppers sprays). others will invest in electric fences--the very same that takes care of the common suburban canine.

at our vineyard, we work with eight foot high fencing around the perimeter of the vineyard. it worked very well for our proofing concept/viognier acre. the fencing is rolled around the perimeter and gerald nails the fencing to the posts. dad pulls the fencing tight and boy2 helps with handing gerald the nails. after the deer fence is secured upright, the boys then unroll the small critter fencing and nail to the same posts. gerald then drives spikes through the netting into the ground, securing the vineyard from snuffling furry noses looking for a significant loop hole. if i was a small critter, i would skirt around the vineyard, anyway. large hawks regularly patrol and sit lookout on the acre's posts, awaiting a miscreant varmit trapped inside. its a no win proposition.