Just when everybody hoped that the winter was over and we made out pretty good, we got one nasty surprise in the morning of March 8 ,1999 . That very morning the temperature plunged to -23.3 C. However, closer to the lake the drop went only down to -18.7 C. This increased the damage to the buds, because right before the frost we had a considerable warming-trend and a lot of varieties already had root activity.

The hybrids were hardly harmed, but within the viniferas there is a wide range from "here goes this years crop " to ' what a surprise ". Almost every farm shows a different pattern , depending on location towards the lake and field and variety lay-out.

We at the Euro Farm are going to take the opportunity and we will start a selection program within our propagation material. This year, after that frost, the best and strongest plants will be selected and separately grafted .

This will be one interesting topic for the " Fieldwalk " on July the 17 , 1999 at 1: 30 PM
at the Euro Farm in Harrow .

Besides that there are about 45 different varieties and clones to look at and hopefully we will have most of the momentarily available growtubes set up in our new planting.

Hope to see you there.

Hans Peter Pfeifer