Spring Frost in the Vineyard

The wind machines, the two silent sentinels towering over our vineyards, came to life in the early morning of May 14th. In the course of just a few hours the temperature in Southwest Idaho plummeted from a balmy 38-40 degrees to 28 degrees or less. The wind machines, on a thermostat, powered up as the temperatures dropped.

It is always a surprise to hear the engines, great motors powered with propane, Chevrolet 454 Industrial engines capable of 2550-2650 RPM. They sound like a helicopter landing in the house.

But the wind machines are a vineyards salvation. They pump warm upper level air down into the vines. The displaced cool air flows down the slope of the hills the vines are planted on, into the creek and on down the valley. Without the wind machines we would undoubtedly have lost our crop.

So, next time you visit 3 Horse Ranch Vineyards, take a look at the wind machines and give a toast to the fact that we will have a 2009 harvest because of them.