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Winneshiek Vineyard Sees Sharp Production Increase
Posted: July 20, 2010
It took three years for the hard work to pay off in a harvest of grapes at the Prairie View Vineyard, owned and operated by Brian and Kelly Nordschow,south of Decorah.
The vineyard was established in 2004 and 3 years later the Nordschows harvested about 7200 pounds of wine grapes. Last year they harvested about 9500 pounds of wine grapes and about 2300pounds of table grapes.
"We market our table grapes directly to area high schools and colleges within 100 miles and through GROWN Locally coop," Brian Nordschow or Prairie View Vineyard.
The wine grapes are under annual contract with Park Farm Winery of Dubuque. Park Farm wines are sold locally at the Oneota Community Food Coop.
Prairie view has about 2 acres of La Crescent, white wine grapes and about one acre of Somerset Seedless table grapes. Brian said Somersets were selected for their cold hardiness and wonderful flavor.
The vines are grown on a vertical shoot trellis, a systems which requires many extra hours of labor. Anyone interested in participating in the fall harvest, which will occur in late September should call Brian at 563.380.1330.
By Randy Uhl, Winneshiek County Economic Development.
