What You Need To Know When Buying T Posts and Fencing

deer fence sonoma countySome say that for a vineyard owner the most important task, more than tasting the vine and keeping the quality up to mark, is to handle the fencing that runs in proximity of the vineyard property.

Part of installing the T posts and the fencing is going through the process of buying everything as well.  Most vineyard owners go to the market without fully knowing what a T post is and what functions you should focus on when choosing one. Whether you have to fence your experimental yard or acres of vineyard, this can also happen when you are shopping online as well.

Let’s start with the fencing options. Most of the vineyard owners buy low quality fencing. They are not aware whether it is the steel or wood fencing types that make the best fence. This wastes the owner’s money and can lead to premature repairs. Part of purchasing the Vineyard fences is that you know the size of land that you are going to surround.

T Posts

Let’s talk about what T posts really are. Vineyard T posts are specifically those which are considered most efficient posts for a vineyard, even though there are tons of other types of posts available. T posts are posts that can be planted vertically and are placed in such a way that there is equal distance between them. The number of posts you will need depends on the length of the vineyard that you have to work with. If you are shopping for T posts and other vineyard supplies for the first time then you might want to stick to steel or wood T posts. They have a longer life. You can also compare prices before setting on the final supplies for your vineyard. You might need T posts for making trellises or supporting grapevine.

Vineyard Fencing

Next comes the vineyard fencing, in vineyards many people believe that fencing is meant for decoration purposes. Paying attention to the different types of fences and the particular purpose they offer is just as important as the different types of fences are meant for keeping the vineyard safe from animals such as deer. When you are purchasing fences the first thing that you need to look into is what they are made of, we are talking about the style and shape of the fence. In the same way the shape and style of the fencing itself, matters a lot too.

You can buy all the tools and supplies such as T posts and fences from Cameron&Cameron. Check their online catalogue for the best quality products in online retail.

Things To Do Before The Day Of The Harvest

Sonoma Wine Harvest 2014For someone with a home vineyard the most important and what is also probably the most hectic and stressful task, is harvesting time.

Harvest comes once every year and making the necessary preparations is the key to a successful harvest day. You can shop for vineyard supplies at Cameron &Cameron Inc. for the most reliable products.

Not At The Last Minute

Your prep starts 7 days before the harvest time. Your job is to get the weather report, get a week’s forecast. You are looking for whether the day you picked for harvest is under threat by Mother Nature. If it is you will have to make small changes to your harvest plans.  Getting the fruit out of the field before the weather conditions present a torrent of rain over the field is one additional thing that you may have to do.

Tend To Your Vineyard

There is no point picking in a vineyard that is suffocated by weeds and the equipment that you allow lying around just because it is more convenient for you. Remember the basic rule of anything, the cleaner the place the easier the task. Apart from de cluttering the rows you need to make sure that you fill holes in the ground so that your busy pickers do not trip and hurt themselves.

You Need Pickers, Start With Volunteers

Anyone can volunteer as pickers. Remember when you are deciding on the date of the harvest don’t pick one according to when you are free but a date that suits the fruit that will be harvested. Let all your friends know that you are looking for volunteer pickers. Put out an email, professional pickers do the standard ton a day but volunteers can usually do up to a quarter of that. Offer a brunch or something after an hour of picking. The idea is to make the whole practice look as fun as possible.

You can also attract pickers by offering them a morning of wine education and vineyard fun.

Check Again

You need to confirm the details one last time. The 24 hours before you time of harvest make sure that your fruit is in perfect condition. You can do this by making sure one last time that the fruit has the accurate level of ripeness.

This also helps you decide whether you will have to pick the grapes earlier than the time you decided if you see the acid plummeting in the fruit. If you are practicing home wine making than a refractometer should be good enough to give you an exact measure of for making a Brix based decision.

California Farm Bureau Federation’s Rural Crime Prevention Program

Rural crime preventionIf you are a farmer, rancher, or vineyard operator in the state of California, then you should be aware of the many benefits of the California Farm Bureau Federation’s Rural Crime Prevention Program. The purpose of this program is to improve communications between agricultural communities and the local law enforcement agencies that serve them.

Rural crimes are a big problem, and one of the best ways to help prevent further crimes is to come together. By raising awareness, establishing effective lines of communication, and watching out for one another, the issue of rural crime can hopefully be somewhat contained.

Illegal dumping, vandalism, and theft are only the tip of the iceberg, too. Fraud, identity theft, and meth labs are also big issues to look out for.

California farmers and ranchers make up a substantial percentage of all U.S. farm crimes, so here are some tips provided by the CFBF to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:

“No Trespassing” Signs

While signs are not necessary around land that is cultivated or fenced, farmers and ranchers are required to post “No Trespassing” signs around their non-cultivated and non-fenced land.

If you are a Farm Bureau member, the CFBF will provide you with “No Trespassing” signs in both English and Spanish. These are a great, easy way to discourage potential thieves.

Bin Location Program

To date, the Bin Location Program has retrieved 770 missing and/or stolen bins. California’s crop farms, shippers, and processors are repeatedly experiencing a significant loss of bins, and this loss translates to a costly problem.

The CFBF website features a form to report missing or found bins, in an effort to return them to their rightful owners. To report, all you need to know is the type of bin and identify any markings or registered brands on the bin. The form can be found here: http://www.cfbf.com/bins/

Solar Panel Theft

The Rural Crime Prevention Program also offers tips provided by the Napa County Sheriff’s Office Problem-Oriented Policing Program on reducing your risk of becoming a victim of solar panel theft:

  • Ensure all solar panels have serial numbers. This allows owners to verify which panels have been stolen and provides law enforcement officers with evidence when stolen property is recovered.
  • Use locking bolts to secure solar panels and make them more difficult to remove. You can also put epoxy over the bolts, weld them down, and/or run aircraft wire through all panels to secure them to the frame.
  • Place tamper-evident stickers with the owner’s name on all panels. This way, if the panels are stolen the stickers can be used to identify the owner.
  • Utilize alarms specifically for solar panels.
  • Employ security cameras to cover your solar fields.
  • Place a fence around the panel systems to make getting to and removal of the panels more difficult.

For more information on the Rural Crime Prevention Program, and for more information on identifying meth labs and avoiding fraud and identity theft, visit the CFBF website here: http://www.cfbf.com/index.cfm