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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Would-be vineyard owners have many reasons for going into the grape-growing business. The "romance of the grape" is at the center of most reasons, according to Justin Morris, food scientist.

"About No. 10 is 'I'd like to make money,'" said Morris, director of the Institute for Food Science and Engineering at the University of Arkansas.

"You're not going to get to have this romance unless you know how to make money," Morris told new and potential growers at the 2007 Missouri Wine and Grape Conference at Lake of the Ozarks.

The Beginning Viticulture session drew 180 people who learned what it takes to make money from a vineyard ? everything from selecting a good site to finding a grape buyer before vines go in the ground. This was the first year a beginners session was part of the annual growers conference.

Topics included soil preparation, trellises, drainage and irrigation, choosing the right varieties, pruning and training vines, and managing pests and diseases, as well as financial considerations.

Andy Allen, a University of Missouri Extension viticulture specialist said, "Our goal was to give them an honest picture of what they're getting into and increase their chances of success."

"It can take $10,000 to $15,000 an acre to get a vineyard established," Allen said. "That's a huge investment that takes a long time to recoup."

Producers won't see their first crop until year three when vines are mature enough to withstand the weight of the grapes. However, well-tended vines will produce for 25 to 30 years or more.

"The things you do in the first year can affect the plants two or three years later, or even longer," said Allen, who is with the Institute for Continental Climate Viticulture and Enology at the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Unlike an annual crop, where mistakes in the first year can be corrected the next year, once vines are planted growers can't change things without incurring large expenses, he said.

Allen said he was pleased that many workshop participants, such as Skip and Patti Moreland, were educating themselves before establishing a vineyard.

"It's a smart thing to do," Allen said.

The Morelands, who own 10 acres near Union, Mo., are considering putting in a vineyard when they retire in five to seven years. "We don't plan on retiring and doing nothing," Patti said.

Skip said the couple was exploring options whether to grow grapes commercially or as a hobby.

"We want to see what we're getting into," he said. "You could throw away a lot money very quickly, and for what purpose?"

For the Morelands, the grape and wine conference also was a chance to talk with grape growers and make connections with wineries. The couple plans to continue their education during the next several months, taking part in ICCVE's Grape Production Short Course, which begins Feb. 22.

Sessions will be held each month through October at Les Bourgeois Winery in Rocheport, Mo. The course fee is $300 per person for Missouri residents and $400 per person for out-of-state attendees.

For more information, or to register, contact the MU Institute at 573-882-6656; or online at http://iccve.missouri.edu/. Source: Andy Allen, 573-882-6752

Eileen Yager
Communications Officer
573-882-0604
yagere@umsystem.edu