By Doug Fabbioli

“There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.” Aldo Leopold 

Growing up outside Syracuse, NY, I learned a little bit about the weather.  Snow.  Snow.  And more snow.  It impacted drives to school, work, and the grocery store, but we could shelter in the warmth of our home when it all became too much.  Having a career as a farmer and wine maker, I have learned a heck of a lot more about the weather through my lived experience in the vineyard and out in the field.

The weather for any agriculture business is really a make or break situation. Being aware of the weather — both the short and long term forecasts, is critical. It can be the determining factor in what work will need to be done and when — scheduled or not.  Knowing what the long term weather and climate forecast is, gives us information to base critical decisions for future success and abundant growth.

This past growing season was relatively dry. Without built-in irrigation in most of our vineyards, irrigating in a dry season is a hard thing to do. Young vines need the most care and attention. When we plant young vines, our work around without an irrigation system is a water tank on a trailer.  This allows us to give each vine a drink when we don’t have the rains when they are most needed.

Last spring we lucked out.  Early in the season we watered our new plantings only once through this labor intensive process.  Later in the year, we received a soaking rain right when we needed it — we and the vines were thankful for it.  Farming is a true partnership between the farmer, the land, and the weather.

We do have a drip irrigation system in one of our vineyards.  We haven’t used it for years. Keeping a close eye on the vines, we determined they were doing just fine. Irrigation, installed in the ground, or done with truck, trailer, and tank, is one of the most important decisions and projects for a farmer — and one without a single obvious path forward.

Recently, another grower shared with me the potential for drought stress to occur on a plant long before it is visible. There goes the idea of simply visually inspecting the vines.  Additionally, the root system on a plant will grow very dense at the point where the water from an irrigation system drips – taking the path of least resistance.  A vine with no irrigation will grow roots all over searching for a drink of water.  Even if I invested in that drip irrigation system, got it up and running, the vines might not grow a strong and stable root system able to absorb water efficiently. Irrigation decisions, rain patterns, timing and volume, greatly affect our vines and our final product.

Another great example of our unbreakable tie to nature is temperature.   At the time of writing, the sleeping vines are surrounded by snow and we are experiencing deep cold in both the vineyards and in the production barn. Some vines are naturally more cold hardy, and others are specially developed to be more cold hardy than others.  Choosing the right vine for the right location is key and learned through experience.

Polar vortex is a term I learned about a decade ago and paid a price at the time for not paying close attention. When temperatures in the winter dip down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit or below, the buds of the vines can freeze and die off. Whole branches and vines can die off from winter kill. In the fall, we mound up soil around the base of the young vines in an attempt to protect some buds from dying.  If the exposed buds do die, those protected at the base can be trained up to become new branches for the following years.  Mounding up the soil to protect young vines is a significant expense for the farmer and requires additional labor. Picking the right vines that match your climate can save the farmer both money and labor.

Weather impacts sales in the tasting room as well. Storms on the weekends make for quiet days in the tasting room.  When the roads are clear, come on in and take advantage of the quiet days and extra time tasting wine with our wine educators.

When the weather team on the local news talks for days about significant weather impacts, know this tends to keep customers away— even when the weather event doesn’t pan out.  To a certain extent, weather uncertainty can be built into a business plan. But, it is our community of wine lovers and supporters that help tremendously when these weather events are seen as opportunities to stock up in advance, or take advantage of quieter days in the tasting room when the roads are clear.

I love our four seasons here in Western Loudoun!  There is always something new to embrace while we look forward to the rapid greening of spring, the roaring summer thunder boomers, the autumn colors and the winter whites.Our farming and this farmer, WILL weather the weather — even if things are a bit more challenging than in the past. I applaud all of the folks who brave the ever changing weather and seasons — the cold, heat, precipitation and winds, to do their jobs. The dancing with Mother Nature continues with each vintage here in DCs Wine Country!

About the Author: Farmer, winemaker, entrepreneur, educator, and leader, Doug Fabbioli has been accelerating the growth and quality of Virginia’s wine industry since 1997. With his wife Colleen, Doug is the owner/operator of Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, VA. He is the founder and director of The New Ag School, which focuses on teaching the next generation of farmers and agriculture-related leaders. No wonder they call Doug Fabbioli the Godfather of DC’s Wine Country.