We are meeting the excitement of harvest season with equal parts stress, especially with the unpredictable weather and the grapes ripening ahead of schedule. This year, our 4-year-ild Itasca vines are ready for their first commercial harvest on Monday! The vines are producing beautiful fruit with excellent quality. But that doesn’t mean the process is without its challenges.

Rain, in particular, has been a constant source of stress. It’s not just about getting wet—it affects every part of the vineyard. When rain falls too close to harvest, it can dilute the sugars in the grapes, impacting the balance of flavours and acidity we’ve worked so hard to cultivate. Rain also creates perfect conditions for diseases like black rot to spread. While we’ve been fortunate to avoid major outbreaks this year, we are seeing signs of it now, which adds another layer of complexity.

Additionally, rain can disrupt critical tasks. Spraying for pests and disease must be timed precisely; if the rain washes away a treatment before it has time to take effect, we’re forced to reapply it, wasting time and resources. Thinning the vines to ensure proper airflow and sunlight is also tricky, as the ground becomes slick and muddy, making the work more hazardous. Workers who are scheduled to help with these tasks or the harvest itself need to be constantly rescheduled, as we have to wait for brief windows of clear weather.

The forecast is calling for more rain today and tomorrow, just as we’re preparing to bring in the first of our Itasca. Coordinating workers under these conditions is a stressful juggling act, especially since we don’t need a huge number for this smaller harvest, but we will need many more hands for the larger crops that are yet to come. With Monday’s forecast finally showing a break in the rain, we’re pushing ahead with the harvest.

This isn’t the romanticized version of farming that people often imagine. It’s a race against the elements, a constant battle to protect the vines and grapes while balancing logistics, weather, and the quality of the fruit. Each decision impacts the success of the harvest, and hit has implications for the vines, soil and future of the vineyard. With the added stress of early ripening and unpredictable weather, we’re reminded once again that farming is anything but easy. But we’re determined to bring in a healthy, quality crop this year, rain or shine.