Jogging through Silver Lake park I noticed the grape plants growing along the fence in Silver Lake golf course. Can it be true? Yes! A man with a passion is utilizing his talents and skills while operating this golf course.
It won't be long before golfers playing the Silver Lake golf course will be sniffing the aroma of some sparkling wine grown right on the left slope of the seventh hole.
Doug Johnstone, operates the Lake course along with Eve Taranto. His latest hobby is growing about a half-acre of grapes on the left side slope of the seventh hole.
After attending seminars and symposiums in Rochester, N.Y. on the art of growing and breeding grapes, Johnstone has set the wheels and trellises in motion with three new breeds of grapes released by Cornell University said to be adaptable to the wine growing regions in the East.
"The new breed of grapes produces high quality varietal wines superior to those currently available," said Bruce Reisch, grape breeder and professor of horticultural sciences at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y.
The three new breeds of berries include "Corot noir," a mid-to-late season red wine grape; "Noiret", a mid-season red wine grape; and "Valvin Muscat" a mid -season white grape.
The area will not interfere with golf and will be considered a "free drop" for golfers who do manage to get that far off course under the "environmentally protected land" rule.
It is anticipated that 25 percent of the grapes will be ready for production by next fall. In the fall of 2011 a full harvest will produce some 5-6 tons based on spacing and plant density. The golf course superintendent has not yet decided just how the wine will be distributed.
What a fabulous idea to utilize a specific area of the golf course! Having someone create this project who considers it a hobby,is most definitely a person with a passion"awesome".
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