Here Ben is digging a trench to hold all the underground electric lines. All the wires running from the utility pole to the side of the barn will be placed underground to give the winery a cleaner appearance.

So many things going on at the winery right now to get ready to open in March 2013. We finally jumped all in and are having the barn finished, equipment bought, driveway and parking lot installed, stone repointed and so many other things. Here are a few photos of the siding going up and the new parkinglot/driveway.

Young Cabernet Franc vines make their way up grow tubes next to the winery. We planted 100 to see how they would grow in the soil we have. The photo was taken mid summer. I really like using the grow tubes. They protect young vines from all kinds of harm until they are well established. They promote growth up the tube.

New Old Floor Boards Arrive

The trees that fell on our property, that we had milled into floor boards finally came back from the mill. I picked them up yesterday and loaded them into the barn tasting room so they could acclimate to the environment before they get nailed down. The mill planed the top and bottom and put a tongue and groove on each board. They came out great and are about 3/4 of an inch thick. After they get laid down I'll give them a light sanding, and stain/polyurethane them. Finishing them off with another light sanding. I laid out a few just to see what they would look like. This will all get done after the stone work inside the barn gets re pointed. Moving along slowly, but moving.

Off to the planning mill to have floors made from our own trees.

Sydney and Erin after loading all the rough boards from our trees.



The rough boards that we had cut from trees on our property is off to the mill to be cleaned up top and bottom and have a tongue and groove milled into the sides for a new floor. Sydney and Erin loaded all, yes all the wood into the trailer that was drying in the barn. They are my heroes as my back was acting up and I could not be of any help, except to direct. The new wood floors should be back from the mill in two weeks and then we will lay them down, stain and finish them. The wood is Ash and Oak and will last a lifetime.

The boards at the mill

Ceiling Fans Installed in the Tasting Room

A little more progress on the winery tasting room as we install ceiling fans. The raw floor boards will be going to the mill next week to be planned on both sides and have a tongue and groove put in them. Should take about two weeks to get them back and start laying them down. Once the floor is in we'll stain it. Should look beautiful. The wood is from trees on our property that were sawn into rough boards.

More Progress at the Barn

Lots of things going on in the barn now. The air conditioning/heat pump and the furnace are being installed now. The duct work is hung and will be similar to what you might see in a restaurant, hanging overhead and decorative. Right now the duct work is a silver color but will be painted to look like copper. The heating system is actually two systems, a combination of a gas furnace for really cold weather and a heat pump (to capitalize on our free electric from solar) for anything above 40 degrees.