Family hobby farm yields grapes, sweet memories

A curious venture about a neighbor’s vineyard has turned into a family-owned affair for the Jaron and Natasha Vos family who live five miles south of Peoria. From pruning to harvest, the rare Iowa industry of growing grapes is a true family operation for the couple and their four children, ranging in age from two to 11 years old.

A few years ago, Jaron and Natasha started conversations with neighbors Larry and Vi Engbers, owners of Black Creek Vineyards. The Engbers were considering retirement from the vineyard industry, and Jaron, being no stranger to farming, showed interest in pursuing what he considers a hobby. Jaron, who is the son of Judson and Pam Vos and grew up on his family’s farm south of Sully, found himself working under the tutelage of Larry for one year to learn the ropes of the vineyard before fully taking on ownership and the many varied responsibilities. Today, the Vos family owns Black Creek Farms, a vineyard covering five acres that produces four varieties of grapes – Marechal Foch, Frontenac, Edelweiss, and Lacrosse, as well as a small number of table grapes.14199774_10209372723207981_6903437788790381446_n

The original vineyard is located just one-fourth mile west of the Vos’s house, and the family expanded their operation to include new vines near their house this past spring.

Vineyard Responsibilities

The Monday after Daylight Saving Time signals the start of grape season for the Vos family. Jaron takes advantage of extended daylight hours and prunes rows of grapes after fulfilling his duties at his full-time job as a professional services manager at Pella Corp. Once pruning is finished, the family focuses on replacing posts, trellis repairs, and dormant spraying for weeds before foliage appears. The family sprays as needed for insects, mold, and mildews, a process that is heavily dependent on the weather. During long stretches of dry weather in the spring, the irrigation system may also be started.

The entire family, including the youngest of the Vos crew, gets fully involved in the early summer months. Suckers – new, unwanted growth on the trunk of the vine – are removed primarily by Natasha and the children. Occasionally, the Voses recruit their cousins and neighbor friends to help with the chore. During the summer months is often when Atticus finds himself on the mower maintaining the grass in the vineyard.img_1227

In early August, the grapes start to ripen, attracting unwanted birds hungry for a treat. Bird netting is placed over the vines for protection using custom-made loader bucket attachments for easier rolling and unrolling of the netting. Near the end of August, the grapes are finally ready to be picked, cooled, and delivered.

Sweet Science

The Vos family relies on scientific testing and their own tastebuds to determine when the grapes are ready for harvest. The family communicates with area wineries to meet target levels of brix (sugar content), pH (acidity), and TA (titratable acidity). “Actually, I find that tasting the grapes is just as accurate as all the testing of their properties,” said Jaron. Once targeted levels are reached, the family works within a small window of time to get the grapes off the vine.

A mechanical harvester, thought to be the only one of its kind in the state, is used to aide in the harvest. Engbers still assists the Vos family and runs the harvester, which shakes the grapes individually off the vine, removes excess leaves and debris, and conveys the grapes and some juice into plastic tubs that each hold 1,000-1,300 pounds. The grapes are then cooled and delivered to wineries the next day.

If all goes well, each variety of grapes takes an afternoon to harvest. Additional duties such as readying equipment, removal of netting, and washing the harvester increase the amount of time spent in the vineyards during harvest season. This year, the Vos family completed custom harvesting for other vineyards, making it a very busy season.

Grapes from Black Creek Farms typically go to two local wineries – Fireside Winery, located north of the Williamsburg Outlet Mall, and Covered Bridges Winery of Winterset. The family has also sold to Tassel Ridge and other Iowa wineries. Last year, a Kansas winery sought out Black Creek Farms and bought a few tons of the Lacrosse grapes since local supply for that particular variety was low.

Once the grapes are harvested, the work in the vineyard is far from complete. Just like on any other farm, Jaron performs equipment repair and maintenance during the off season. The family also spends time purchasing the right supplies and researching ways to make everything more cost and labor effective. Each year is a new learning experience for the family, and they admit it can be challenging. “The past few years, the harvester has been a challenge to keep running. It is a maze of hydraulic hoses,” said Jaron. “Each year, I learn more about how better to operate and maintain it.” Other challenges include weed control, particularly during heavy rains in late summer. “Dry Augusts and Septembers make life in the vineyard much easier,” admits Jaron. Iowa’s unpredictable weather plays a huge factor in the family’s grape operation. While Iowa’s rich soil is a huge advantage for growing grapes, late frosts, humidity, and rain are negative aspects. Also, the grapes are sensitive to drift from 2,4-D and Dicamba herbicides, creating another challenge to growing grapes in the heartland of Iowa among acres of corn and bean fields.

Iowa State Fair Success

For many years, the Engberses entered their grapes and won most of the awards at the Iowa State Fair. The Voses continue this yearly tradition with Atticus now handling this part of the family’s business. Atticus works with Larry and relies on his expertise to help choose the best bunches of grapes. “We enjoy the competition and a lot of blue ribbons,” said Jaron. The Voses won the Lee Cline Award for outstanding fruit exhibitor at this year’s Iowa State Fair.

Growing grapes is much more than a business for the Vos family. Aside from the sweet grapes Black Creek Farms produces for wineries across the state of Iowa, the year-round work, time, and dedication the family pours into the vineyards instills a sense of responsibility, work ethic, and even sweeter memories for the family members who work side by side to complete the harvest.

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