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October 24, 2009
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Sports
Northern Adirondack FFA students help out with elementary school fall festival.
Champlain’s fire department reaps benefits from its annual breakfast.
Soccer tourney held in Mooers in memory of Roxie and Louanne.
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New life being breathed into grapegrowers association By Sarah L. Cronk
was a lot of discouragement at that level.” “A number of the people involved didn’t have an agriculture background,” he added. “So, [there were] a lot of poor rerape growers of the region have sults in actually getting good fruit from decided it’s time to bring back their grapes.” the Lake Champlain Grape The grape growers who did have posiGrowers Association. The association was organized in 2004 tive results from the investment, did not have the time to participate in the associby cold-hardy grape growers in Clinton ation. Eventually, LCGGA was pushed to and Essex counties for the purpose to be an the back burner. “informa“But, in the last coutional and “We’re hoping to get to the point of be- ple of years [there] has promotionincreasing al resource ing able to advice growers, particularly been amount of interest in for those new growers, of what to plant ... what grape growing in the interested area,” McDowell said. in growing works and so on.” “We’re beginning to grapes and make a big push for making Rob McDowell, vice president membership and wine on a Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association growth and represencommertation,” he added. cial and Currently, there are 15-20 paid memberpre-commercial level,” according to inforships in the association. The group is mation provided by LCGGA. However, many growers found the ven- working on creating a Web site, creating bylaws, and welcoming more members. ture to be more difficult than anticipated. “We’re hoping to get to the point of be“A lot of people took ... more of an amateur approach,” explained Rob McDow- ing able to advice growers, particularly new growers, of what to plant ... what ell, LCGGA vice president and owner of works and so on,” he said. Purple Gate Vineyard in Beekmantown. Although McDowell feels the group is “[They] had a lot of problems and there not getting a considerable amount of work
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done, as it is harvest time, they felt it was also a good time to get the word out about the organization. “We felt that it was the time when everything is sort of at people’s attention; right in front of their face,” he said. For the skeptics who are unsure of how grapes can grow in the area, much less make wine, McDowell explained what is unique about the North Country that allows for these grapes to grow successfully. “[The area] is one of the sunniest, driest areas of the state,” he said, although this year may not have seemed the case. “It’s probably one of the poorer grape growing years we’ve seen, but we finished harvesting this weekend ... and we had extraordinary quality.” Low altitude and good soil also contribute to a positive growing environment. Today, there are four wineries licensed in the area, with the pioneer winery being Stone House Vineyard in Mooers, owned by Phil and Bonnie Favereau. “The Champlain Valley has the ideal climate and terrain for growing cold-hardy grapes and is becoming New York State’s newest quality wine-making region,” according to LCGGA. For more information about the association, contact Dan Vesco at 846-8544.
Want to know more? Interested in learning more about the licensed wineries in the county? Here’s how: · Elf ’s Farm, 7411 State Route 9, Plattsburgh. Owner Tom Frye, president of the Lake Champlain Grape Growers Association. Frye can be reached at 563-2750 or by visiting www.elfsfarm.com. · Vesco Ridge Vineyards, 165 Stratton Hill Road, West Chazy. Owners Dan and Nancy Vesco can be reached at 846-8544 or by email at vescordige@twcny.rr.com. · Amazing Grace Vineyard and Winery, 9839 State Route 9, Chazy. Owners Gilles and Mary Fortin can be reached at 215-4044 or by e-mail at agvwinery@yahoo.com. · Stone House Vineyard, 73 Blair Road, Mooers. Owners Phil and Bonnie Faverau can be reached at 493-5971 or by e-mail at stonehousevines@westelcom. com.
A dream come true By Sarah L. Cronk sarah@denpubs.com
Quilting for Glenwood Ann Maynard, left, and Trudy Burger show off the quilt raffled off to raise money for the Glenwood Cemetery in Champlain. The ladies worked with Cathie Davenport, Gina Doty, Jane Emerson, Sherry Jubert and Sheryl Patch for a combined total of 850 hours. The quilt was raffled off Oct. 16 and won by Kim Gero of Rouses Point. The raffle raised more than $2,000. Photo by Sarah L. Cronk
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