SEPTEMBER 2010 –– PAGE 13 THE GROWER
OFVGA SUMMER TOUR AND BBQ Specialty tomatoes expand the category Leamington has deservedly earned its title as Tomato Capital of Canada. Not only does Heinz and Sunbrite process tomatoes into paste and ketchup, but greenhouses hydroponically grow several kinds of fresh tomatoes. Traditional beefsteak and roma tomatoes still vie for a place in foodservice, while other gourmet tomatoes are capturing upscale restaurants and gourmet cooks. At Prism Farms, Vic Tiessen and his sons Ryan and Mike specialize in Campari and Champagne tomatoes. With 7.2 acres under glass and 10.5 acres under double poly, their operation is devoted to tomatoes that can literally be found on the cocktail circuit from Chicago to Toronto to New York. In summer months, a crop can go from bloom to harvest in six weeks. Under lower light conditions, the rotation is more like 10 weeks. One of their challenges is to manage heating costs.
They have built boiler capacity to burn miscanthus, a fast-growing bamboo-like grass. To that end, they are growing miscanthus plugs to set out in the field with the hopes of expanding home-grown biomass. With 4,000 rhizomes per acre, they expect one or two tonnes of harvest in the first year. In the second year, the biomass should increase to three to six tonnes. By year four, they expect to harvest eight to 12 tonnes of biomass. They calculate a need for 6,000 tonnes of biomass per year for their heating needs. With these long-term plans in mind, the Tiessen’s have purchased equipment in partnership with Pyramid Farms to convert miscanthus into cube format for combustion. “We plan to be operational by the summer of 2011 supplying cubes to the greenhouse market for heating fuel,” says Mike Tiessen.
Viewpointe Estate Winery pioneers Essex’s own grape varietal Standing in the basement wine cellar of French oak barrels, Jean Fancsy readily admits that Viewpointe Estate Winery is slowly building its inventory of wine. About 12,000 cases per year to be exact since its vault was built in 2006. That compares to the 200,000 cases of wine that neighbouring wineries might produce a few miles away. It’s all part of the Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Island viticulture region where grape growers mix their art with agritourism. That is certainly the case with the Viewpointe facility that’s been designed for
hospitality functions, wine-tastings and food preparation courses. It’s also the site for a distance learning course from Niagara College that links budding vintners. Under ideal economic conditions, proximity to the U.S. border is supposed to be a plus. However, American traffic was definitely softer in 2009 and is just starting to tick again. For Americans used to the sweeter grape varietals grown in Michigan, they will find a unique taste in the vinifera varieties grown and bottled at Viewpointe. A most unusual variety is Auxerrois, more traditionally known in the Alsace region of France. Seldom seen in Canada, the Viewpointe Auxerrois at 13 per cent alcohol offers a surprise alternative to its ancestral cousin, Chardonnay. In addition to Auxerrois, one of Viewpointe’s undertakings is to breed a varietal that’s exclusive to Essex, weather-hardy and resistant to disease. The Fancsy’s pioneering work won the Premier’s award for innovation earlier this year.
Jean Fancsy
The tour group takes a moment to savour the latest issue of The Grower.