What are grape growers doing to be more efficient and stay in business? Keith Oliver, manager at Olsen Brothers Farms in Prosser, Washington, said they are reducing tractor hours in both juice and wine grape vineyards, using minimal pruning, and have reduced man-hours by switching to drip irrigation in Concord grape vineyards. Diversified grape and tree fruit grower Art den Hoed of Sunnyside, Washington, has also focused on reducing tractor passes in the vineyard as a way to control costs, changing from clean cultivation to no-till in the row middles. Oliver and den Hoed took part in a panel discussion […]