Timothy Martinson has accepted the position as Finger Lakes Viticulture Extension Educator, in the role recently vacated by David Peterson, who has resigned the position to work in his family's winery business. Tim comes to the Finger Lakes Program from a position as Research Associate in the Department of Entomology at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, where he researched many aspects of grape insect problems. He served 12 years at Cornell, including his masters and Ph.D. degree work in entomology and his post-doctoral and research associate work in the grape entomology program at Geneva. During that time Tim took many opportunities to participate both in research and extension programs in the Finger Lakes and our other grape regions, so he is familiar with many industry people and industry problems. Many of his projects have included meeting and working with grape growers in their vineyards.
Tim has had a long and varied involvement in various aspects of field, horticultural and forest crop production. He grew up in a dairy farming community in Iowa. After high school he attended the University of Idaho, where he worked summers as a forestry technician for the US Forest Service, and completed a degree in plant science. He returned to Iowa to work with the Soil Conservation Service on a variety of conservation projects. He went into the Peace Corps as a volunteer in Honduras, where he was assigned to an agricultural school. There he taught entomology in the field and classroom, and supervised insect, disease and weed management on the school farm.
Tim is directly responsible for serving the grape education programming for Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben and Yates Counties. He is excited to be working with the Finger Lakes grape industry and looks forward to developing a first-class grape educational program to fit regional needs.
Philip Throop has joined the Lake Erie Regional Grape Extension Program as the area's Viticulture Extension Educator, replacing James Kamas, who left the position to return to his native Texas. Phil's role as Extension Educator is to provide sound, practical, research-based viticulture education to growers and to enhance communication between the grape, juice and wine research faculty of Cornell and Penn State Universities and the grape industry in the Lake Erie Grape Belt.
"I am impressed that there is a good infrastructure for maintaining industry dialogue through the various committees," says Phil. "This is not something you see in all communities. Also, it is quite an honor and challenge to serve in a position where specialists have historically been innovative and active in their approaches to meeting the educational needs of the community."
Phil is a Michigan native and received his B.S. and M.S. in horticulture (fruit science) from Michigan State University. While in Michigan, he worked as a nursery manager. He also worked as a tree planter in the reforestation programs of several states. For two years Phil was involved in a Community Garden Project organized through the Lansing Food Bank. The Food Bank organization provided resources and information for community members to grow their own food.
An important asset Phil brings to his position is a knowledge of mineral nutrition. This season, besides his othe duties, he will "jump right in" as an active participant in a multi-disciplinary research project looking at nutritional aspects of the problem of flower development and fruit set in the Lake Erie Grape Belt. Also he has initiated two new nitrogen experiments comparing effects of varied timing and rates of application. Vineyards of several area growers will be used in the research.
Wine East has just published the 1997 edition of the Wine East Buyers' Guide to Winery and Vineyard Equipment and Supplies. Feature articles in the new guide include "Vineyard Economics from Years 1 to 30" by Carter Price and Justin Morris of the University of Arkansas; Which Grape Varieties are Right for You?"; and the annual round-up of "New Products for the Grape and Wine Industries" by Linda Jones McKee. The guide also contains 17 summaries of previously published articles on buying various kinds of equipment and supplies. The Buyers' Guide is published as a service to wineries and vineyards east of the Rockies in North America. Requests for the Buyers' Guide should be sent to Wine East, 620 North Pine St., Lancaster, PA 17603, accompanied by a check for $3.00 to cover postage and handling.
7-9 June 1997. "Wine and Juice Production and Practical Monitoring" Workshop.
Holiday Inn Washington Dulles, 1000 Sully Road (Route 28), Dulles, VA.
Sponsored by the American Society for Enology & Viticulture/Eastern Section.
For more information contact Cynthia Wood, Viticulture & Enology Research Center, 2360 E. Barstow Avenue, Fresno, CA 93740-8003.
Phone: 209-278-2089; Fax: 209-278-4795; E-mail: cynthia_wood@csufresno.edu
30 June-2 July 1997. American Society for Enology & Viticulture, Annual Meeting.
San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA.
In conjunction with the annual meeting, the ASEV is sponsoring a Zinfandel Symposium at the San Diego Hyatt Regency Hotel on 30 June.
For pre-registration and exhibitor information contact the ASEV, P.O. Box 1855, Davis, CA 95617-1855, or E-mail to: asevdavis@aol.com
9-10 July 1997. Riesling Symposium.
The Corning Radisson in Corning, NY.
In conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society for Enology & Viticulture/Eastern Section (see below), a 1.5 day symposium will be offered on the viticultural effects and enological processes on Riesling wines. Topics include environmental requirements for growing Riesling, rootstocks and clones, viticultural effects on character of the fruit, winemaking variations, tastings, late-harvest and ice wines, Riesling-like varieties, regional styles, as well as a Riesling theme luncheon.
For more information, contact Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling, Dept. Food Science & Technology, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456-0462.
Phone: 315-787-2227; Fax: 315-787-2284; E-mail: th12@cornell.edu
10-11 July 1997.The 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Enology & Viticulture/Eastern Section.
The Corning Radisson in Corning, NY.
The annual meeting (1.5 days) will be preceded at the same location by the pre-conference Riesling Symposium (1.5 days) (see above). The program includes research presentations on viticulture and enology from universities and industry, student paper and scholarship awards, trade show, wine reception, a luncheon featuring Riesling wines, and an evening banquet featuring an awards ceremony and sparkling wine tasting.
For registration or exhibitor information contact Dr. Charles Edson, 11 Agriculture Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1039.
Phone: (517)353-5134; Fax: (517)353-4995; E-Mail: edsonc@msue.msu.edu