Alternative Agriculture (1989) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
8 Fresh Grapes in California and Arizona: Stephen Pavich & Sons
8 Fresh Grapes in California and Arizona: Stephen Pavich & Sons
Pages 350-373
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 350... ...
This area typically is very hot in the summer; maximum temperatures exceed 90°F an average of 110 days per year, and minimum temperatures fall below 32°F only 11 days per year. A similar climate is found in Tulare County, which is located near the center of the San Joaquin Valley.
|
From page 351... ...
No premium price is asked as a result of alternative farming methods except for about 3 percent of the crop, which is certified and labeled as organic and sold through health food stores. Weed control The Paviches use no-tillage methods with a perennial rye grass practices and native weed cover crop, chopped periodically.
|
From page 352... ...
The climate in the Harquahala Valley of Arizona is also hot and dry. At Phoenix (about 70 miles east of the Pavich ranch)
|
From page 353... ...
353 ._ zip U
|
From page 354... ...
354 o := Z ._ U 5o o ·_ · ·w CD to J a z en US ~0 A1 U)
|
From page 355... ...
o ¢ x o r°· ·= cn o z Lo LL m 6 ._ ~ .E D _ _ ~ ME ~ u, .~ ~ to to ~ A1 u, o u ._ Cal ._ .= x ~0 E ~ E ° I, ~ ~ 5: ~m it_ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ' ..
|
From page 356... ...
According to Steve Pavich, factors that tend to increase the irrigation water requirements for Arizona include lower-than-normal winter precipitation, higher-thannormal summer temperatures, and extraordinarily heavy crops. For the Tulare County vineyards, irrigation water costs $65.00 per acre-foot, compared with $3.00 per acre-foot in Kern County.
|
From page 357... ...
. MANAGEMENT FEATURES Soil Fertility From 1966 until 1970 the Paviches applied commercial fertilizer to their vineyards.
|
From page 358... ...
TABLE 7 Price of Compost for Pavich California Vineyards Tonnage of Compost Dollars/Ton <500 500-1,999 2 2,000 8.00 6.00 5.00
|
From page 359... ...
Over the years, Steve Pavich, Ir., has had literally hundreds of tests done to determine the nutrient needs of his vineyards, including both soil tests and plant tissue (petiole and leaf) samples.
|
From page 360... ...
In addition to flail-chopping the ground cover, the Paviches hire workers to hoe or puB weeds from among the vines. Insect Control Steve Pavich, Ir., reports that the primary insect pest in their vineyards is the grape leafhopper (Erythroneura eZegantula)
|
From page 361... ...
occurs naturally, and when its population is in high enough concentration, it effectively controls the grape leafhopper.2 Unfortunately, this parasite is much less effective against a close relative of the grape leafhopper, the variegated leafhopper (Erythroneura variabilis) , which is becoming a serious pest in fresh grapes in some parts of California.
|
From page 363... ...
Steve Pavich, Ir., observed that his neighboring California vineyards are heavily infested with spider mites. In spite of the risks of infestation from neighboring vineyards, however, the Paviches have found it necessary to spray only once in 15 years, on only 40 acres, to control the spider mites.
|
From page 365... ...
Many of the grape leafhopper eggs found under the grape leaves were seen to be parasitized by the Anagrus wasp. Steve Pavich, Ir., estimated that the yield in this vineyard would be 750 to 800 boxes per acre.
|
From page 366... ...
A compensating factor, however, is the very high yields and excellent quality obtained in this area. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Environmental Impact In view of the fact that the Paviches use very little if any insecticide, no herbicide, and only sulfur as a fungicide, their grape operation poses a greatly reduced environmental threat with regard to residues of agricultural chemicals in groundwater or on food, pesticide drift onto neighboring farms, or injury to workers on the farm.
|
From page 367... ...
Table 11 lists the expenses incurred in establishing an acre of Thompson seedless fresh grapes, according to the University of California (UC) farm management extension enterprise budget (Klonsky, 1986~.
|
From page 368... ...
3rd year; $5/acre for application 14 20 Pest management and disease control, includes mildew 17 27 293 Herbicides: materials and application 35 32 32 Miscellaneous labor, materials 34 29 34 Total cultural costs 1,069 1,288 1,120 Harvest costs Contract at $45/ton, pick and haul 225 Total harvest costs, custom 225 Overhead costs County taxes 39 39 39 Office end lousiness costs 30 30 30 Totaloverhead costs 69 69 69 Total cash costs 1,138 1,357 1,413 Accumulated cash costs 1,138 2,495 3,908 Depreciation Building, equipment, and irrigation 65 65 65 Interest on investment at 12.5 percent Building, equipment, and irrigation 55 55 55 Land ($3,000/acre) 375 375 375 Interest in accumulated cash cost 142 312 489 Total interest on investment 572 742 918 Total cash and fixed costs for the year 1,775 2,164 2,397
|
From page 369... ...
Although the Paviches provided detailed accounting data, the categories they use to report their cost data are not comparable with several items in the UC farm management extension budgets. Soil fertility costs were somewhat higher on the Pavich operation than in the UC budget, but on the other hand the Paviches incurred no expenses for herbicides.
|
From page 370... ...
Field labor wage rate, includes Social Security, Workmen's Compensation, insurance Selected preharvest cash costs Irrigation preparation and cultivation 48.72 Irrigation labor 29.10 Irrigation water 130.80 Chemical fertilizer (60 pounds N) 23.00 Alternative fertilizers (compost, foliar sprays Soil amendments Herbicide Ground cover maintenance Growth regulator (gibberellic acid)
|
From page 371... ...
. These parasitic wasps are particularly valuable because of their amazing ability to locate and attack grape leafhopper eggs.
|
From page 372... ...
When the blackberries leaf out in February, the lush, new foliage apparently stimulates heavy oviposition by the Dikrella leafhoppers. The Anagrus parasites increase enormously on these eggs so that by late March and early April there is widespread dispersal of the newly produced Anagrus adult females.
|
From page 373... ...
1986. Thompson Seedless Grapes For Table Use—Sample Costs to Establish a Vineyard; Sample Costs for a Mature Vineyard.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.