The 35th annual Michigan Viticulture Field Day and inaugural Michigan Enology Experience are approaching

Michael Reinke<reinkem3@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension, and Leah Strain - July 23, 2024

Early bird registration has been extended to July 25! Don’t miss Michigan State University’s famous field day and steak dinner on July 31. We are now adding a second day just for the wine makers.

People standing in a vineyard with a drone flying above. — Come see some new tools and techniques for growing grapes at the Michigan Viticulture Field Day. Stay for some good food and wine. Photo by Leah Strain.

For 35 years, the Viticulture Field Day at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (SWMREC) in Benton Harbor, Michigan, has been a fun-filled event with great education, valuable socializing and displays and demonstrations of the newest and best equipment on the market for grape growers. This year, we continue the tradition with field presentations and demonstrations on current topics you are asking about. Exhibitors will also be showing off their equipment and information to help you be the best growers you can be. So, bring your sunscreen, best hat, appetite and curiosity for another exciting year at the Michigan Viticulture Field Day on July 31, 2024. Early bird registration has been extended to July 25!

Some topics at Michigan Viticulture Field Day you might be interested in:

Michael Reinke will provide updates on the spray drone research trial at SWMREC comparing efficacy and efficiency to traditional ground sprayer equipment.
Cheyenne Sloan will use a soil pit to demonstrate and discuss soil structure and soil health from a grapevine’s perspective.
Tim Miles will share some of the newest insights in adapting grape disease management programs to the whims of the weather.
Rufus Isaacs will discuss how to adjust pest management programs in a year with a short crop because of winter and spring frost damage.
We will also show updates to a demonstration trial comparing grape pruning methods used to adjust for winter damaged vines.

As is the tradition, the Viticulture Field Day will be at SWMREC on the last Wednesday in July. This year, that is July 31. Check-in starts at 8 a.m. with presentations beginning after 9 a.m. Lunch and a steak dinner will be included in your attendance as is the post-dinner wine tasting.

See agenda and program flyer

New this year is the inaugural Michigan Enology Experience on Aug. 1 at Lake Michigan College’s Welch Center. This is a second day of activities just for the wine makers out there. Following a morning of educational presentations on winemaking and a tasting panel on lesser-grown varieties there will be organized visits to a few local wineries where we will discuss different aspects of wine production before returning to the Welch Center for a Lake Michigan Vintners Open House and small bites.

Michigan Grape Society is partnering with Michigan State University Extension and Lake Michigan College for organizing and running the event. Online registration for the Viticulture Field Day and the Enology Experience is available. Seating for the Enology Experience is limited so please register early to secure your spot! Register by July 25 to receive the discounted early-bird rate of $70 per person ($90 at the door) for day one and $100 per person ($125 at the door) for day two. Early-bird registration for both days is $150 per person ($200 at the door).

For questions about this year’s events or sponsorship, please contact Mike Reinke at reinkem3@msu.edu.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

MSU Extension Grapes