Maintaining the vineyard
Manual hoeing and weeding around established grape vines was still a popular but labour intensive activity in the 1940s.
A farm worker uses the Hostetter family developed mechanized hoeing system.
The Hostetter mechanical hoe in action.
This sure beats weeding by hand!
Two vineyard workers spread manure the old fashioned way!
Two vineyard workers stand on top of a pile manure as another pulls the trailer with a McCormick-Deering tractor
Close up image of the curtain spraying equipment used to control disease and pests on mature grape vines.
A vineyard worker pulls a tractor with the attached spraying equipment through the vineyard.
A vineyard prunes grape vines in late winter with snow on the ground.
Two vineyard workers on a Bucyrus Erie dozer maintain the vineyard in the winter.
George Hostetter demonstrates pruning techniques.
George Hostetter prunes two year old vines.
Another pruning technique is demonstrated.
Women were often hired to tie grapes to the trellis system because of their fine motor skills.
Here two women attach vines to the trellis system when the grape vines are in full leaf.