Preparing the ground

Before any planting can be done in the vineyard, the ground must be prepared.   These images from the George Hostetter fonds show the activities of the research vineyard staff at the T.G. Bright & Co. Limited, aka Brights Wines.  Tilling the soil,  marking rows, laying drainage tile and driving posts and setting up a trellis system all needed to be in place before the vines could be planted.   In the 1940s and 1950s, Brights still retained the use of animals in farm labour, not an unlikely occurence in many farms in the Niagara region during this time.    

Vineyard staff use century old methods for tilling and preparing the soil for planting. 

Horse power was still some times used for certain aspects of farm activities.   Here two vineyard workers spread manure in a field.  

Modern tilling equipment was used in this 1940s era photograph to prepare the soil for planting.  

Vineyard staff prepare to pull wire for the three or sometimes four trellis wire systems used to support grape vines.  

Three vineyard staff use trenching equipment to prepare the ground for drainage tile.   Draining wet and low areas of a vineyard ensured the survival of grape vines that were sometimes subsceptible to rot and disease.

As an ongoing process of producing stellar grape crops, soil analysis was conducted at many times during the lifecycle of a vineyard.   Understanding  soil structure and composition were one of the many analyses conducted by Brights staff to produce and enhance grape production.   

John Ghetti records notes on soil samples collected for analysis.  

An example of some of the  soil analysis observations recorded by Brights Wines staff.