June 2023 - 8

COVER STORY
eliminate the impact of unfavorable
weather if economically feasible,
Burgess said. She points to 2022,
when a freeze and drought lowered
yields. Investing in wind machines
and irrigation technology also
helps.
Lakeridge purchased a Korvan
mechanical harvester that can
handle yields of 10-14 tons of
Muscadines per acre.
" We have always mechanically
harvested, but previous harvesters
were not capable of handling the
yields and we had a considerable
amount of loss as grapes spilled over
the conveyor system, " Burgess said.
Up to 100% of Lakeridge's grapes
are harvested mechanically.
While Lakeridge has
mechanically pruned in some
fashion, the purchase of a
mechanical box pruner that can
complete a vineyard row in two
passes has greatly improved
operational efficiencies, she said.
" We would not be where we
are today without adopting
innovations, " Burgess said.
Most machinery must pass
a cost/benefit evaluation for
Lakeridge's size of operation,
she said.
For its vineyard trellises,
Lakeridge uses a French brand
of polyester wire that is UV
Lakeridge grows Muscadine grapes, the dominant winegrape variety
in Florida.
stable, lightweight, cheaper than
high tensile steel wire and nonconductive.
The non-conductive part
is of particular interest, because
Lakeridge loses multiple vineyard
rows each year to lightning damage.
Grape root borer is the major
pest with grapevine aphids and
grape rootworms posing minor
threats. Pierce's disease, black rot,
canker, including dead arm/Eutypa
dieback, crown gall, Botryosphaeria
dieback (bot canker) are the major
disease threats.
Lakeridge employs integrated
pest management protocols,
including insecticidal application,
BR EBDC fungicides (in the
ethylene bisdithiocarbamate group
of fungicides), GRB (gamma-ray
burst) mass trapping when no
chemical control is available and
vine removal for cankers.
With central Florida's highly
sandy soil, improving soil organic
matter, maintaining soil moisture
and nutrient holding capacity
remains a constant challenge,
Burgess said. Because of the sand,
water and nutrient retention can
vary wildly compared to other
Florida regions with more claybased
soils.
In addition to targeted dry fertilizer
applications, Lakeridge moved to
fertigation years ago. Fertigation is
key to providing crucial nutrients to
the vines in central Florida's sandy
soils, she said.
The Muscadine variety thrives
in Florida's hot, humid climate. It
occasionally displays some cold
sensitivity with temperature drops
at inopportune times, Burgess said.
8 | JUNE 2023

June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2023

Editor's Letter
Cover Story: Muscadine time
Apple Outlook: Falling apples
Plant & Soil Health: Fighting fire blight
Food Safety: Food safety culture
Pest Control: Bug barriers
Farm Market & Agritourism: Farm markets can benefit from consumer trends, too
CMI
Ag Labor Review
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
June 2023 - 1
June 2023 - 2
June 2023 - 3
June 2023 - Editor's Letter
June 2023 - 5
June 2023 - Cover Story: Muscadine time
June 2023 - 7
June 2023 - 8
June 2023 - 9
June 2023 - Apple Outlook: Falling apples
June 2023 - 11
June 2023 - 12
June 2023 - 13
June 2023 - Plant & Soil Health: Fighting fire blight
June 2023 - 15
June 2023 - 16
June 2023 - 17
June 2023 - Food Safety: Food safety culture
June 2023 - 19
June 2023 - 20
June 2023 - 21
June 2023 - Pest Control: Bug barriers
June 2023 - 23
June 2023 - 24
June 2023 - 25
June 2023 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Farm markets can benefit from consumer trends, too
June 2023 - 27
June 2023 - CMI
June 2023 - 29
June 2023 - Ag Labor Review
June 2023 - 31
June 2023 - Classifieds
June 2023 - 33
June 2023 - Advertiser Index
June 2023 - 35
June 2023 - 36
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