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In March 2005 a bulldozer drove up on the driveway at 1233 Fort Selden Road and started pushing out bushes from a piece of land, that had been desert until then. It was not easy; mesquite bushes root deep and are hard to remove.
When all bushes were removed, the bulldozer started leveling the land.
During this period of the year, the winds in Southern New Mexico really blow and sand could be found everywhere.
Next step was ripping up the hard-pan sand layers, in order to make it easier to dig planting holes and to improve water drainage.
Grape vine roots do not like wet feet, so good drainage of the soil is important.
Then it was time to set out the location of the vine rows by bringing in the planting stakes an the support poles for the steel support wires. It was time to bring in the drip irrigation system.
On May 5, 2005 the very first vines were planted. Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Barbera grapes. All on rootstock and supplied by New Mexico Vineyards from Deming.
The selection of these grape varieties was based purely on personal preferences of the type of wine that they produce.
It took about a week to plant the vines. All in teamwork. Dad dug the planting hole, Mom planted the vine and daughter Jaclyn filled the planting hole with the first bucket of water with root starter fluid.
Two weeks later the first green leaves started to bud out.
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