Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/657340
LAST BITE More Young Growers at goodfruit.com/yg Nick Mackay grower / Pasco, Washington age / 23 crops / Wine grapes business / Vineyard manager at Mercer Canyons family background / After originally pursuing a degree in history and law, Nick pursued a more hands-on career through Washington State University's viticulture program. He was hooked after the fi rst couple of weeks of classes. Mercer Canyons, south of Prosser, Washington, hired him right out of college. " " " " How did you get your start? My grandpa was a dryland wheat farmer in Kahlotus, Washington, and farming's pretty much been part of my family. In college, I spent my summers working on my dad's small 12-acre estate vineyard on Red Mountain. That's how I got my introduction into vineyard work, about when I was 12 years old. What are your main tasks? When I started at Mercer Canyons, I was basically responsible for irrigation. With it you can control the canopy and grape quality by knowing when to stress the vines by restricting water at the right time. Also to control active growth after verasion time, which is after the berries start changing colors and begin accumulating sugars. What are some of your challenges right now? Controlling water delivery on 2,000 acres of vines with very limited access to soil moisture probes and not having much of a crew that is able to perform pressure bomb testing and things like that. It comes down to something I call roadside viticulture — essentially driving around in your truck and probing the ground yourself and making decisions based off your own fi ndings. Recently I've been promoted to take on all of the hand-labor crews, which ups my responsibility from about seven to eight guys to about 100. What would you tell younger growers? After changing degrees toward viticulture, the work I put into obtaining the degree was more applicable to what I'd be doing after college. I hear so many stories about folks having a degree in a particular fi eld, but they can't fi nd a job anywhere. If you go through the viticulture and enology program and you're motivated and ready to use the knowledge you've learned — especially in the Washington industry — then you're going to fi nd a job, and you're going to do great in it. " (Viticulture classes) ...provided me a foundation to come out of college and get a job. PLAY goodfruit.com/yg scan to watch the interview www.gslong.com SPONSORED BY by TJ Mullinax More from this interview and other Young Growers at goodfruit.com/yg. 62 APRIL 1, 2016 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com