Stephen Collum, owner of Vineyard Concepts, a vineyard management company in Calaveras County, Calif., says Mother Nature has one unwavering rule: there is never a down time in the vineyards.

Collum manages or consults on 15 vineyards concentrated in the Sierra foothills totaling around 200 acres. Those vineyards produce 49 different varietals, he said.

“I start my mornings early by checking on the labor crews to make sure everything is running smoothly and up to my standards,” he said. “I then address any issues that have arisen with irrigation, equipment or pump problems.”

If he can’t fix a problem himself, he contacts mechanics, electricians or irrigation specialists to address the issue.

“My day continues by walking through a couple vineyards each day to check on any pest or disease issues,” Collum said. “I do this by monitoring sticky traps and by visual vine inspections. I have a lot of vineyards that are certified sustainable, so the vineyard walk-throughs allow me to gather information to get data on and report it.

“I like to also get out and do manual tasks with my employees,” he said. “It’s a busy day for me, every day.”

Collum has three full-time employees and hires labor contractors for larger tasks such as pruning and harvesting.

He also gets “down and dirty,” digging 5-foot-deep trenches in new vineyards to test the structural and chemical properties of the soil.

His management company also sells a vast selection of varietal grapes and budwood to other wineries. 

Budwood is basically the cuttings from vines that wineries can use to graft onto rootstock for a quicker way to change a variety without planting entirely new vines. 

“We have created a product called the Concept Cover,” he said. “This is a cover that goes over picking bins during harvest and keeps them cool during transportation and staging and is also used in the winery for fermentations and other things.” 

Collum said important interaction daily with his employees brings to the surface a pressing problem facing California viticulture.

“I think one of the problems facing viticulture in my area is the lack of labor resources,” he said. “Agriculture is ongoing and we have to compete with other crops during crucial times when the labor is needed for us. Appropriate timing and competing crops for labor services are a big challenge.”

In spite of the everyday challenges, Collum said he would have some sound advice for those considering a career in vineyard management.

“Yes, I would (recommend a career in vineyard management), only if you love it,” he said. “Otherwise, it’s a very hard and unforgiving career. You work long hours, are always on call and you have to deal with the relentless Mother Nature.”