Vineyards Are Part of Working Farm
Part of the charm of Bowen Arrow Vineyards is that the vineyards are part of a working farm. In addition to growing 4 acres of vinifera grapes, we also grow 36 acres of hay. So, patrons will enjoy not only the scenic beauty of a vineyard but also be exposed to a farm with agricultural history dating back to the mid-1800’s.
The goal of Bowen Arrow Vineyards is to grow and produce local thereby contributing to the vitality of our community through agri-tourism, agritainment and harvest festivals.
Chester County is thriving viticultural area
Chester County’s climate of warm summers and cold winters is similar to Europe. The Pennsylvania Winery Association estimates that the wine and grape industries in Chester County contribute $69mm in total economic impact, and created 400 jobs and $15.5mm in wages.
The geologic topography and soil composition of the Bowen Arrow Vineyards is ideal for growing grapes. Soil samples were taken from 12 different sites on the farm and sent to Penn State Extension for a battery of tests. The results were very favorable. The soil is high in pH and organic matter: Perfect for growing European vinifera grapes.
The initial 4-acre vineyard, located at the corner of St. Matthews and Pughtown roads, has a southeastern slope which is beneficial for the vines as they receive the morning sunlight and dry faster, thus reducing disease pressure.
The Penn State extension viticulturist Cain Hickey visited the farm and said, “There is not a bad place to grow grapes on the entire farm.”
Grape Varieties
In November 2021, John and Debbie Bowen attended a grape and wine industry Symposium held in State College PA. The symposium was excellent, providing valuable information on climate change and grape varieties that have a proven track record of success in Chester County.
The initial 4-acre vineyard was planted in the spring of 2022 with 3800 vines. Dormant vines were purchased from Amberg Grapevines and Knight Grapevine Nursery. To see what will grow best, nine vinifera varieties were chosen: three white wine varieties (Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Grüner Veltliner) and six red wine varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch). Having nine grape varieties will give winemaker John Bowen many exciting blending opportunities!
transformation from Hay Field to vineyard
Deer love the tender shoots of grape vines so a heavy duty 8-foot fence was installed, surrounding the entire 4-acre vineyard. Weeds and grass compete with young grape vines for moisture and nutrients so the former hay field had to be transformed into a vineyard.
This metamorphosis took more than a month, requiring weed management, chisel plowing, discing and packing. Weeds and pasture grass had to be cultivated and cleaned out. The alleys between rows and the headlands had to be de-rocked and smoothed out before planting the low maintenance cover crop. The trellising system with wooden end posts and steel line posts is Vertical Shoot Position, the most common trellising for the upward growing vinifera grape vines.
grape vines were machine planted
A machine planting crew from the Finger Lakes region was hired to plant the vineyard. Machine planting is more expensive but the resulting straight rows save time and money in vineyard management.
The vineyard was planted with 4’ x 9’ spacing meaning the vines were planted 4-feet apart in rows that are 9-feet apart. The self-steering tractor and the rotating wheel of the planting rig are governed by an on-board computer that has dual GPS satellite tracking feeds. The planting rig looked like a modern-day Rube Goldberg contraption. See video clip below.