ROGER DOHSE, GRAPE GROWER

Heading north out of Kimball on Highway 71, the last thing in late summer that you would expect to see is a group of people picking grapes from a vineyard and rocking to their music. About three weeks ago, that was precisely what you would have seen and heard about seven miles north of Kimball.

Kimball's Roger Dohse is the grape grower, and his pickers are local individuals.

Local landowner Jim Young agreed to let Roger Dohse try his idea of growing grapes about 22 years ago. So on ¾ of an acre of land, Dohse created a vineyard.

Dohse said, "Jim Young is the best. There was no better land manager to work with in the world."

Roger Dohse has dealt with his share of adversity lately, but the roadblocks haven't deterred him from continuing his passion for growing grapes in western Nebraska. With years of experience growing grapes, Dohse has heard it all – especially "Grapes don't grow here" and "Does this look like California?"

Years ago, Dohse said he looked at the climate and "I thought cold-hardy grapes would grow here." Ironically, he said they have done well for 22 years and "maxed out at 7,300 pounds until an untimely hail storm set them back badly."

There are two kinds of grapes grown by Dohse: white-Edelweiss, and reds known as DeChaunac. According to Dohse, "The whites are more tender and harder to prune to production. The whites were the stronger grapes, and they bounced back better after the hail storm.

Dohse's grape production has declined in recent years, but a lot of that is due to the weather.

"Both types of grapes need a good winter freeze cycle, and our warm winters have confused the vines," he said.

Dohse said he can't keep them dormant long enough.

"I am really struggling now because I have cold-hardy grapes, and our winters are turning soft. It is really hard on them; they need that freeze."

Other hurdles that he has had to overcome are the robins; they thoroughly have enjoyed his grapes, mostly sucking the juice out. Dohse said they never get full. They eat constantly. He does try to manage the robin problem.

Every year the vines must be pruned, set up, and picked. The root system is very developed, and therefore they only get water once or twice a year, according to Dohse.

Dohse said, "You have to live with your grapes. It takes so much time to take care of them."

The grapes have made Dohse a philosopher of sorts. He said, "Like everything in life – the more TLC, the more production."

This summer was tough because Dohse was still recovering from injuries he sustained in an accident on the interstate and had trouble bending down, so his grapes have suffered.

About three weeks ago, with the help of about 15 pickers, Dohse got his crop in and hauled it to Table Mountain Winery in Wyoming. Although his grapes suffered from Mother Nature, they still managed a harvest of 1,600 lbs, which he said "is all most vineyards prune for."