31 It’s Farming. And It’s Better. Better Farming | August 2024 ent, and their tolerance is different. One thing we’ve done to combat damage is put in wind machines to mitigate cold winter injury and spring frost. There was a spring frost this year. It depends on location, but it was touch-and-go in a lot of places. What’s your most memorable year of farming? Doug Sr.: My most memorable year was 1992, when we had a bumper crop. And after that, it would be last year, 2023. It was one of those years where all the right things seemed to fall into place, and we had a terrific crop. Derek: In my adult life, it was 2017. That was the year we expanded. We added 50 acres to the vineyard, I moved houses, we had a big crop, and we had our third daughter. It was a good year but ridiculously busy. What keeps you up at night? Doug Sr.: Nothing. I sleep like a bear. In the earlier years, I stressed about finances, but at this point our farming business is running like a well-oiled machine. Derek: Right now, my barking dogs. But a few years ago, it was succession planning. And more specifically, the financial side – trying my best to ensure that everyone feels that it is fair for everyone involved. Doug: Not too much. Certain times of the year it’s the weather. If they’re calling for cold weather in the winter or the spring, my stomach does get into a knot because you know your crop is at stake for the following year. Outside of that, it’s out of our control. What do you do in your time off? Doug Sr.: I used to like sports, particularly hockey in the winter. As that faded, it became watching the kids play hockey, and now it’s not kids as much as it is the grandchildren. We have four married children and 11 grandchildren, so even though not all of them are into sports, we find it a challenge to get around to watch everyone. Derek: Two of my daughters play hockey, so I coach both their teams in UP CLOSE Funk Family photo Derek and Sarah with daughters Lena, Emily, and Marta, and their dog Ellie.
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