Bienvenido a Abriendo Camino, or, Breaking Ground: our first-ever farmer ambassador program. Es nuestro primer programa de embajadores de agricultores.
Each year, this bilingual program follows a cohort of 14 farmers throughout harvest. From February until November, you’ll get to know—and hear directly from—those who are working around the clock to make Washington wine what it is today. You’ll get to meet some of our vineyard managers, who oversee dozens of harvest crews that do up to 250 picks per season; foremen who have been in the industry for over twenty years; Promotora de Salud, or, Community Health Workers, who quite literally are farmer ambassadors; current PhD students conducting groundbreaking research on Northern root-knot nematodes; viticulturists who are at the edge of their dreams; operation specialists who keep our vineyard workers safe; and civil engineers who just can’t find the time to retire. The farming community is at the center of the wine industry. You can’t make world-class wine without world-class grapes. We invite you to join us this year, as we raise a glass to those who grow our grapes.
I am the voice for the voiceless. Believe me, I am yelling.—Maria Remington, Promotora de Salud, Vital Wines
Each month, our farmers—who are located across our grape state, from Lake Chelan the Horse Heaven Hills, the Yakima Valley to the Walla Walla Valley—will be sharing their stories with us. In 10 months, you’ll get to read 140 stories from the farming community in Washington State. Our ambassadors’ stories will range from specific aspects of the grape growing process—pruning, bud break, canopies, veraison, picking, etc.—to what it’s like to be a farmer today. We built this program with, and around, our farming community. You’ll get to hear directly from them about what they’re going through, what keeps them going during the busiest time of year (harvest), and what they see on the horizon of the Washington State wine industry.
Ambassador Spotlight
Depués del trabajo solo se trata de mis hijos.—Tony Flores, Coyote Canyon Vineyard
Apply for the 2023 cohort by emailing Heather at hbradshaw@washingtonwine.org. In short, any individual who works on the farming side of the wine industry in Washington—grape growers, farmers, vineyard managers, et al—are qualified to apply. You do not need to be on social media; you just need to have a love for what you do, and a desire to share your stories. You do not need to speak English; we will have a translation team here to assist you in whatever language is most comfortable for you. You do not need to have a fancy camera; for those who don’t have a phone that takes quality pictures, we’ll provide you with one that does. In short, this program is designed to break all boundaries, so that it’s accessible to all.
Una solicitud para nuestro grupo laboral 2023 Heather at hbradshaw@washingtonwine.org. En resumen, cualquier persona que trabaje en el lado agrícola de la industria del vino en Washington (cultivadores de uva, granjeros, gerentes de viñedos, etc.) está calificada para postularse. No necesitas estar en las redes sociales; solo necesitas tener amor por lo que haces y el deseo de compartir tus historias. No necesitas hablar inglés; Tendremos un equipo de traducción aquí para ayudarlo en el idioma que le resulte más cómodo. No es necesario tener una cámara elegante; para aquellos que no tienen un teléfono que tome fotos de calidad, les proporcionaremos uno que sí lo haga. En resumen, este programa está diseñado para romper todos los límites, para que sea accesible para todos.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about Breaking Ground, please reach out to Heather Bradshaw, Communications Director, at hbradshaw@washingtonwine.org.