Update 2 - Aril 23, 2003 2003: Shoot elongation and flower cluster development. Vinifera vines have arrived along with several new French hybrid vines and 150 cuttings. If all goes well, the project will have about 40 cultivars to cross with the Wild Vixen.

Update 3 - May 8, 2003 2003: Beginning of bloom. Flower clusters have been bagged for pollen collection on Millot, Foch, Chambourcin, Interlaken, Reliance, Seyval, Vidal, 3309, Villard Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The best wild vine has also been bagged to protect selected clusters from wild pollenation.

Update 4 - May 28, 2003: Pollen from Millot, Foch, Chambourcin, Interlaken, Reliance, Seyval, Vidal, 3309, Villard Blanc, Vignoles, and Cabernet Sauvignon has been transferred to the selected wild vine inside the back gate at SBC. The weather has been very rainy so we will have to wait and see how fruit set goes.

Update 5 - June 25, 2003: Fruit set was very poor due to heavy rains before, during, and after pollenation. Only two clusters of 35 set fruit. One was pollenated with Chambourcin and one with Cabernet Sauvignon. The next report will be in the Fall when it will be determined if the bunches make it through the summer.

Update 6 - November, 2003: The cluster pollenated with Cabernet Sauvignon was broken off in August, but pips had developed and were put into cold stratification anyway. The Chambourcin pollenated bunch made it to ripeness in late September and yielded 9 seeds which were put into cold storage for the Spring.