But, the U-S Department of Agriculture is coming to the aid of farmers in 18 counties affected by the drought. The drought continues to produce devasting effects for eastern U-S farmers and their crops. And the men and women who grow it are raising their glasses to mother nature. And winemakers say the color is nothing compared to the fruit. John Fitter is the winemaker at Virginia's Piedmont Vineyards.
Hot sun concentrates the sugar in the grapes.
Winemakers save money using less pesticide. A good vintage is especially important for small producers trying to earn respect in a crowded market and compete with winemaking giants on the West Coast. Any rain now could damage the final product. The dry conditions are making the job of dozens of firefighters more difficult as they battled the brush fire last night that engulfed about 200 acres near Smith Mountain Lake. The fire continued to spread last night, even as 60 firefighters and foresters worked to construct barriers.