Ed Swanson article

I mentioned the contributions of "amateur" grape breeders back in the "Crops Not to Breed" post, so I thought I'd pass this along:

Hardiness x Appeal (Wines & Vines)

Ed Swanson is an amateur grape breeder in Nebraska. It wasn't that long ago that quality production was pretty much an impossibility in the coldest parts of the country (sure, you could baby along some of the hardier viniferas, but only by going to elaborate lengths and great costs), but thanks to men like Elmer Swenson and now Ed Swanson, cold climate viticulturists have a few more options.