He nets his vines to keep the birds away. Errant spray from highway department crews working on Highway 9 cut his production significantly one year. Late frosts are also killers to the state's wine industry.

Drip irrigation with well water keeps his vines growing beside the post oak and blackjack trees in the red dirt of east Norman. His first vines produced grapes the third year after planting.

"They get more grapes every year and it gets better," he said. "It looks like we are going to have a good year this year."

Like many of the state's more than 50 small wineries, Redbud Ridge started as a diversion.

"It started as a hobby but when you build a building and plant all these vines, you've got a lot of money tied up in it. Then it becomes a business."

Andy Rieger 366-3543 editor@normantranscript.com