Wine region wildfire damage assessments. Raisin grape harvest threatened by smoke. School for organic farmers.

Even though the flames of September’s fires are subsiding there, wine grape growers in the Napa Sonoma area are still taking stock of the damage and lining up financial help. And winegrape growers with insurance face another obstacle in getting quick relief. Insurance companies want to see lab tests for smoke taint on wine grapes. But the laboratories that specialize in wine grape testing are overwhelmed; it could be a month or more before they can catch up. Raisin grapes in the Central Valley are also being effected by the smoke from surrounding fires. We talk with one raisin grape farmer who will explain. We have all that, crop reports, a look ahead at the week’s weather, and a chat with an organization that helps aspiring organic farmers learn the business in the Salinas Valley. It’s all on their week’s KSTE Farm Hour.