ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio — You’d think no one likes this extremely cold weather, but surprisingly, there are some who do.
Many students in the county were out of school due to the inclement weather conditions.
But that doesn’t stop them from going outside. I asked one student what he was doing outdoors. He simply replied, “having fun.”
One Geneva resident who moved here after years in Arizona says he can’t work for the chilly conditions to come.
“I love the weather and that’s why I live here,” said Gary McCrae. “I spent 10 or 11 years with no winters in Arizona. It’s nothing like having a winter.”
But the falling snow has put a damper on some businesses.
Max Sorensen owns Max’s Carryout and he says business has slowed considerably.
“We had plenty of snow last week and we’re struggling through it,” said Sorensen. “It’s been a little slow on the snowy days but everything’s good.”
But he understands it comes with the territory.
“We live in northeastern Ohio. So in this area, as part of the snow belt, we’ve just gotten use to it,” Sorensen added.
But travel a little further south and you won’t find snow, just the frigid temperatures. Perfect conditions for those responsible for vineyards.
“When I got up this morning and it was 10 degrees, I got excited. We’ve never made ice wine this early,” said Gene Sigel with South River Vineyard. “This is one of the first times we’ve done this on a sunny day. Cause that sun would normally be thawing the grapes out.”
After weather conditions devastated last year’s grapevines, vineyard operators are happy to the winter conditions working in their favor.
“Well we’re making ice wine and customers who’ve been coming out to the winery for years love that ice wine,” said Sigel.
Even when it is cold enough, workers usually harvest grapes during the night before the sun thaws the grapes. But with temperatures as low as they are, work can be done during the day.
Sigel says, “It’s a lot easier being out here in the daylight than in the dark with tractors lighting up the vineyards for us. We’re excited that at least the Concords had grapes and we’ll have some ice wine.”
And what’s so special about ice wine?
Sigel answered, “It’s that dessert. It’s like a special piece of pie or ice cream that you’ll drive a long way to go get.”
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