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| PAST GRANTS |
Texas Cooperative Extension Ed Hellman, PhD is a Viticulture Extension Specialist with the Texas Cooperative Extension and holds a joint appointment with Texas Tech University. Hellman is a long-time researcher and a national leader in viticulture. The Texas Cooperative Extension was awarded $20,000.00 for renovations for a state-of-the-science viticulture and enology research facility at the Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Lubbock. As the Associate Professor of Viticulture, Hellman recognizes the rapid speed at which the Texas wine industry is growing and the need for expanding research facilities to accommodate the new program in enology. “This laboratory will serve as a shared research facility,” Hellman said, “it will encourage and facilitate close collaboration of the viticulture and enology scientists to address critical issues of the Texas wine industry.” Jane Nickles, Author & Instructor Jane Nickles is a wine instructor at the Texas Culinary Academy where she has taught for nearly ten years and also teaches wine education classes throughout Austin. Last year her first book, Wine Speak 101 was published - a supplement to her series of wine education seminars under the same name. With the $5,000.00 awarded by The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas, Ms. Nickles will write and publish a book in conjunction with a workshop focused on the art of food and wine pairings. Entitled, When Wine Met Food, the book will educate consumers on the mysteries of food and wine parings and how food and wine interact. |
Sustainable Food Center Created in 1993, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) strives to create a “food secure” community by improving access to local, healthy, affordable food for children and adults. SFC’s Farms, Foods and Healthy Futures program will increase outlets for local farmers and will promote knowledge and awareness among consumers about the benefits and accessibility of fresh, locally-grown food. |
National
Grape Diagnosis Website, “Grape M.D.”
The Foundation provided a $21,000 scholarship to Texas A&M University for the development of a national expert system for the diagnosis of grapevine diseases. The program was created by Dr. Ed Hellman, Associate Professor of Viticulture at the Texas A&M University Agriculture Research and Extension Center at Lubbock. Dr. Hellman’s program, a user-friendly, web-based approach will provide growers with a quick and accurate diagnosis of grapevine problems. Through a national database, recognized experts in viticulture, plant pathology, entomology and other related disciplines will review and validate the expert system’s diagnosis. New inexperienced growers will most benefit from the new system, as it is particularly difficult to identify the cause of grapevine problems without previous knowledge and aptitude in viticulture. The program will also be an instructional aid for students and crop consultants. |
Papi’s Kitchen The Foundation awarded a $30,000 scholarship to local author and restaurateur Fernando Saralegui for the production of Papi’s Kitchen, a bi-lingual children’s television pilot that focuses on cooking and nutrition.
Currently, over 35 percent of Texas school children are overweight or obese, which is higher than the national average of 15 percent. According to the American Obesity Association, children who are overweight from age 10-14 with at least one overweight parent face a 79 percent chance of becoming overweight adults, putting them at risk for chronic diseases including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure among others. Specific elements of the program include the creation of recipes, visits to farms, restaurants and family kitchens. Saralegui will also incorporate demonstrations on the importance of nature and food selection, the history and culture of food, the science of cooking as well as an introduction to math skills. Each segment will wrap up with enjoying that day’s company at the community dinner table. |
Summer
Symposium 2003 |
| A&M
Pearce's Disease Grant The Foundation provided Texas A&M University a research grant for the study of Pierce’s Disease – a potentially devastating disease that attacks grape vines. |
| Documentary
Film Project The Wine Roads of Texas |
 The
Foundation is the lead underwriter for the development of KLRU
Public Television’s film documentary of The Wine Roads
of Texas, Wes Marshall’s definitive guide to the Texas
wine industry. Award winning KLRU producer/director Tom Spencer
will document in film the industry’s history and geography,
while highlighting the human stories of heartbreak, survival and
triumph about the Texas wine pioneers and present generation as
they create what is becoming one of the most important wine growing
regions in the country. |
The
purpose of the program is to teach children about food, nutrition
and cooking in a bilingual setting. It is targeted towards children
ages 4-8 with the goal of encouraging children to learn about their
food sources and make healthy nutrition choices. KLRU-TV, Austin’s
public television station is enthusiastic about the project and has
been working with Saralegui on its development.