this is something “we have always wanted to do.”

this is something “we have always wanted to do.”

That was 1981. The vineyard grew across the Northern Virginia backyard until it numbered 110 plants. The couple picked and tended their backyard vineyard and made wine in their kitchen.

Before long, the plants were six years old and the family was looking for space to spread their vineyard.

“When we sold the house, the buyers did not want the vineyard,” A1 Kellert said.

“And, we did not want to leave them behind,” Mrs. Kellert said, adding the plants were like “our babies. We couldn’t just leave them there.”

So the chore of digging the vine and transplanting began.

A root of a new four-inch visfe* is nearly two feet long before planting. When planted, the planter cuts the vine to just 12 inches. For three years, the tender growing vines are pruned of their fruit to allow an extensive and powerful root system to develop. After six years, the system is massive.

“It was a great deal of work,” Mr. Kellert said, shaking his head as he remembered digging and moving the vines. ‘We were told it could not be done,” he said. “Now, when people refer to us, they call us the ‘crazy ones who transplanted their vines,’ ” he said with laughter.

Their success has been published in wine and vineyard guides.

The couple moved the 100-pound root balls by truck and stored them in the bam.

‘We moved in Decemeber so we were unable to plant until spring,” Mr. Kellert said, adding huge balls of earth were stored lumped together to prevent freezing and kept moist to prevent from drying.