Leadership pillar

PROACTIVE FARMING, SOIL HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY

The good news is that grape growers utilize fewer pesticides* than many agricultural sectors. n 2023, Napa Green became the first sustainable winegrowing certification program globally (of which there are ~20) to require the phaseout of glyphosate and synthetic herbicides.

More and more we want to turn to nature as an ally, maximizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This means using cover crops that attract beneficial insects that eat the nasty bugs we don’t want in the vineyard, or even releasing vineyard-friendly insects like ladybugs. This also includes putting up bluebird and owl boxes and raptor perches, to help with bugs, rodents, and scare away unwelcome birds that eat the grapes, like starlings.

We also have to recognize that “weeds” are a human construct. Sometimes we are battling weeds for purely aesthetic reasons. In the farm setting, we need to return to seeing some “wild” as beautiful.

Here are some examples of other ways sustainable winegrape growers are limiting or eliminating the use of synthetic pesticides:

  • Napa Green has developed a “Weed Management Toolkit,” established a pool of matching funds that growers can apply for to support phaseout, and has a series of training workshops to assist members in this transition.
  • Using mechanical and cultural tools (as in muscle with shovel) to clear weeds
  • Growers using regenerative practices (e.g., cover crops, compost, reduced tillage, reduced pesticide and fertilizer use) to maximize soil and plant health have seen increased resilience to viruses
  • Introducing rotational grazing of sheep, who serve as natural lawn mowers and add nutrients to the soil (as in scat)
  • Planting insectaries, preserving and restoring riparian and forest habitat, and other ways of increasing biodiversity in the vineyard
  • Strictly limiting or eliminating the use of rodenticides

*Pesticides is a term that encompasses insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides and herbicides (used to combat weeds that can compete with vines for water and nutrients).

PROACTIVE FARMING, SOIL HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY musings

Silenus Winery Takes Farming to the Next Level
April is a time of growth – when plants move from dormancy to bloom and the Napa Valley’s landscapes are lush and green, with the rivers and streams full from early spring rains. During April, we also celebrate Down to Earth month, making it a great time to think about soil health and how to manage property using “Carbon Farming.”
The Benefits of Biochar
Biochar is a form of charcoal that is being tested as a soil amendment in several vineyards throughout Napa County as growers look to improve soil health, increase carbon capture and reduce nutrient inputs. Among those exploring the use of biochar are Cakebread Cellars, Spring Mountain Vineyard and the Napa Resource Conservation District (RCD), which manages an experimental vineyard in Carneros.

PROACTIVE FARMING, SOIL HEALTH & BIODIVERSITY

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