Photo Essay: The first vineyard hike of spring
March 20, 2014
By Lauren Cross
I couldn't resist hiking through the vineyard today. The sun was warm and bright, there was a slight breeze and the floral smells of spring were intoxicating. The first day of spring is a turning point for the vineyard, a definite end of dormancy, and I wanted to see what new life I could find out there.
First stop, I made a bee-line for the chicken coop where our new baby chicks had just arrived; we got five more this morning! This little gal was so fluffy, soft and very curious.
Just around the corner from the chicks' temporary home is their soon-to-be fully automated and portable chicken coop. If you missed our Facebook post from earlier this week, Viticulturist Levi Glenn is transforming a reclaimed outhouse into a fully-functioning coop for these little gals. I love the idea of reclaimed materials transformed with modern technology. Of course, the chickens are examples of recycling as well. They eat the weeds, seeds and insects and produce nitrogen for the vineyard.
Check out the windows!
Then I headed up the hill to see how the lambs, sheep, alpacas and donkeys were doing. I am always surprised by how quickly these little ones grow up. Can you believe this lamb was born only a few months ago? Of course, they're not there to be decorative. It was good to see them hard at work turning our cover crop into fertilizer, and great to see the fast-growing greenery. We are most thankful for those few late storms!
Then I headed down to see the fruit trees, another part of our biodynamic program. Biodiversity is a central tenet of biodynamics, so in addition to our chickens, sheep, donkeys, goats, pipgs, alpacas and llamas we also have interplanted fruit trees in our newer vineyard blocks. Each different tree attracts a slightly different mix of insects and birds, and results in a more vibrant underground ecosystem.
I just so happened to find a very large pig free-ranging around the orchard.
That big guy came right up to me and nuzzled my leg with its huge snout. Cute, but also a bit intimidating.
The best part about the first day of spring for me is the beginning of my favorite season: rosé season! Somehow, rosés only look right outside. Please welcome the 2013 Dianthus:
Come visit us in the tasting room and take a tour to taste the Dianthus and see spring in the vineyard for yourself: tours run daily at 10:30am and 2pm. Call 805.237.1231 and we'll set you up.
Happy first day of spring, everyone.