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One of the most positive and important changes in the past two decades has been the growing awareness of environmental and social concerns in farming.
Click here to learn more about Small Vines Viticulture's methods of sustainable agriculture.
Small Vines Viticulture will evaluate, prepare, plant, and farm vineyards for landowners in the Sonoma County Area. We carefully monitor each vineyard, and have a very hands-on approach to farming. Our closely spaced plants allow us to get 2-3 times more plants per acre than average. This keeps the winemakers happy (low pounds per vine) and the landowners happy (good yields per acre).
We provide the following services in the Sonoma County Area Only:
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Site evaluation
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Soil samples
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Varietal and Plant selection
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Land clearing / preparation
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Complete design and installation of vineyard
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Irrigation
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Drainage
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Harvesting
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Erosion control
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Custom farming
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Consulting
We also provide consulting to out of area clients.
Small Vines Viticulture believes that we can meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs. We operate under, and suport the philosophy of sustainable agriculture. The main goals of sustainable agriculture are:
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Protecting the environment
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Human health
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Social equity for labor
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Economic viability
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Responsible land use
Small Vines Viticulture is concerned about ALL of our natural resources:
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Water use
Water is vital to life. We preserve this resource by not using irrigation except when essential to vine health and viability (we plan to attain 100% dry farming).
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Water quality
We use only the healthiest, hand-selected plants, well suited to each site as a preventive strategy to reduce the use of chemicals. We use the least toxic approach, which means no insecticides and only a minimal use of organic fungicides. By using organic fertilizers we hope to build plant strength and reduce the need for non organic chemicals.
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Energy use
Our smaller rows only accept the smallest available European tractors. This smaller size and lower horse power reduces our fuel use. We also encourage a gentle approach to vine care by doing as much hand cultivation as possible.
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Air quality
We have minimized air pollution by using more efficient smaller machinery, less fuel and maximizing hand-farming.
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Soil conservation
Soil erosion continues to be a serious threat not only for the soil quality but also to water quality and wildlife. We have reduced or eliminated tilling which disturbs the soil. We keep a cover crop which not only keeps soil in place but also acts as a host to many beneficial insects. To reduce runoff, we irrigate minimally, if at all, and we avoid traffic on wet soils. Soil is a fragile and living resource that needs to be protected and nurtured for future generations.
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