Subject: [permaculture] Permaculture in viticulture
Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2007 17:10:20 -0700
Hello Chuck,
I have been working with vineyardists assessing Best Management
Practices for the past 6 years. Last year I visited 75 vineyards in
two months (observing the sites when the berries were on the vines).
In many cases, grape growers in Oregon and Eastern Washington are
mono-cropping with small compensation zones of mixed species outside
the crop rows.
I am in the beginning stage of writing an On-Farm Biodiversity
Resource Guide: For Dry lands, Uplands, & the Maritime Northwest for
an eco-labeling organization called Salmon Safe. My intention with
this publication is for it to be an educational tool to support
farmers in the design and implementation of specie diverse hedgerows,
inter-plantings, and/or buffer zones within a variety of settings.
There will be separate lists of plants that are easily grown in the
areas mentioned and I'll design several guild templates that can be
introduced to encourage biodiversity within the cropping systems.
There will also be resource lists of nurseries and websites for
further information.
My hope is that this Guide will be available by mid-June.
I have not seen all inclusive permaculture principles being part of
the vineyard system-- though since it is a drought tolerant plant it
is an appropriate crop to grow on our southern slopes, cover crops
are planted to limit erosion, and most apply very few chemicals.
btw: One of the most delicate wine bouquets I ever tasted was from a
vineyard that grew lavender at the end of every crop row.
Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 10:28:06 -0700
From: cestin <cestin@earthlink.net>
Subject: [permaculture] Permaculture in viticulture?
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Message-ID: <46055FA6.9050109@earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Does anyone have any information about permaculture practices in
viticulture? I know that many permaculture principles of encouraging
biodiversity and soil health make sense. But I'm curious about more
extensive applications - are there "guild plantings" that might enhance
wine grape quality? Does comfrey have a beneficial effect when planted
near grape vines, etc. I'm guessing that Australia might have found a
wedding between permaculture and viticulture, more likely than in the
U.S. With the movement toward more sustainable agricultural practices
in the wine-growing industry, it would make sense to draw on the
practices of permaculture. Even though grape-growing tends to be a
mono-culture crop, I would imagine that there would be ways to
compensate for that and create a healthier more bio-diverse system in a
vineyard.
thanks,
-Chuck
[permaculture] Permaculture in viticulture,
J Hobbs, 04/04/2007