Sunday 27 May 2012
Headlines
Did you find this story interesting? (0) (0)
20/05/2008 14:51:24
Some wine grape growers turning to dry farming methods
Vineyard manager Steve Thomas grasps the trunk of a zinfandel vine, a redwood of the vineyard, gnarled with age and planted in the days when irrigation meant a barrel of water on a horse-drawn cart.
The work horses and carts are long gone. But these old zin vines at Kunde Estate in Sonoma County still get their water the old fashioned way, from rain, dew and a deep root system.
They call it "dry farming," which is what agriculture used to be before plastic hoses hooked up to a water supply made deserts bloom. A few vintners are returning to it.
They are driven by concerns over dwindling water supplies, the belief it produces more intensely flavored fruit, and, in Kunde's case, by a desire to return to old traditions.
"What you find out is grape vines are incredibly adaptable," said Thomas.
At the 600-acre Kunde Estate, about 100 acres are dry-farmed. The rest are grown conventionally.
Wine grapes are grown without artificial irrigation in parts of the world such as Spain and France, where some regions have laws forbidding use of irrigation, said Robert Wample, chair of the viticulture and enology at California State University, Fresno.
Dry farming in California is unusual, although there is a trend toward using less water.
"We're learning to be much more precise early in the growing season so we can control the vegetative growth, minimize the total water consumption and then follow that with good management practices," he said.
The work horses and carts are long gone. But these old zin vines at Kunde Estate in Sonoma County still get their water the old fashioned way, from rain, dew and a deep root system.
They call it "dry farming," which is what agriculture used to be before plastic hoses hooked up to a water supply made deserts bloom. A few vintners are returning to it.
They are driven by concerns over dwindling water supplies, the belief it produces more intensely flavored fruit, and, in Kunde's case, by a desire to return to old traditions.
"What you find out is grape vines are incredibly adaptable," said Thomas.
At the 600-acre Kunde Estate, about 100 acres are dry-farmed. The rest are grown conventionally.
Wine grapes are grown without artificial irrigation in parts of the world such as Spain and France, where some regions have laws forbidding use of irrigation, said Robert Wample, chair of the viticulture and enology at California State University, Fresno.
Dry farming in California is unusual, although there is a trend toward using less water.
"We're learning to be much more precise early in the growing season so we can control the vegetative growth, minimize the total water consumption and then follow that with good management practices," he said.
No Comments
Nobody has posted any comments on this story.
|
Farming items for Sale
|
Valtra 6300 - Dalbeattie(GBP 27300)
John Deere 6610 - Bruton(GBP 18000)
Used Massey Ferguson 2007 MF6480 - Grantham
(Price on Application)
(Price on Application)
Deutz-Fahr Agrotron K90 - Banchory(GBP 27600)
John Deere 4250 - Narberth(GBP 11400)
Related News
As supplies dry up, growers pass on farming and sell water - 24 Jan 2008In a state where water has become an increasingly scarce commodity, a growing number of farmers are betting they can make more money selling their wat...
Dry bean growers elect new officers - 27 Mar 2008The Northarvest Bean Growers Association Board of Directors elected Jon Ewy of Deer Creek, Minn., as president when the boad met in Fargo on March 14 ...
Dry weather brings scab threat for potato growers - 05 May 2011Lack of rain has affected most of England and Wales and unusually dry ground may result in higher levels of common scab than in the last few years, sa...
Pea growers turn to post-emergence herbicide options - 30 Apr 2007With virtually no rain across eastern and southern England since March, the results of pre-emergence residual herbicides have been severely compromise...
Zambia urges farmers in S Africa to adopt conservation farming methods - 28 May 2008The farmers in Southern African Development Communities (SADC) have been urged to adopt conservation farming methods to mitigate the impact of climate...
FCT Farmers Urged to Explore New Farming Methods - 11 Jun 2008Farmers in the Federal Capital Territory have been called upon to use the opportunities provided by the FCT administration to diversify and explore ne...
Brazil-Help for Palestinians in farming methods. - 22 Apr 2009BRAZIL – A Brazilian mission to help rebuild the Gaza strip through aquaculture education and implementation has arrived in Ramallah, Palestine. ...
Australia-Grapes burnt in the heat will cost wine industry. - 08 Feb 2009Heatwave temperatures across southern NSW, Victoria and South Australia are burning hopes for a successful wine vintage and fruit crop this year. Win...
Immigration laws dry up farming work force - 25 Oct 2007Emerging from the offices of a Midwestern senator last Friday, Sharon Hughes and Bruce Goldstein made for an unlikely couple. Hughes is the chief lobb...
Hunter dairy farming milked dry - 17 Dec 2007Dairy farmers in parts of the New South Wales Hunter Valley appear to be a dying breed. The Maitland Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) say...
