PROTECTING MOTHER NATURE

Here is a good essay that Robin submitted to our local paper last January that really echos how Sandra and I feel about protecting the environment as we grow grapes to produce wine. We could not have said it better. We must all protect our home-mother earth. We try to avoid all chemicals whenever possible in our vineyard and use biodynamic processes whenever possible. For example, we use talcum powder (finely powdered silica) to broadcast onto our ripe grapes just before a predicted big rain to dessicate the grapes to absorb the water thus minimizing grape skin rupture which allows fungus to attack the sweet pulp of the ripe grape. (mildew) It leaves a fine white dust on the grape skins which is harmless and just goes back into the soil to aid it's enrichment. That is a simple biodynamic process that actually is very cost effective and safe.

I wanted to add a few photos to this blog about out garden but my computer is on the blink so check this site soon to see us digging in our garden.

All for now.

DR JIm and Sandra

LOCAL MATTERS CONTRIBUTION JANUARY 2007

Winegrowing With Integrity

These days there is considerable public concern about environmental damage from careless farming practices, and awareness of the need to farm more sustainably. So it is understandable that people feel concerned when they see sprays being used in vineyards.

Most vineyard spraying involves use of products which are relatively benign in the environment, indeed many are acceptable for organic farming regimes. Most protect vines against fungal diseases – black spot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, and various forms of bunch rot. A whole new range of horticultural sprays has been developed in recent years involving use of natural control agents, generally bacteria or other fungi, which either attack the harmful fungi or move into their ecological niche and prevent them from developing.

All chemical sprays are subject to MRLs – Maximum Residue Limits, which are readily measurable in wine, and legally enforceable. MRLs restrict the amount of such sprays winegrowers can use, and the times they can use them, ie- not to be used within a certain number of days before harvest.

In addition, New Zealand Winegrowers, the statutory industry body which all winegrowers must belong to, has in recent years established an organization called Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Winegrowers are not obliged to belong to this body but currently 60% of New Zealand’s vineyard area belongs and is accredited to SWNZ.

SWNZ was developed to provide a “best practice” model of environmental care in the vineyard, to promote responsible behaviour in terms of the well-being of staff, neighbours and the community, and to guarantee better quality assurance from vineyard to bottle. SWNZ places stringent restrictions on the use of agrichemicals and addresses issues such as soil health and water quality. Members are audited on their compliance, and failure to comply results in loss of accreditation.

Even without restrictions and regulations winegrowers know that in order to compete in a crowded world wine market we all need to manage our vineyards as closely as we can to New Zealand Winegrowers’ motto “the riches of a clean green land”.

Robin Ransom

President, Matakana Winegrowers Inc.