Environment
A Holistic Approach
Managing a vineyard is hard work, but when we look up around us we feel so lucky because it’s such a beautiful place. It’s important to us that the vineyard accentuates and works with its amazing natural surroundings, rather than against them.
That is why we prefer to use more labour-intensive, but kinder methods. We hand clear or mow competing plants at appropriate times, rather than using weed killer, and always pruning, leaf stripping and picking, by hand not machine.
It can be confusing with all the different Eco labels, and we are not registered yet, but to us following Organic principles means respecting nature by not using destructive chemicals.
Biodynamics is organic plus – no nasties and in addition, we feed the vines and soil with naturally made treatments, taking into account the cycles of the moon and we consider the whole site and all the plants, animals and people in it, as one symbiotic eco system.
Regenerative takes principles from both, but there is no registered body and it can mean different things to different people. To us it means – allow nature to find its balance and disturb, manage and affect it, especially the soil, as little as possible.
Similar but wider in meaning – Rewilding to us is letting nature be, not cutting back the brambles or clearing fallen trees, seeing them as habitat and watching what grows rather than constantly trying to control it.
We have also taken some steps to create a more diverse range of habitats on the site and to invite in more species. As access to water is key to many organisms, we are in the process of creating a nature pond, fed by the natural stream that runs through the woods. Alongside encouraging fungi by spreading mushroom spores, we are also working on having native sheep grazing between the vines in the winter and we are proud of the busy bees that call hives on the site home.
If you would like to get involved and make a difference to this beautiful environment, visit our Volunteering page.
For more information, contact us.
