Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/347498
W i n e s & V i n e s A U G U s T 2 0 1 4 53 is spread in a long row and mixed with an equal amount of animal manure. The compost row is turned every week (when it's not under too much snow), its tem- perature is monitored, and after a year the vineyard manager will have about 100 tons of high-quality compost to spread in the vineyard and help boost the produc- tivity of the vines. Because winter temperatures in the Fin- ger Lakes are often cold, many growers hill up soil to cover the base of their most cold-sensitive vines. Because the soils in the Hunt Country vineyard are very rocky, using "soil" resulted in damage both to the equipment and to the vines. Hunt's solution was to roll out bales of hay between the rows of Riesling, Char- donnay and Cabernet Franc, then use a narrow hay rake to put the hay over the base of the vines. After protecting the vines in the winter, the hay becomes mulch when it is mowed in the spring. In 2005 the USDA awarded Hunt Country Vineyards a Sustainable Agricul- ture Research and Education grant to Hunt offers ideas for winery sustainability T hrough a mix of trial and error, Art Hunt has been able to signifi- cantly reduce energy costs and carbon emissions at Hunt Country Vineyards. Hunt offers a list of suggestions for wineries everywhere: • Wineries producing between 10,000 and 15,000 cases of wine per year and less than 750 gallons of effluent per day may be able to install a regu- lar, large septic system. Investigate using the new plas- tic infiltrator pipes for the leach field. • Consider heating with wood. Some clean-burning "Rocket" stoves can burn hot enough to burn off everything. • If there is a moving stream nearby, consider a small hydroelectric turbine. • use electric cars to travel around the property. • Share equipment with neighboring wineries. • use semi-pneumatic tires on forklifts and tractors. • Consider purchasing a gator. They have many uses in the vine- yard—spray or seed row middles, spot spray, spread compost, haul stuff— without compacting the soil. • Look into new, sustainable grape cultivars that may require less spray- ing for mildew and other problems. • Install predator habitat for owls, hawks, bats and barn swallows. L.J.M. —From Our Table To Y ours— Meet California's fascinating family-owned wineries, hear their stories, taste their wines, share with your family and friends. To attend: www.familywinemakers.org Family Winemakers of California Tasting August 17, 2014 San Mateo Event Center Wines & Vines half page island — 4 3/4 x 7.5 Leach field infiltrator G R A P E G R O W I N G W I N E M A K I N G