Vineyards
Jack Rabbit Hill planted it's 1st block in 2000 and since then we’ve planted 4 blocks totaling 22 acres. Each block is surrounded by protected wildlife habitat and/or pasture. Our plan is to grow to 35 acres over the next few years. Along the way we've identified a handful of red and white varieties that perform well in our setting: Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Foch, Vignoles, and Cabernet Franc. Organic and Biodynamic farming
Jack Rabbit Hill has been USDA-certified organic since the beginning and in 2006 we began using Biodynamic practices with the help of Josephine Porter Institute. We expect to be certified-biodynamic by Demeter USA in 2008.
Why Biodynamic?
In 2004 we produced/turned/spread about 150 tons of compost at a rate of 10 tons/acre. Since our compost was made from off-farm inputs (60% dairy manure, 30% apple pressings, 10% wood chips), needless to say we began to feel more than a pinch from the costs of transporting and spreading all this material. At the same time we started reading Rudolf Steiner, the Austrian scientist and philosopher who developed the principles of biodynamic farming in the early 1920s, Alex Podolinsky one of the early, large-scale practitioners in Australia, and Nicolas Joly the well-known biodynamic grower and winemaker.
Their ideas and experiences really struck cords with us, suggesting that we could develop more powerful soils at lower input costs, using a set of nine herb and compost teas known as the biodynamic preparations.
A January 06 visit with some successful biodynamic operations in California-Ceago, Frey, Grgich, Robert Sinskey- convinced us that the benefits of biodynamic grape-growing are real and measurable. In the spring of 06 we began applying the biodynamic preparations to our compost piles and vineyards. We have a long way to go-there are many other aspects of biodynamics to learn and apply- but we are already seeing improvements in our soils.
on to the wines... |
