NAPA, Calif. — The future of agriculture may hinge on the grazing of a few furry friends.
“Sheep grazing, which is such a beautiful sight to see, is a little bit of a newer practice for most growers here in Napa,” expressed Caleb Mosley, the Executive Director of Napa Valley Grapegrowers.
From removing unwanted weeds to enhancing the flavor of wine, sheep grazing yields unbaa-lievable benefits for wine country.
“They bring a different energy to the whole process, which I think is really captivating,” said Mosley of the sheep. “It’s actually cool because it kind of creates a bridge back to some of these more holistic farming systems.”
“We have to be thinking in a really integrated way,” shared Anna Brittain the Executive Director of Napa Green. “Thinking in terms of how we cultivate soil health, and biodiversity and how all of that makes for a healthier vineyard and ultimately a better wine.”
Sheep graze on unwanted weeds and then fertilize soil while improving the water cycle. Grazing also reduces pollution and equipment emissions on grapes, providing tastier wine and a better output.
“There’s something almost magical about putting an animal out into a fresh field that nothing has been there for a while and there’s the anticipation in the animal waiting to move into the next block and the excitement that they get,” described Chris Maschauer the Owner of Napa Vineyard Sheep Grazing.
He added, “I’m like the ice cream man when I show up they know they’re going to the next spot and they get all excited about that and so it’s kind of rewarding.”
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