Looking at these vines - this is how high a healthy Waipara ewe sheep can reach when it's feeding - right in to the fruit zone. So we let them into the vineyards to graze the old gold leaves and in between the vines, as soon as we finish picking a block. Fertiliser returned to the vineyards where the foliage grew, rather than be windblown somewhere less useful.
In Winter, we mulch the vine prunings so they break down, returning vine nutrients to the vineyards.
In the winery, stalk and pressings are taken by neighbouring dry land farmers to feed to sheep and cattle -this has been critical this 2015 vintage, when stock feed is critical due to drought conditions in the district. Winery waste washdown water eventually filters through the filter tank to feed along a line of shelter trees keeping them alive in dry conditions.
Overall we recycle everything from the vineyard, winery and homes here, nothing goes to landfill. Zero waste.
