Numerous vineyards have utilized sheep and goats for grazing but most only during the winter. Kelly Mulville was on a mission to design a vineyard for year-round grazing to restore the ecosystem with livestock. The challenge was to find a vineyard design where the animals could not eat the vines. In a partnership with Paicines Ranch in California, Kelley and the team utilized the Watson Training System which holds the cordon wire at 66 inches. The vineyard incorporated nine grape varieties and trialed year-round sheep grazing last summer with great success. Using the sheep will eliminate all suckering and tipping, dramatically reduce fertilization, decrease irrigation use, and lower labor costs. Listen in as Kelley explains the trial process for tips on how to set up your own vineyard for year-round grazing.

References:

• 107: How Grazing Sheep Can Benefit Your Vineyard (Podcast)
• 113: Microbial Inoculants for Soil Health (Podcast)
• Grazing Vineyards
• Paicines Ranch
• Savory Holistic Management
• SIP Certified
• Sustainable Ag Expo
• Watson Training System for Bunch Wine Grapes
• Virtual Viticulture Academy

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