It really depend on the land in terms, but it all starts with what rootstock should be planted, but I would prefer to plant on vinifera, but am open to other rootstock as such a St. George or 110-3P-which are more vigorous rootstock to limit irrigation (or even eliminate) and allow for the vines to grow deeper to lower competition for the vines in order to plant as many as 50-60 cover crops (to also use as a cash crop or to add value). Then varietals I am considering, but not exclusively, are Mencia, Fer, Gamay, Syrah, Pinot Meunier, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Savagnin; but am open to others and what varietals need less introduction to market, but I feel those varietals fit from what I have read about the conditions and where those weather conditions can be expected to go with climate change. The whole concept and business model of this farm is fundamentally economic from a human perspective. There are more and more humans living and more and more humans are destroying farm land. I live in Edmonton, Alberta and I see it everyday. IMO Alberta should be a leader in farming but isn't. Wine is the vessel to show people how we need to change our farming. Organic isn't good enough. The farm is an ecosystem and needs to be treated that way even as a close looped system and then be built out from there (I would like to extend that out to the supply chain- I mean if I am doing all this work and then it gets picked up using a diesel engine then we have missed a step.) I am getting a Monarch tractor (electric and driver optional) the driver optional is great as I will be busy at many times of the year. That "busy" is also incorporating livestock onto the land. Hogs, sheep, chickens, geese, and maybe cattle (no-mow). Not many of any one or even all of them. Cover crops, tilling, and cash crops are all intertwined. I would like 100% of the covers to be used in some fashion to add value. We need to utilize the farm. That means even cover crops are assets. We can sell grains, ferment teas, fermented covers (yellow split peas, yarrow, lavender, chamomile), use teas as sprays, sell tea... and best of all since the livestock will eat the covers (and yes I know sheep leave an awful mess), then chickens can be used to eat the larvae of flies and other critters (I mean we eat chickens already that eat garbage). The farm is a system.
Doesn't matter, as fixing other's mistakes is part of the learning of humanity,
10969-139 street
EDMONTON, AB, T5M1R3
CA