As we wrap up another harvest at our estate Margarita Vineyard, we look ahead to the next growing season, and to more opportunities to expand upon our SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified farming practices.

Indeed, while sustainability is a year-round effort at Ancient Peaks, many of our sustainable farming practices are seasonal by nature, following the growth cycles of our vines and grapes. Sustainability is, indeed, a way of agricultural life that requires ongoing investment and innovation. Let’s take a look at how this all plays out at Margarita Vineyard throughout the year.

Winter

If there’s any “downtime” in the vineyard, winter would be it. The vines are dormant and the vineyard is largely quiet, with the exception of winter pruning. This is a time when we can step back and take care of ancillary things that help keep our sustainability efforts on track.

These include repairing and maintaining our owl boxes and raptor perches, so that we can continue to rely on these native predators for natural pest control. We also repair fencing that helps keep large animals out of the vineyard, and we maintain our “wildlife corridors” that give native wildlife access to all of the ranch’s habitats. Winter is also when our crew can freshen up on safety protocols, equipment use and related certifications,

Spring 

Springtime is when our sustainable practices kick into high gear. Enter our 20 wind machines, including both fixed and mobile machines. Historically, overhead water application has been used to control frost damage in vineyards. Our wind machines act as an alternative solution for frost control, resulting in substantial water use reduction.

Spring is also a time when our cover crops become abundant along the vine rows. We plant barley as an annual cover crop to reduce soil erosion, increase soil nutrients and prevent the growth of excess weeds.

Summer

While our two on-site solar plants produce energy throughout the year at Margarita Vineyard, summer is their time to shine. Paso Robles is known for its abundant sunshine, and our solar plants generate more electricity than we consume at the vineyard. Our winery is also solar powered, further reducing our carbon footprint.

Summer is also a time when our natural pest control methods become critical. We manage vineyard pests naturally by promoting habitats for native predators, a program that includes bat boxes, owl boxes and raptor perches. The owls and raptors help keep the harmful rodent population in check, while the bat boxes help control troublesome moths and other insects.

Fall

Fall is all about the harvest action, and it only happens with the help of our talented vineyard and winemaking crews. Sustainable agriculture isn’t just about being good stewards of the earth. It’s about being a good citizen on the farm and in the community. This is why we are proud that our vineyard and wines are SIP (Sustainability in Practice) Certified, a holistic program that accounts for “People, Planet and Prosperity.”

Harvest is also a time for our new state-of-the-art electric tractors to shine. Built by Monarch, the MK-V model tractors are billed as “the world’s first driver-optional, data driven, and 100% electric tractor.” Powered by our solar plants, these tractors hold a charge for up to 10 hours and are highly versatile, capable of performing grape hauling, mowing, pre-pruning and more. In the words of Ancient Peaks co-owner Karl Wittstrom, “These tractors have significant features that will undoubtedly help us lower our carbon footprint. This is the future of farming.”