Dry Farming in California in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news! Check out these recently published articles discussing the dry farming and climate-mitigation practices in California.

Mendocino Winegrowers Inc.: A dry farmer and a new executive director by Karen Rifkin of the Ukiah Daily Journal

Karen Rifkin talks with Lorenzo Pacini, third generation owner of the Pacini Vineyard and dry farmer in the Mendocino AVA of California.

California wants to store floodwaters underground. It's harder than it sounds by Nathan Rott & Claire Harbage of NPR

This report looks into efforts by California to restore underground aquifers using floodwaters and rain from winter storms.

Mangoes and agave in the Central Valley: California farmers try new crops to cope with climate change by Alastair Bland of CalMatters

Bland talks with farmers experimenting with different crops to find more sustainable and adaptive options for the changing climate in their regions. This includes discussion of obscure tropical fruits, pest mitigation in established orchards, and adapting plants for heat tolerance.

Dry Farming in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news! Check out these recently published articles discussing national water policy and climate mitigation efforts in grape growing.

The Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act by Nina Totenberg of All Things Considered

The Supreme Court decided to sink the Clean Water Act. This comes after their actions last year to deflate the EPA’s “ability to regulate air pollution from power plants.” As the justices wash their hands of protecting individuals from water pollution, there was no word on how much lead is in their own drinking water…

Go higher to beat the heat by Lee Allen of Western FarmPress

Lee Allen explores how some growers are changing their trellising practices to mitigate heat.

Dry Farming in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news! Check out these recently published articles discussing the dry farming and grape growing in Oregon.

Oregon State researchers make breakthrough in understanding the chemistry of wildfire smoke in wine by Sean Nealon of Oregon State University

Explore cutting edge research into smoke tainted grapes by Oregon State University and Washington State University.

Farmers, gardeners collaborate on dry farming in Oregon by Elizabeth Castillo of Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB); interview by Geoff Norcross of OPB’s Think Out Loud

OPB explores work being done by the Dry Farming Collaborative through an interview with the founder and board president of the Dry Farming Institute, Amy Garrett. The Dry Farming Institute is an Oregon organization focused on promoting dry farming through marketing assistance, seed stewardship, and collaborations with growers and researchers.

Video: Dale Strickler Presents: Building Drought Resilient Soils

Shared via the ATTRA network (subscribe to their newsletter right on their main website here), this video explains best practices for improving water capture for livestock as part of sustainable farming. Dale Strickler is the author of The Drough Resilient Farm. Watch the 90 minute presentation here.

ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).

Dundee Hills Organization Presents Inside a Mobile Wine Bottling Truck

Take a peek inside mobile wine bottling with the Dundee Hills AVA! Read their blog post here with photos by Mick Hangland-Skill.

SARE Presents Leaders in Sustainable Agriculture

Watch SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education)’s collaboration with PBS and America’s Heartland as they interview and explore four farming operations’ work with sustainable agriculture. Topics covered include soil health through cover crops and grazing, diversification, and marketing. You can check out the video here.

Founded in 1988, SARE is a national grassroots organization emphasizing sustainable agriculture through grants, education, and outreach to farmers.

UN 2023 Water Conference: A Critical Analysis by WRI

The World Resources Institute published a critical review of the UN’s Water Conference results, looking specifically at the Water Action Agenda, the over 700 pledges by governments and organizations large and small to address freshwater preservation and climate change. Read their conclusions here on the potential impact of these promises and their call for further action to “tackle global water challenges.”

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an international water and development research organization founded in the 1980s with funding by the MacArthur Foundation. It is funded by donation.

Dry Farming in the News

Start your Monday off with some fresh off the press news! Check out these recently published articles discussing the dry farming of winegrapes in Oregon.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Vines by Greg Norton of the Oregon Wine Press

This is a deep dive into Dr. Alexander Levin’s work and history in researching vineyard management techniques, including water and irrigation.

Growing Pains: Winemakers Reflect on a Changing Climate by Laura Ness of the Wine Industry Advisor

Check out quotes from Evan Martin, owner and winemaker of Martin Woods in McMinnville, who reflects on the positives and negatives of dry farmed vines.

Walking The Rows: Résonance Vineyard And The Fool’s Errand Plot by Jill Barth of Forbes Magazine

A focused look at the Résonance Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, one of the Willamette Valley’s oldest dry farmed and own-rooted vineyards.

Quote of the Day: Virginia Woolf

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." ― Virginia Woolf

Google Earth for Your Vineyard

ATTRA just posted useful information on how to use Google Earth Pro for mapping your vineyard (or other agricultural operations, to be fair). They’re highlighting a video series by Steve Gabrial of the Wellspring Forest Farm. Use the information to help understand your overall land. Don’t miss the video on contour maps and soil survey data importing. Check out their tips here!

ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) is a knowledge source for sustainable agriculture, created by the US Department of Agriculture Rural Development and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT).