2. Farming Philosophy

Our approach to farming is simple. We are a certified organic farm. With everything we grow, we assume our kids will be eating it right out of the ground or off of the plant.

In Spring 2017, we cleared the property and planning the layout of our vineyard and orchard. Our goal was not to maximize agricultural production. Instead, we wanted to experiment with alternative varieties of grapes and apples in order to discover the full potential of this particular piece of land in its natural form, combining each of its individual components to create a complete and perfect expression. In doing so, we embraced three important principles that we believe will yield superior results.

First, we believe it is important to maintain biodiversity, not just among our commercial crops but also on the farm more generally. This diversity, in contrast to a mono-crop or mono-varietal approach, will produce a more resilient and sustainable ecosystem for us and our community, as well as a more interesting portfolio of fermented beverages for our customers. Though we removed many of the fir trees that covered a portion of the property, we preserved the Oregon White Oak trees that were among them. And, though we removed the invasive undergrowth, we sought to preserve the old fruit trees and other native species (local wild roses, Oregon grapes, trout lilies, etc.) that were growing among them.

Second, we prioritize sustainability on our farm. We have farmed organically from day one. We were LIVE certified in 2021 and 2022 (our first two vintages), and in 2023, we decided to get our organic practices formally certified by CCOF. We have also been charting a path toward obtaining formal regenerative organic certification.

Third, instead of regrading and reforming the land to fit a preconceived plan for our vineyard or other crops, or to make it easier to farm, we preserved those unique features and let them inform our decisions about which grape varieties to plant, where to plant them, and how to train the vines. We embraced the undulating, amphiteater-like hills because of its ability to produce more complex and compelling wines through its diversity of aspects within and among the various blocks.

From here, we developed a plan for the gradual planting of a vineyard, an orchard, hops and grains that we continue to follow today.