Vineyard Habitat Restoration Farm Walk

Vineyard Habitat Restoration Farm Walk

I’m Lacy Gray with Washington Ag Today.

Since 2003 the Tilth Producers of Washington and the WSU Small Farms Program have partnered to host the farmer to farmer educational series known as “Farm Walks”. Tilth Producer’s Jacqueline Cramer says there are more farm walks scheduled this year, thirteen total, and some of those will be more hands on, thanks to grant funding that helps provide more staffing than usual.

CRAMER: With the grant funding and the innovation that we are trying to inspire - this year four of them will be hands on workshops. Instead of standing, and listening, and walking people are actually trying things and getting their hands involved in skills that they are being taught.

The April 22 farm walk will be at the Klickitat Canyon Winery and Meadowlark Vineyards in Lyle, and will focus on managing pests and encouraging pollinators.

CRAMER: They don’t till in between the rows, they plant native habitat and plants in there that are perennial so the ground is not disturbed and they end up having increased populations of critters who help pollinate the crops as well as keep the pests down. With the different plants that flower all through the seasons you’re attracting and feeding beneficial insects who eat the harmful mites. WSU entomologists are doing studies around that and documenting that in vineyards around Washington, and this is one of the vineyards on their studies, and they’re having a decrease in pests and an increase in the beneficial insects.

There will also be a glimpse into how they make their wine by hand, as well as a wine tasting afterwards. Pre-registration for the farm walks is encouraged. For times and locations visit tilthproducers.org.

I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.