Dover Canyon Winery

CQ3: How will California's drought crisis affect you?

Today's customer question is:  How will California's drought crisis affect you?

Pictured below: Lake Nacimiento March 2009

 

As many of you may already know, the Governor of California has declared a state of emergency.  This is the third year that CA has been significantly short of rainfall and snowpack, parching inland grazing land and affecting the state's supply of natural water resources.  University of California economists estimate that the state will lose 40,000 agriculture-related jobs—without water, livestock operations will have to reduce production, many older 'hardwood' plantings (fruit and nut orchards, cane berry crops) will be torn out, and our 'salad bowl' crops like greens, celery, tomatoes—all of which are very dependent on irrigation—will also have to be reduced.  The beef and dairy industries have been particularly hard hit, between a 70% reduction of CA range grass, and the higher fuel costs of 2008—many cattle operations truck their livestock to states or regions where pasture is available, and then to the mid-West for stock sales.  And once a herd has been reduced, it takes years to re-establish. 

The San Joaquin Valley, a warm inland region whose top ag industries include raisin grapes, almonds, dairy and beef, calves for resale, pork, cotton, peaches, and tomatoes has suffered the most and over 20,000 acres of land prevoiusly planted to row crops have gone unplanted or simply abandoned.  Also in 2008, a lawsuit based on the Endangered Species Act prompted a federal judge to order a severe reduction of pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which supplies water to the 450-mile long California aqueduct.  The order reduced water supply to inland and southern California communities, ranches and farms by 75%!   Losses to California farm industries were pegged at $308 million by 2008, and are increasing this year as more and more reductions take place.  The state is losing product, revenue, businesses and jobs along with its water.

2009 Vintage Begins: The Soft Blessings of Rain

Our fall and early winter vacillated between warm, springlike weather which encouraged the cover crop, and crisp, cold, dry weather which is subsequently hard on the tender cover crop. The dry weather made it easier for workers to cut canes and clear the vineyards in anticipation of pruning, but we really need water. We were glad to hear the soft patter of rain all night. 

It was only half-an-inch, according to our rain gauge, but when added to the 3.5 inches we received earlier in the fall that gives us 4 inches so far on Vineyard Drive.  Still a ways to go to reach our annual average of 22-26 inches, and our rainy season usually ends in mid-April, so we have only two months in which to make up the deficit.

Fortunately (or wisely, as we picked our site precisely for this reason) the soils of the central coast are calcareous, with lots of underlying limestone. Limestone provides superior drainage during rains, and has the unique property of wicking it back up during hot weather. Our zinfandel vineyard is head pruned and dry farmed. That means there is no irrigation suppy at all. And our syrah, which is leggier and thirstier,  needs only a gallon per vine before heat spikes.

We are not too concerned about the vineyard as we have planned and planted for drought cycles. Our farming practices incorporate mulching, composting and the use of cover crops to sustain the health of our soil and conserve water. But we are worried about the house, lawn and garden. (I will change the selection of my garden plantings this year, and probably move the tomato plot down to the creekbed, where the topsoil is deeper and there is a little ground moisture.)

In normal years, our property receives 22-26 inches of rain, which equals over 5 million gallons of water. Our estimated annual usage for our dryfarmed walnut orchard and vineyard, including home use, is less than 400,000 gallons. The remaining 4.5 million gallons fill a seasonal creek and pond, and contribute to our local water table.

Shit Happens: The Exploding Fish Emulsion

In March and April we receive the last of our spring rains. This is the time of year we like to give the soil around the vines a little boost by pumping diluted fish and kelp emulsion through a temporary drip irrigation system. We only want to do this during the spring rains so the native precipitation will carry the emulsion deep into the soil, replacing nutrients naturally. The fish and kelp combination also encourages the biodiversity and health of the cover crop and soil life, including natural fungi, microbes, worms, and insects.  We ordered a barrel—a 50 gallon drum—of fish and kelp emulsion from a firm in Oregon. Unfortunately, the emulsion was on backorder for a long time and didn’t arrive until spring was over and the rains nothing but a memory.

So we put the drum in the walnut processing shed until the next spring. It sat in the open shed through a hot summer and fall and a cold winter. The following spring arrived. One sunny morning around 7 am Dan was eager to get started on vineyard chores.  With no particular warning to me he said, "Hey, come help me set up the fish emulsion drip!" I protested sleepily that I was still in my peejays.  I would also be working in the tasting room that day, so I wanted to change into some clean jeans and a sweater first. "No, you don’t need to change. This will just take a minute."

So I let him talk me into riding down to the creekside barn on the ATV, still dressed in my black velour pajamas, with a pair of Uggs on my cold little feet. Dan unscrewed the cap on the drum and explained that my job was to kneel at the base of the drum and hold a five-gallon bucket steady while he dumped a few gallons of fish emulsion into the bucket. Our drip emission feeder is a five-gallon model, so Dan would then pour the emulsion into the feeder and set the drip rate. Once the water was turned on, the water would pass through the feeder, dilute the emulsion and carry it up the hill, depositing it at the base of each vine in a steady drip.

So there I was, kneeling down and holding the bucket as Dan tipped the drum over. We were unaware that over the course of the year, the emulsion had fermented anaerobically in its enclosed drum. Its contents had morphed into something even more awful than the original contents.

Natural Resources

At Dover Canyon, we are committed to preserving natural habitats and resources existing on our property, while practicing responsible and sustainable agriculture. We also actively campaign against waste of natural resources, and we support small-scale, sustainable agriculture.

ØOrganic Farming

Our walnut orchard and vineyard are seeded with natural cover crops of rye, barley, clover and mustard to encourage healthy soils, biodiversity and water retention.

ØNatural Gardening

Our winery gardens are composted and mulched with material from our lawns, garden and orchard. Completely natural and pesticide free, our gardens provide us with abundant crops of tomatoes, herbs, lettuces, vegetables and flowers.

ØWildlife Habitats

We are a certified wildlife habitat in the National Wildlife Federation’s registry.

In our landscaping, we carefully incorporate native California plants which provide food and habitat for butterflies, birds, small mammals and a myriad of other small creatures.  Our property also has centurion walnut and oak trees, a seven-acre walnut orchard, fruiting bushes, and areas of open grass which provide habitats for hawks, owls and other wildlife.