By: Nipomo

Nipomo — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:28:45 +0000

An important theme of integrated farming is the ability for growers to evaluate their practices on a whole-farm level. CCVT has endeavored to create a measurable and recordable set of farming practices which encompass ten chapters comprised of Conservation and Enhancement of Biological ‘Diversity, Vineyard Establishment and Management, Soil Conservation and Water Quality, Water Conservation, Energy Conservation and Efficiency, Air Quality, Social Equity, Pest Management, Continuing Education, and Product Assurance and Business Sustainability.’

Santa Margarita Ranch fails miserably on the first paragraph of sustainability requirements!
Thet are destroying the watershed and ES that rely on it!

By: Gerald Wilson

Gerald Wilson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:16:33 +0000

The Ancient Peaks vineyard is owned by developers, one a well driller and licensed pesticide applicator. There is nothing green or sustainable about the new owners. Yes-they donate…that’s how they bought an illegal permit for an environmentally disastrous development. As for realtor Wes Burke? You ought to talk to some REAL objective biologists other than high paid Althouse and Meade-long known for selling approvals to the highest bidder-The project is in THE MOST biologically sesitive and diverse area of the ranch HANDS DOWN -This is described by several DFG biologists in comment letters to the EIR and most of the surveys Mondavi did we disregarded as they weaseled out of the safe harbour the moment they took over. -Wes bought some propaganda from paid consultants. They bought approval by 3 supervisors they donated heavily to and have business ties with (Santa Lucia Bank). They REMOVED most of the environmental mitigations for their disaster in the 11th hour against the wishes of weak county leadership hense the lawsuit. The project will cross Trout Creek and grade in federally protected steel head habitat in 13 roads and driveways.

They grade in the creeks, poison wild pigs and squirrels which in turn are eaten by every creature in the food chain and end up in the water-On that subject they have drilled numerous wells -some w/out permits and bulldozed huge unpermitted concrete reservoirs(3) that strip surface flows from the watershed. Road have been bootlegged in in the name of Ag-right where the proposed development is-as well as water infrastucture. The Mondavis were REAL stewards and Farmers-These guys are developers in cowboy hats! 500 MORE houses, retail,commercial! OH They left out that the 3000 acres of land in “perpetuity” is actually in AG conservation with massive allowable uses,,weddings, events, AG buildings -etcc You call THAT conservation and a fair a trade off for destroying the Last largest intact Spanish Land Grant in Cal? I say Earth Day should run from these scammers. The meetings in town had MASSIVE disapproval-the others were run by a connected group of POPR folks-these are the ones who actually hi-jacked the record. Charlie Daugherty is their attorney! The majority of the town is against this-Their employees, friends, associates ran for office of the advisory council and basically run with what they want- people are afraid to speak up because they have a history of threatening citizens with lawsuits or job losses.
These guys are posers-lip service- Find real farmers to certify and stay away from this mess for Earth Day@!Listen to Yvon Chouinard.

By: andra

andra — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:16:17 +0000

Thanks. An interesting interview. Sure seems to me that your question about the “nine wineries” was skirted. And as for farming being a business, and being about more than just caring for the earth, I like the quote from Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia and an avowed environmentalist. “There is no business to be done on a dead planet.”

Comments on: Sustainable Agriculture and the Central Coast Vineyard Team

By: Nipomo

By: Gerald Wilson

By: andra