Organic Winemaking Is a Zoo With Armadillos, Falcons, and Pigs
Beyond cute cats and dogs, vineyard animals are becoming essential eco-conscious parts of the fine-winemaking process.
Source: Vergenoegd Löw
At Tablas Creek winery in Paso Robles, Calif., 200 black-faced Dorper sheep munch weeds among rows of vines. Along the way, they fertilize the soil while donkeys and 200-pound Spanish mastiffs ward off coyotes and mountain lions.
Pairs of owls zoom from vineyard boxes to eliminate more than 500 vine root-eating gophers a year. Chickens scratch the earth, scarfing up unwelcome bugs.