Environmental Stewardship
Initiatives at Hunt Country Vineyards

Composting at Hunt Country Vineyards

Hunt Country Vineyards Captures “Vertical Wind”

We are pleased to announce that we have just installed a small vertical-axis wind turbine.  The turbine, a new design by Mariah Power of Reno, Nevada, generates up to 1.2 kW of electricity and is designed to work productively at the lower wind speeds encountered in less-than-ideal sites.  In order to maximize performance, the turbine will be mounted atop of a 30 ft. pole.  If the site proves viable, it may be practical to install larger vertical-axis turbines in the future.

Vertical-axis turbines (VATs) have been designed to work in lighter and shifty air and at less cost than the more common horizontal axis propeller turbines. However, VATs are currently limited in capacity to smaller applications such as powering a home or farm. When installed, a VAT looks like a tall thin tube mounted on a pole.  They are very quiet and are not hazardous to birds as the turning blades give the appearance of a solid object that birds avoid.

The project is part of an ongoing effort at Hunt Country Vineyards’ sixth generation family farm to reduce their footprint on the land, use renewable energy and develop agriculturally and environmentally sustainable practices.  

Local Biofuels!

In a section of our original 1860's barn,  we have built a simple processor to make biodiesel out of used vegetable oil from area restaurants.  We use the fuel to power our tractors instead of conventional diesel. This fuel is non-toxic, and when made from waste oil, does not contribute to global warming, costs less than conventional diesel fuel, cleans and improves the performance of engines, and the exhaust smells like hamburgers and French fries!

Composting at Hunt Country Vineyards
A New Approach to Waste Management

Since the inception of Hunt Country Vineyards, Art and Joyce Hunt have worked to improve soil health by spreading the leftover grape pomace back in the vineyard to decompose on its own.  Grape pomace (photo at right) consists of the stems, skins and seeds left over from pressing the grapes. 

In the fall of 2005 the Hunt family began mixing the pomace with animal manure and then composting the mix before applying it to the vineyard.  Jonathan Hunt, a graduate of Cornell University's School of Agriculture and son of owners Art and Joyce Hunt, is coordinating the project.  Composting the combined grape pomace and manure is advantageous because it adds vital minerals and nutrients to the soil that help produce outstanding grapes for winemaking.  The increased nitrogen due to the manure may also help us reduce the use of other fertilizers.

Our compost piles can be seen in the photo (below).  The pile from last year’s harvest, at the rear under the large tree, is nearly finished decomposing and darker in color, while this year's pile in front is just beginning its cycle.  During the composting process millions of microorganisms break down the leftover plant material and release large quantities of heat.

Adding compost and other organic matter improves soil health and structure, ensuring that the land upon which Art and Joyce have built their vineyard will continue to improve and produce beautiful grapes.