Tour Condor’s Hope Vineyard in the Cuyama Valley and see how a dry-farmed vineyard can succeed in an arid landscape. Steve Gliessman will share insights on vineyard design, rootstock selection, and establishment practices that help set vines up for long-term resilience. Learn how soil cultivation techniques can maximize storage of limited rainfall, along with other farming practices tailored to this unique site. Transportation is provided. Please select the carpool transportation option when registering if you plan to ride with the group. Itinerary: 8:00-9:00 am - Pick up at Santa Maria Speedway 9:00-11:00 am - Tour at Condor's Hope Vineyard 11:00 am-12:00 pm - Drop off at Santa Maria Speedway REGISTER   Pick up location for carpool transportation: Santa Maria Speedway, 1900 Hutton Rd, Nipomo, CA 93444     This meeting is funded by the Department of Water Resources and is a collaboration between CSWA and CAFF.  &nbs

Dry farming in Paso Robles involves a variety of approaches and practices, including floor management, spacing, varietals, and canopy management. These methods are highly adaptable and tailored to the unique conditions of each site.  Join us for a grower roundtable that will provide practical insights for both dry farmers and those interested in dry farming! Date/time: Thursday, February 20 @ 9:00-11:00 am Location: Lone madrone Winery REGISTER HERE This meeting is funded by the Department of Water Resources and is a collaboration between CSWA, CAFF, and Vineyard Team.

This year, 12 new vineyards made the incredible achievement of earning SIP Certified. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties are now home to an additional 2500 acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. Congratulations to both new and renewing SIP Certified members! By implementing the program’s rigorous Standards, these environmentally and socially responsible land stewards protect the people and the planet. If you’re looking to buy or sell SIP Certified grapes or wine, check out the Classifieds.

“Food disconnect” is a term used to describe the average consumer’s lack of knowledge about where their food comes from and how it’s made. When it comes to wine, most consumers only see the finished product in the grocery store or tasting room! While everyday agricultural practices may feel ordinary to you, these topics are fascinating to the average consumer, who likely has little to no insight into the block to bottle process behind their glass of wine. Describing specific practices and why they are important helps customers understand the time and care that went into producing their wine. Sharing your unique story welcomes them to take part in the good feelings that come from supporting a business that is doing better for the people and the planet. People care about social and environmental issues, and want to support brands that share their values and do something about it. This week’s Marketing Tip tells the inspiring Sustainable Story of how Bi

Join Vineyard Team at Tablas Creek Vineyard for a discussion on establishing and farming a dry farmed vineyard.  Learn from Jordan Lonborg (Vineyard Manager) and Neil Collins (Executive Winemaker) about their floor management, soils, stormwater management, establishment considerations, and lessons learned from their dry-farmed blocks. REGISTER Coffee and pastries will be provided. Please wear sturdy foot wear as we’ll be in a pretty rugged location. There will be an opportunity at the end of the meeting to hike to the top of the hill to see part of the planting that is well established.   Directions: Follow Google Maps directions to this dropped pin. Carpooling is encouraged!   Project Partners: California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Vineyard Team We would like to thank the Department of Water Resources for providing funding for education on dry farming in coastal winegrapes.    CCA 2 - SWM REGISTER

Join Vineyard Team at Tablas Creek Vineyard for a discussion on establishing and farming a dry farmed vineyard.  Learn from Jordan Lonborg (Vineyard Manager) and Neil Collins (Executive Winemaker) about their floor management, soils, stormwater management, establishment considerations, and lessons learned from their dry-farmed blocks. REGISTER Coffee and pastries will be provided. Please wear sturdy foot wear as we’ll be in a pretty rugged location. There will be an opportunity at the end of the meeting to hike to the top of the hill to see part of the planting that is well established.   Directions: Follow Google Maps directions to this dropped pin. Carpooling is encouraged!   Project Partners: California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Vineyard Team We would like to thank the Department of Water Resources for providing funding for education on dry farming in coastal winegrapes.    CCA 2

Tailgate: Vine to Wine Water Treatment Solutions When: April 10, 9:00 - 11:00 am Where: Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard, 2225 Sweeney Road, Lompoc, CA Description: From the vineyard to the winery, you have options when it comes to water treatment.  Learn from a panel of experts about Reverse Osmosis as an option, their experience using it, the operational and technical processes to maintain RO systems, and cost analysis. We will also review treatment and storage options, as well as a current research project to reuse winery waste water in the vineyard. Speakers: Amy Whiteford, Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard: Discussion on their decision to install a Reverse Osmosis system and their experience. Dan Sanders, Streamline Systems: Review operational and technical process process to maintain the Reverse Osmosis system plus pricing based on the size of an operation. Rob Miller, Principal Engineer, Wallace Group: Treatment and storage options for winery process water. Amro E

Celebrating 15 Years of SIP Certified Over 47k acres of certified vineyards, 5 wineries, and 60.3m bottles Nearly 30 years ago, a small group of like-minded grape growers started a nonprofit to guide and educate the industry toward sustainability. Today, one of the groups’ award-winning programs, SIP Certified, is recognized as the gold standard program for sustainable winegrowing.  In 1996, this group, known as Vineyard Team, wrote the first self-assessment for sustainable vineyard farming: The Positive Points System (PPS). By completing the PPS year after year, growers would evaluate and improve their sustainable practices on every level, from habitat protection to water conservation, soil health to human resources. Consumer demand to understand how their wine was made compelled the group to transform the self-assessment tool into an official certification program. Their goal was to develop a rigorous, third-party verified program so vineyard stewards could be confident t

Collaboration promotes operational efficiency, sustainability in water and wastewater treatment  Wilmington, Mass. – Koch Separation Solutions (KSS), a global leader in membrane filtration and ion exchange technology, today announced it continues to build its relationship with ADM, the world’s premier agricultural origination and processing company. Central to ADM’s philosophy and operations is its commitment to sustainability, and KSS has earned the confidence of ADM to become a preferred vendor of water, wastewater, and in-process separations applications based on premium services and reliable products. This mutually beneficial relationship will help ADM meet and exceed sustainability and business objectives by improving its processes, conserve water, and protect the environment. “KSS’s industry-leading solutions are developed and constantly improved to ensure our customers’ operations, like those of ADM, are profitable and sustainable