Napa Valley growers deploy sheep to produce healthier vineyards

Jesse Duarte, St. Helena Star

Grazing sheep are becoming a more common sight in Napa Valley vineyards — and advocates say there are good reasons for that.

The Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Green organized a field day on Tuesday at Castello di Amorosa outside Calistoga to show growers and vineyard managers how sheep produce healthier vineyard soil and more fire-resilient wildlands.

Christian Cain of Perennial Grazing said there are four reasons to let sheep graze in vineyards: soil fertility, labor savings, frost mitigation and cost reduction.

Sheep are also making practical sense as more growers go organic and eliminate pesticides.
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“If you’re outlawing glyphosate … this is part of the solution,” said Robert Irwin of Kaos Sheep Outfit.

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