Recently we joined in on a tour hosted by the Brodhead Watershed Association, Monroe County Conservation District and the National Parks Conservation Association.
SUSTAINABLE POCONO WINERY – WE LOVE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE POCONO MOUNTAINS AND WE WORK HARD TO KEEP IT THAT WAY THROUGH EARTH-FRIENDLY FARMING AND WINE MAKING TECHNIQUES. YOU CAN TASTE THE DIFFERENCE.
As a stop on the recent tour, we talked about our vineyard sustainability & rain gardens that not only prevent stormwater runoff, but provide the habitat for pollinators like bees, birds & butterflies. Our wildflower plantings also provide habitat & food for pollinators
It has always been our mission to create the greatest experience for our guests by providing them with the finest products possible made with the least amount of chemical intervention in the vineyard, winemaking, and brewing process. Our goal is to leave our farm in better condition than when we bought it. To that end, we minimize the use of fungicides by growing disease resistant grape varieties. To minimize the use of herbicides, we mulch around the base of the vines, which not only suppresses weeds, but also helps retain moisture from the rainfall & promotes the growth of beneficial fungi and microbial activity by adding organic matter to the soil.
Synthetic fertilizer use is minimized by composting cardboard packaging with wood chips from a local tree trimmer, animal manure, and spent beer grains from our brewery.
In order to minimize erosion from our mountainside, we are “no till” farmers and we plant grass and clover between our vineyard rows. The clover replenishes nitrogen removed from the soil by our vines. We’ve also installed beautiful rain gardens that gather rainwater that might otherwise lead to erosion. The plants and flowers in our rain gardens, as well as the wildflower fields we planted, are not only beautiful, but they attract pollinators that attract beneficial insects and butterflies. They also provide food for winter birds.
Some of our other eco-friendly practices in our winery/brewery are: geothermal heating & cooling, LED lighting, recycling of all glass, paper, cardboard & plastic, and the elimination of paper tasting sheets with reusable laminated tasting sheets. We also recycle spent beer grains from our brewery by using them to feed our chickens & livestock, composting them for fertilizer for our vineyard, and for making dog biscuits.
With the expansion of our organic vegetable & herb gardens this spring, we hope to provide delicious, fresh produce for our bistro.