Healthy Soils for Healthy Vineyards: Event Resources

Thank you to all attendees who joined the Amador RCD, Calaveras County RCD, and Calaveras Winegrape Alliance for the June 26th Healthy Soils for Healthy Vineyards event at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, Calaveras County.

Group of people outdoors, possibly on a farm tour, with trees and vineyard in the background.

Attendees heard presentations from conservation professionals, researchers, and industry experts, followed by a sustainability vineyard management discussion and tour with Stephen Kautz, President of Ironstone Vineyards.

Please find below presentations and resources shared at the event (plus more):

Presenters & Organizations:

Anna Mariscal - Healthy Soils Natural Resources Specialist, Amador Resource Conservation District (ARCD)

Margaret Smither-Kopperl - PMC Manager, USDA NRCS Lockeford Plant Materials Center

Nigel Dreksler - Business Development, Kamprath Seed

Daniel K. Macon - Livestock & Natural Resources Advisor, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR)

Hanna Kahl - Ecological Pest Management Program Specialist, Community Alliance of Familly Farmers (CAFF)

Presentations:

Healthy Soils for Healthy Vineyards_Technical and Financial Assistance_Anna Mariscal.pptx Cover Cropping for Vineyards_Margaret Smither-Kopperl.pdf Cover Crops for Healthy Vineyards_Nigel Dreksler.pdf Incorporating Livestock in Foothill Vineyard Systems_Daniel K Macon.pptx Ecological Pest Management with Community Alliance with Family_Hanna Kahl.pdf

Technical Assistance Resources

Soil Conservation

USDA NRCS - Principles for High Functioning Soils Factsheet.pdf ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture - Managing Soils for Water.pdf CDFA - Soil Biodiversity in California Agriculture.pdf

SoilWeb: An Online Soil Survey Browser | California Soil Resource Lab (ucdavis.edu)

Web Soil Survey

Cover Crops

UCANR California Cover Cropping Resources

Sustainable Conservation - Cover Cropping in the SGMA Era

USDA NRCS 340_CA_GD_Cover Crop_Planning Support Discussion Guide_2020.pdf Equipment to Manage Cover Crops in Annual Rotations_UCANR Sacramento Valley Field Crops Newsletter.pdf USDA NRCS Lockeford PMC_Cover Crop Variety Adaptation Trial 2016 - 2018_2019.pdf USCA NRCD_ Final Study Report_ Adaptation of Warm Season Cover Crops for California.pdf USDA NRCS Lockeford PMC_Evaluation of Drought Tolerant Cover Crops for California’s Central Valley.pdf Management and Termination of Insectary Cover Crop Mixes_USDA.pdf USDA NRCS Lockeford PMC_Efficacy of Management and Termination Methods for Insectary Cover Crop Mixes_2021.pdf USDA NRCS Lockeford PMC_Final Study Report_Termination Timing for Cover Crops Using a Roller Crimper_2024.pdf

Livestock Incorporation

Integrated Crop / Livestock Systems - Community Alliance with Family Farmers (caff.org)

Livestock and Crop Integration – Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems – Chico State (csuchico.edu)

Pest Management

Vineyard Pest Natural Enemies.pdf

UCANR Integrated Pest Management

Additional Resources

Regenerative Agriculture 101 – Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems – Chico State (csuchico.edu)

Resources - The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation

CAFF_Understanding the Science Behind Climate Smart Agriculture_2024.pdf

financial assistance programs & grants

Healthy Soils Program

CDFA Healthy Soils Program – Incentives Grant - Direct to farmer grants from CDFA for the implementation of soil conservation practices

Regional Healthy Soils Program Block Grants - Direct to farmer grants from regional growers organizations and Resource Conservation Districts, funded by CDFA, for the implementation of soil conservation practices.

Central Sierra Healthy Soils Program

NRCS Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

National Air Quality Initiative (NAQI)

Climate Smart Agriculture

CDFA State Water Efficiency & Enhancement Program (SWEEP)

SWEEP provides financial assistance in the form of grants to implement irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on California agricultural operations. Eligible system components include (among others) soil moisture monitoring, drip systems, switching to low pressure irrigation systems, pump retrofits, variable frequency drives and installation of renewable energy to reduce on-farm water use and energy.

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