Last week I wrote about a the bizarre drunken badger. Just when you thought it could not get any more strange, I recently read about a New Zealand vineyard that is introducing “pint sized sheep” to the vineyard.
(the sheep appears to be about half the size as that golden retriever)
The theory behind this strange story is that these sheep will cut energy costs associated with cutting the grass/weeds between rows in this 1000 hectare vineyard. Claiming that they mow the vineyard 8-12 times a year, the vineyard manager talks about the sheep helping them to cut back on fuel burned and energy consumed by their seven tractors.
Now I have heard of introducing bugs & fowl into the vineyard to reduce the need to use pesticides. And I think introducing a grass eating mammal is terrific. But who came up with the idea that a full sized sheep will ALSO eat the grapes, so instead they need MINI-SHEEP?!?!? Who even knew such things existed?? Bizarre indeed…
Happy mini-sheep aided wine tasting!
WTG
Funny, the British paper The Guardian just contacted me asking permission to use a photo I took and posted on our blog (http://www.winey.wordpress.com) of baby doll sheep in Navarro’s vineyard for an article she was doing on this topic.
Besides Navarro, one of our growers, Corona Creek in Sonoma Coast, uses Icelandic sheep in the vineyard b/c they are also small enough to not reach the grapes, not damage the trellis and wiring and small enough so as not to compact the soil.
Besides being Green and incredibly cute, it gives our kids something to look fwd to when we drag them to the vineyards!
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