Sustainable vineyard

First steps with sheep

Back in ’99 when Matt and I were researching the whole vineyard/winery thing, we visited the Burgundy region in France. It was poetic, beautiful; each vineyard charmed me completely. In one vineyard, there were little short black sheep eating the flora between the vine rows. They were adorable. Since then, I’ve pictured short little sheep grazing among the vines.

I grew up on the Westside of Indianapolis, hardly country living. So I don’t know anything about raising sheep. But then I didn’t know anything about growing grapes either. I figure I can learn. The whole idea sounds great. The sheep keep the vineyard mowed. They spread a little fertilizer while they are at it. Besides, the sheep are so darn cute.

Fast forward to late April this year. There is a farm down the road from me that has sheep. I have passed them many times as I traveled into town. Well, a gentleman stopped by the vineyard one afternoon to ask me about growing grapes. He was wondering about whether his property would be a good vineyard candidate. As we got to talking, he mentioned that he had the farm up the road with the sheep. My ears pricked up. I asked him about the sheep in the vineyard idea. He felt the sheep would eat the tender grape shoots.

Now, I’ve thought of that. There are things called ‘chicken tractors’ or ‘chicken arks’ that are mobile, floorless pens. The chickens are confined from desired plantings, but can eat the bugs and weeds. When they finish with one area, one moves them to the next patch of bugs and weeds. So the gentleman and I discuss using this same idea for the sheep. He thinks it just may work. I agree to construct a ‘sheep ark’, he agrees to let me test run some sheep.

So a week or so later, I decide to construct a ‘sheep ark’. I have lots of old trellis posts, hog wire and plywood scraps. There are a number of websites that show chicken arks of many designs. I am not a carpenter. But I figure I can pattern after some pictures and cobble something mobile that will hold sheep. Five hours later, I’m not a quick carpenter; a 7’x10’ pen has materialized. I put 2 wheels on one end so that the entire contraption can be moved like a wheel barrel.

So I call the gentleman up the road to say that I’m ready for sheep trials. We agreed to meet the next morning to catch a momma and baby.