You know those neighbors who continually soak their lawns with a garden hose, until the water pools together in the street looking like something Michael Phelps might train in?  Yeah, this article is not about those people.  But for those of you who actually care about water conservation in agriculture, read on! 

Dry farming is a technique of farming the land that is catching on with professional growers, most notably with wineries.  And here’s why it’s such a fantastic way to till the soil.

First, what is dry farming?  As defined by agriculturalists, it is “the profitable production of useful crops, without irrigation, on lands that receive annually a rainfall of 20 inches or less.”   It is generally used in desert or semi-desert places where heavy water use isn’t possible.  Farmers cultivate the limited moisture in the soil by selecting particular crops and growing methods that take advantage of existing wetness in the soil.  And most importantly, it allows nature to dictate the true sustainability of agriculture in a region.

And how is this done?  By “tilling the land shortly after harvest and keeping it free from weeds…but in certain latitudes stubble is left in the fields after harvest to trap snow.”  Apparently, careful destruction of weeds prevents wasteful runoff and enables farmers to get dry farming.  Grape vines must be spaced sufficiently to allow the plant to obtain the moisture it needs from the soil.  Specifically, “vines must be planted on a rootstock that will seek the moisture down in the soil.” A dust mulch should be cultivated by tilling the soil right after rain to preserve moisture, and vineyards must be tilled during growing season to allow the plant absorb moisture.

Historically, dry farming has been popular in the Mediterranean region.  Olive oil and grapes have been dry farmed for thousands of years.  Spain, Italy, and Greece still dry farm today.  In fact, in some places it is illegal to irrigate wine grapes during the growing season, “under the contention that the water will dilute the quality of the grapes.”  And now it is becoming more and more prevalent in among California wine makers.  The Napa region alone has dedicated over 1,000 acres to dry farming! 

And one of our favorite dry farmers are the green growers at Frog’s Leap Winery.  Over 200 acres are dedicated to planting cover crops and tillage through the growing season while promoting moisture and healthy structure in the grape’s soil.  Frog’s Leap also implements green practices like solar power, geothermal energy, and LEED certified buildings.  And most importantly?  They taste great.