rock chimney garden barn parking bed & breakfast cemetery
receptions
vines
sinkhole vines
orchard
berm
fence
rock walls event space
overflow parking
vines
facilities woodland trail
vines berm vines
berm
planter w/ sign
entrance from athens boonesboro rd.
storage barn
vines
power lines
MASTER PLAN
Eagle Rock Winery & Vineyard Justin T. Menke December 2010 Studio III Ned Crankshaw
In Clark County on the Kentucky River
historic road
• • • • • • •
PROGRAM
WINERY o Open and Educational • Large window into production facility • Guided Tours • Tastings – at different stages of wine development o Separate White and Red production Facilities o Bar • Small – seating about 5 • Reclaimed oak barn timbers o Outside terrace in back • Large planting beds of shrubs and perennials o Outside porch in front • Sparse “farm house” style plantings • Persimmon and Hickory tree VINEYARD o Rows minimize erosion first and maximize sunlight second o Invite free range viewing of vines o Guided tours o Volunteer days • Pruning, picking, and other general maintenance • Volunteers rewarded • Based on hours worked • Encourage involvement and promote pride o No netting ACITIVITIES o Dinners • On site kitchen adjacent to Winery • Terrace for outside eating • Seating inside winery o Event Facility (weddings, concerts, etc) • Open, permanent pergola • Draped in flowering vines (Trumpet vine) • Large lawn area for guest seating (300-400) • Lined with Hally Jolviete Cherry trees • Platform for attraction • Good views – vineyards and surrounding landscape • Designated parking o Reception Area • Adjacent to event facility • Seasonal tent BED AND BREAKFAST o Secluded and private but integrated o Adjacent to Rock Chimney Garden • Hide and distract from power lines • Layered planting – large trees to groundcover • Open area for picnic/gathering around fire o Parking inside refurbished old barn APPLE ORCHARD o Rows staggered to subtly allude to adjacent cemetery o Apples harvested for cider and fruit wines o Invite free picking by patrons NATURE/CULTURAL o Nature walks • Old historic road – south • New trails o Preserve useable barns • Restore as necessary • Storage and appeal o Preserve majority of existing trees/woods o Cemeteries • Subtly celebrated – not disguised or hidden o Rock fences • Preserve, restore, and integrate o Rock Chimney • Make centerpiece of garden OTHER/PROBLEM SOLVING o Berms to slow erosion • Bring in soil and amend as necessary • Contour planting o Clean up and maintain sinkhole o Natural Pest Control • Permits absence of netting • Enlist volunteer/paid falconers for pest control • Most effective means around harvest • www.airstriketech.com • Hawk Perches placed on berms for native pest control • Dead redcedar trees limbed artistically • Bat boxes placed in barns for native pest control
NARRATIVE & VISION STATEMENT
NATURAL PEST CONTROL METHODS
The Lower Howard’s Creek State Nature and Heritage Preserve is an important historic Kentucky site. Before the advent of the industrial revolution, specifically the railroad, Lower Howard’s Creek was central to the economy of the area. Historic mills, factories, and quarries riddled the banks of the fast moving Lower Howard’s Creek. Our site contains many antiquated aspects that are representative of what once was in the area. Various “slave walls” criss-cross the 42 acre property. There are also many old, weathered barns, including one with a decorative “barn quilt” on its face. Abandoned residences, with many of their contents scattered about, and adjacent cemeteries, combining unmarked graves with the more recently deceased, are a constant reminder of the site’s rich past. An obscure historic road on the south end of the property that parallels the Kentucky River reminds one of the fashionable vehicle of the time—the horse. A grove of loose roll bales illustrates a more recent land use. But despite the long history of the land, one should not view it as old, tired, and worn out; it has some life left in it yet. And that is where the Winery design enters into the history of the site. The design for a winery and vineyard on the Lower Howard’s Creek site should preserve and celebrate the property’s heritage. Visitors to the winery will be aware of the former land uses and intrigued by the remnants of a remarkable past. A complex and elegant winery should be a complement to the farm, instead of replacing it. The small “quilt barn” could be restored and used as a tool shed or parking for the tractor. The freestanding old rock chimney could become an attractive centerpiece of a picnic garden. The slave walls could be integrated into the design of the facilities to add intigue. The old road on the southern property line could be made into a nature trail. The cemeteries could be beautified and subtly celebrated, instead of hidden from view. Overall, visitors will have a conscious sensitivity to the historic site, while enjoying the expansive views of the surrounding area. In this respect it will feel like the winery and vineyards have been worked into the surrounding landscape instead of simply being superimposed upon it.
A common problem in every type of agriculture, including viticulture, is pests. Insect and other pests can cause considerable losses to crop yields. Every vineyard in Kentucky experiences losses due to pests to a certain degree. Insect pests can be treated with pesticides or other more natural control methods, such as Neem oil. However, no sprays can be successfully applied for the mammal and avian pests. It appears that the vast majority of vineyards in Kentucky have the same solution to this problem – netting. Netting, whether black or white, is often draped over the rows of grapevines to prevent birds, rabbits, raccoons, deer, and other pests from damaging the crop. The method is very successful, yet has its drawbacks. The romantic appeal that often draws visitors into a winery and vineyard is greatly impaired due to the netting. A view out into a rolling hill of white mesh just simply does not have the same appeal. Also working around the netting can become cumbersome and frustrating. The cost of replacing the netting every few years is significant as well. With research and common sense tactics, I have found many natural pest control methods which I propose be implemented into the design. Natural pest control methods can replace netting. The importance of excluding the use of netting at Eagle Rock Winery is amplified by the wedding venue. Reserving the site for weddings will likely be a large portion of the profit made, and any hindrance to this is dangerous. One natural pest control method proposed is the use of falconers. Falconry is an ancient art that is still in practice today. Falconers use trained birds of prey to catch other birds and small mammals. There is nothing especially unnatural about Falconry as the bird is acting in a perfectly innate way. Enlisting a volunteer or paid falconer to fly their bird around the site several times before harvest time and especially during harvest time is arguably the most effective bird and small mammal pest control method. The pests have a deeply ingrained fear of their long time natural predator and will move out of the area if they have repeated sightings of it. Therefore only a few pests will fall prey before they all leave the area (although the birds can also be trained to simply harass without attacking). A second pest control method is akin to the first except no falconer is needed. Hawk perches will be installed on the berms within the vines. This will give local hawks a means to “guard” the vineyards from rabbits and raccoons. If a food supply is present they will likely come, and if the food supply is not present then there is no use for them anyway. A third natural pest control method involves installing bat boxes in the existing barns. Bat boxes mimic a bat’s natural home and large ones can house significant colonies. Despite the bat’s stigmas, the creatures are extremely skilled at catching insects; and while not all of the insect prey will likely be pests to grapes, the added appeal of having the bats on site is worth the effort nonetheless.
For Eagle Rock Winery on Lower Howard’s Creek Nature and Heritage Preserve
Justifying the Exclusion of Protective Netting by Offering Alternative Means of Pest Control
Bat Boxes to be placed in Barns Hawk Perch on Berm
ROCK CHIMNEY GARDEN - PLAN ( 1” = 20’ )
WINERY FACILITIES - PERSPECTIVES
existing woods large tree
evergreens
existing rock chimney
groundcover lawn
Entrance View
existing tree
medium shrub
parking in barn medium trees
ky viburnum
Viburnum molle
existing wood fence
new wood fence ky coffeetree
parking/ drop off
Gymnocladus dioica
sinkhole
bed & breakfast
Terrace View
Event Space View
WINERY FACILITIES DIAGRAM ( 1� = 30’ ) INVENTORY rock wall
rock wall
The placement and arrangement of the Winery facilities was based on inventory and analysis work done prior to any design work. The placement of the buildings was based on optimizing surrounding views, suitability for building, integrating the existing rock walls, and access from existing entrance. The arrangement of the buildings was based primarily on slope (the buildings run along the contour lines). The arrangement also allows for a dramatic arrival sequence while creating an interesting terrace with a secluded feel. The buildings were placed adjacent to one another for convenient access.
SOILS
SUITABLITITY
VIEWS
CONCEPT PLAN