Organic Community

Science, practice & philosophy centre stage

SOPHIE PREECE

Elaine Chukan Brown on climate action.

Photo Lisa Duncan

LAST MONTH’S Organic & Biodynamic Winegrowers Conference was as much about communities, culture and intergenerational values as it was soil microbes, biochar and cover crops.

Threads of science, people, place, practice, and philosophy were interwoven throughout the three-day event in Blenheim, from Dr Hicham Ferhout’s discussion of the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizae and plant, to Johan Reyneke’s inspirational story of growing an organic farm and enriched community in Stellenbosch. “It’s more than just growing grapes and making wine,” says conference co-chair Bart Arnst in the wake of the successful event. “We are supporting communities.”

In an introduction to the event Mike Saunders — Organic Winegrowers New Zealand (OWNZ) executive member and Greystone viticulturist – said the 120 wine brands present at the event indicated the growth of organics, “which is extremely exciting”. The conference was designed around pillars of care, connect and create, he told the audience. “We will aim to create conversations around new research, different growing systems, and improved technology; we will look to care for our land and environment by providing practical ways of protecting and enhancing our soil, water, and plant resources; and aim to connect you back to the land and history and culture, and to other growers and communities around you, so you can form the same symbiotic relationships our soil, plants, fungi and bacteria have.”

The three-day event carried myriad conversations on climate, nature and generational responsibilities to the land, including discussions on the wisdom indigenous knowledge can bring to modern farming practices. Care of people was a key component, with presentations from Santiago De Marco from the inspiring Hōhepa community in Hawke’s Bay, and from Dr Jessica Hutchings, talking about Māori food and soil sovereignty, and the Hua Parakore organic programme developed by Te Waka Kai Ora – the National Māori Organics Authority.

The extraordinary Elaine Chukan Brown, bringing their Unangan-Inupiaq ancestors to the stage, used memories of salmon fishing in Alaska as a nine-year old – awake to the messages sent over time by the people, the season, the cotton, the river, and the salmon – to describe the meaning of place, and what that concept means when it comes to wine.

The climate crisis was also a hot topic at the event, with Felton Road’s James Coleman describing the company’s journey to reduced emissions, as a member of International Wineries for Climate Action, while Rebecca Mills of The Lever Room talked about the company’s approach to emissions measurement and reduction, as well as carbon certification.

It was also the topic of Elaine’s opening session, which emphasised the importance of wine companies taking action, including dropping fertiliser and fumigant pesticides, and enhancing permanent cover crops to maintain carbon sequestration. “We are in an impossible situation and the import of the next three days is immeasurable,” they told the audience. “You have the opportunity on your land to support climate action by moving away from these synthetics… and into no till practices. You’ll reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and increase your carbon sequestration on your land alone.”

More than ever, how we use our land is crucial, they said, noting that taking established vineyards and replanting is more effective in climate action than taking “raw” land, with longstanding plants that are sequestering carbon. “This is the hard one, because New Zealand is doing an amazing job of discovering new land, but disrupting that land, that has been raw, is a bit of a problem.”

There was plenty of fresh science exposed at the conference as well, including Hicham’s discussion of mycorrhizae and rhizobacteria, Dr Andrew Smith’s presentation of the work being done by the Rodale Institute, and Dr Vinay Pagay’s work on biochar and technologies for monitoring water and carbon in vineyards.

Dr Amber Parker, director of the Centre at Viticulture and Oenology at Lincoln University, climate change researcher, and conference attendee, applauds the blend of social and technical talks at the event. “And of course, it was so great to connect up with industry and likeminded people who have the environment, climate change and respect for the land at the forefront of what they think and do.”

That was a highlight for Bart as well. “The get together of all these people with likeminded ideas, and how we encouraged those who have not dipped their toes into this realm.” Introducing overseas guests to the region was also memorable, with their reactions to the landscapes and people of New Zealand a reminder of “what we are super lucky to have”, he says. “You get a bit complacent about where we are and what we have.”

International Takeover at Raupo.

Photo Lisa Duncan