VASCM: Next Meeting May 4 on Soil Fertility, with Amigo Bob Cantisano

[Mary Lindsay, Muns Vineyard]

It's budbreak! And with the Springtime I think we're all leafing out - 
including your Viticulture Assn. So it's time (long past, admittedly) 
for a meeting:

Next VASCM Meeting:
May 4, 2:00pm at Silver Mountain
The speaker: Amigo Bob Cantisano, on soil fertility, including soil 
nutrients and microbes, composting, etc. Amigo Bob is head of Organic Ag 
Advisers, and a co-founder of the California Certified Organic Farmers 
(CCOF).  He consults to vineyards and a wide range of farms, and has 
advised the World Bank and the government of Costa Rica. We contacted 
Amigo Bob in response to several requests for a program to include 
composting, and upon seeing an article by Laurie Daniel about him in the 
2009 issue of Wines & Vines (which you can read at 
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=features&content=65504).  
He will talk about composting as part of the larger issue of soil 
fertility. Whether or not you are growing or are interested in growing 
organically, his talk on soil fertility should be very valuable.

 From the Wines & Vines article: "Soil management is primary in my 
mind.  The healthier a soil becomes, with regard to ecological stability 
and biological diversity, the less problems with growing the 
crop--including less problems with fertility, pests, diseases, weeds, 
water availability and weather hardiness."

Silver Mountain is on Silver Mountain Dr., off of Miller Hill Cutoff, 
off of the Old San Jose-Soquel Rd., near Summit Rd.
You can find directions at www.silvermtn.com.

As usual, please bring a bottle of wine to share following the meeting.
- - -

A newsletter will be in the mail at the end of next week. In the mean 
time, you can read Prudy's Winter Vine Talk on our website at 
www.vascm.org (under the Vine Talk section). You will also find all past 
Vine Talk columns there organized by season.
- - -

And, a program with the Sustainability Alliance is in the works, now 
tentatively scheduled for late May, for them to introduce the new 
Sustainability Certification Program developed by CAWG and the Wine 
Institute. More details will be forthcoming.
- - -

We hope to see you at the May meeting.

The VASCM Board:
- Mary  Lindsay
- Rachel Ormes
- June Salsbury
- Pete Woodruff