Regenerative Farming
At Oakencroft, our goal is to build a synergistic relationship between the natural processes and our agricultural enterprises. Each agricultural activity benefits and rebuilds natural systems that, in turn, provide greater support for those same agricultural enterprises. Specifically, we work to strengthen the water cycle by retaining and absorbing more rain water into our soil, which re-balances the carbon cycle by storing more of it. As our soil health improves, so does the entire ecosystem that lives within it. This creates a better home for all the wildlife that is responsible for pollination, insect predation, and nutrient cycling.
Restoring Balance through
Carbon Farming
The element of Carbon, number 6 on the periodic table, is arguably the most important component of life on Earth. Carbon atoms form the building blocks of the cells of all of the planet’s living organisms. While it is vital to our lives, Carbon can also prove very damaging to the environment when it is present in the air. High levels of atmospheric Carbon, in the form of Carbon Dioxide, act as a greenhouse gas, trapping the Sun’s heat in our atmosphere. Over time, an increasingly high level of free Carbon has played a major role in fueling climate change. The only way we can hope to reverse this damage is by working to capture Carbon from our atmosphere, and return it to a solid form in our landscape.
Healing the Earth
through deliberate
Diversified Farming
At Oakencroft, fostering diversity is central to our farming operations. Whether in the vineyard or pastures, we cultivate a wide variety of plants from different families, boosting carbon storage through increased photosynthesis. Diversifying flora and fauna also promotes microbial diversity in the soil, enhancing nutrient availability, reducing compaction, and providing more food for animals and insects.
This approach is important in both pastures and vineyards. In pastures, it directly benefits sheep and cattle by improving diet and overall health. In vineyards, the benefits are less visible but equally crucial. Research by Dr. James F. White shows that plants actively ingest soil microbes for nutrients, so increasing vineyard floor diversity helps provide vines with more resources for healthy growth.
This approach is important in both pastures and vineyards. In pastures, it directly benefits sheep and cattle by improving diet and overall health. In vineyards, the benefits are less visible but equally crucial. Research by Dr. James F. White shows that plants actively ingest soil microbes for nutrients, so increasing vineyard floor diversity helps provide vines with more resources for healthy growth.
Moving away from monoculture through
Silvopasture
Silvopasture, which means “tree in pasture” is an ancient, indigenous practice that intentionally integrates trees, pasture, and livestock on the same land. The trees provide shelter and food for the livestock, while also providing the opportunity for future income through fruit, nuts, or timber products. Since 2019, we have planted over 3000 trees of 28 varieties.
Silvopasture is unrivaled in its capacity to rebuild the natural processes needed to restore the land. As the trees grow and canopy develops, we retain more moisture in our soil, store more carbon above and below the surface, improve soil ecosystem health through development of fungal networks, and support wildlife through food and shelter that the trees provide. At Oakencroft, we are developing a system of planting trees in pasture that will retain the most amount of pasture in production. For tree species, we focus on planting pioneer tree species that grow faster and have a greater natural capability of colonizing grass land environments to prime the soil for later successional tree species.
Silvopasture is unrivaled in its capacity to rebuild the natural processes needed to restore the land. As the trees grow and canopy develops, we retain more moisture in our soil, store more carbon above and below the surface, improve soil ecosystem health through development of fungal networks, and support wildlife through food and shelter that the trees provide. At Oakencroft, we are developing a system of planting trees in pasture that will retain the most amount of pasture in production. For tree species, we focus on planting pioneer tree species that grow faster and have a greater natural capability of colonizing grass land environments to prime the soil for later successional tree species.
Improving the microclimate through
Holistic Animal
Management
Throughout history, ruminants like bison played a very important role in building and managing the grasslands and incredibly rich soils that occurred in these environments. Today at Oakencroft, we use sheep and cattle to mimic the effect bison had hundreds of years ago. By using a high-rotation grazing management system, we are able to maximize the animal’s health, while at the same time, strengthen and re-build the natural processes that are necessary to restore the land.
Restoring soil health through
Permaculture
The perennial garden at Oakencroft was inspired by Stefan Sobkowiak’s Permaculture Orchard where a broad array of tree and shrub species are planted to maximize vertical space and to provide a large amount of biodiversity to break up pest patterns. As we apply this concept to our own context on the farm, we are accomplishing several important things. We learn which species and varieties grow best organically in our own micro climate and create an insectary on the orchard floor, with the specific intent of fostering an environment where beneficial insect species can thrive. Ideally, these species will have a direct role in reducing the presence of the insect pests that are common in apples, pears, berries, and grapes. In conjunction with silvopasture, this garden is the biggest driver on the farm of rebuilding our native and beneficial insect wildlife populations.
Sustaining vigorous biodiversity
and soil health through
Supporting healthy flora and fauna.
Composting
Compost has an unrivaled ability to rebuild soil ecosystem health. At Oakencroft, we create compost from the leaves on our farm and those collected by local landscaping crews, dehydrated dairy manure from a nearby dairy, and the table scraps from the Tasting Room. This combination provides a nutrient and organic matter-rich compost which is then applied in the vineyard, garden, and lawns around the farm.
Reducing waste and
enriching soil through