In the modern era, Hartenberg first introduced cattle to the property in 2017 and soon found that these ruminants significantly impact soil health. Their presence has proven to be an invaluable asset to the general health and well-being of the property.
Over the past seven years, the farm’s biodiversity has blossomed with the arrival of an abundance of inexplicable new fauna and flora, including nine new species of mushroom, many new grass species – like the appearance of Medics (a legume plant) – and dung beetles that gather around the cowpats.
While these changes above ground are easy to track with the naked eye, soil is slightly more secretive. So, to determine the impact of the cattle on soil health, Hartenberg viticulturist Wilhelm Joubert started taking soil samples and using nematodes – microscopic roundworms that feed on plant roots – as bio-indicators of soil health.
The tests showed that as soon as the animals were introduced, the nematode diversity increased, the ratio of non-harmful to harmful nematodes improved considerably and no single group of nematodes dominated.
What does this mean for the wine?
“In the first year since we brought animals into the vineyard, we were impressed by the rapid improvement in the measured soil biodiversity and -health,” says Hartenberg cellarmaster, Carl Schultz.
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