Notes from the Vineyard - October 2025

October has been a month of steady work and quiet progress — the kind of pace that feels right as the season begins to turn. The polytunnel, completed earlier this autumn, is already proving its worth. While it stands ready to house our free-range poultry in the event of severe weather or a bird flu outbreak, it will also be used throughout the year to grow a range of organic fruit, vegetables, and salad crops, adding another layer to our sustainable growing practices.

Out in the fields, our Indian Runner ducks and geese have properly found their rhythm. The geese mow and fertilise, while the ducks keep pests in check — all without needing chemical inputs. It’s remarkable how much of the land’s care can be handed back to nature with the right support in place.

Sadly, October also brought a significant loss. We had to remove around 15 mature English and Cornish Elm trees, all lost to Dutch Elm Disease. These trees were planted as saplings 25 years ago and had become much-loved fixtures in the landscape, reaching heights of 40 to 50 feet. Though expected, the loss is no less painful.

Fortunately, we had planned ahead. In 2024, we planted a variety of Walnut trees in a nearby corner of the field, with the hope they might one day provide similar shelter and screening for the vineyard and orchard. They’ve struggled somewhat in this year’s drought, but we’re hopeful they’ll begin to thrive in the coming seasons. As fast-growing hardwoods, they offer both practical benefits and a welcome crop in time.

We also took the opportunity to thin out eight Broadleaf Poplars from the original twenty planted in 2000. They had grown too close together, and this thinning should give the remaining trees the space and light they need to flourish for another generation.

As always, we’re balancing today’s work with tomorrow’s goals. There’s a sense now that we’re settling in for winter — but with plenty still to come.

From all of us at Saints Way Wines