Environmental Stewardship
Initiatives at Hunt Country Vineyards
As the sixth generation of Hunts on our land, we look at our farming practices with a long view toward sustaining and improving the land for the future. When you visit, we would be happy to show you our latest sustainable agriculture (environmental) initiatives.
We are pleased to announce that we
have just installed a small vertical-axis wind turbine. The turbine, a new design by Mariah Power of Reno, Nevada, generates up to 1.2 kW of electricity and is designed to work productively at the lower wind speeds encountered in less-than-ideal sites. In order to maximize performance, the turbine will be mounted atop of a 30 ft. pole. If the site proves viable, it may be practical to install larger vertical-axis turbines in the future.
Vertical-axis turbines (VATs) have been designed to work in lighter and shifty air and at less cost than the more common horizontal axis propeller turbines. However, VATs are currently limited in capacity to smaller applications such as powering a home or farm. When installed, a VAT looks like a tall thin tube mounted on a pole. They are very quiet and are not hazardous to birds as the turning blades give the appearance of a solid object that birds avoid.
The project is part of an ongoing effort at Hunt Country Vineyards’ sixth generation family farm to reduce their footprint on the land, use renewable energy and develop agriculturally and environmentally sustainable practices.
Composting at Hunt Country Vineyards
Since the inception of Hunt Country Vineyards, Art and Joyce Hunt have worked to improve soil health by spreading the leftover grape pomace back in the vineyard to decompose on its own. Grape pomace (photo at right) consists of the stems, skins and seeds left over from pressing the grapes.
In the fall of 2005, Jonathan Hunt, a graduate of Cornell's School of Agriculture (and now director of winemaking at Hunt Country) began mixing the pomace with animal manure and then composting the mix before applying it to the vineyard. Composting the combined grape pomace and manure is advantageous because it adds vital minerals and nutrients to the soil that help produce outstanding grapes for winemaking. The increased nitrogen due to the manure may also help us reduce the use of other fertilizers.
Our compost piles can be seen in the photo (below). The pile from last year’s harvest, at the rear under the large tree, is nearly finished decomposing and darker in color, while this year's pile in front is just beginning its cycle. During the composting process millions of microorganisms break down the leftover plant material and release large quantities of heat.
Adding compost and other organic matter improves soil health and structure, ensuring that the land upon which Art and Joyce have built their vineyard will continue to improve and produce beautiful grapes.
"Scruffy" Cartons are Better than New
Wine bottles need to be shipped in sturdy cartons which contain thick corrugated dividers or non-recyclable Styrofoam inserts. The vast majority of these cartons are purchased new by wineries and therefore used just once.
In the 1990s, Art Hunt started obtaining used cartons from various sources. He coordinated the pick-up of other necessary goods at the same time.
We still ship wine exclusively with used cartons, and insert a flyer in each shipment asking customers to forgive the “scruffiness” of the box! This way, we ensure that these resources are used at least twice.
Occasionally a customer will squirrel the carton away in their garage and throw it in their trunk for a return visit to Hunt Country and ultimately a third shipment. We welcome these heroes of sustainability with a free tasting, an extra discount or a hug from a member of the staff!
Local Biofuels!
In a section of our original 1860's barn,
we have built a simple processor to make biodiesel out of used vegetable oil from area restaurants. We use the fuel to power our tractors instead of conventional diesel. This fuel is non-toxic, and when made from waste oil, does not contribute to global warming, costs less than conventional diesel fuel, cleans and improves the performance of engines, and the exhaust smells like hamburgers and French fries!
Since the inception of Hunt Country Vineyards, Art and Joyce Hunt have worked to improve soil health by spreading the leftover grape pomace back in the vineyard to decompose on its own. Grape pomace (photo at right) consists of the stems, skins and seeds left over from pressing the grapes. 
