Horsepower for farm
Waterkloof Estate has added three new Percheron horses to its 'green brigade', all eager to take biodynamic farming in their stride. The three join the existing Percheron, Lady G who has been on the farm since 2009.
By utilising pure horsepower in its vineyards, the estate not only improves the structure and quality of the soils, but also reduces its carbon footprint by relying on fewer heavy machinery and tractors in and around its vines.
Dexter dung for natural goodness
In the estate's pursuit to capture the best quality and a unique sense of origin in each bottle, some of its grapes stem from elevated vineyards, which endure rather precariously on the steep slopes of the Schapenberg. This elevated and somewhat dangerous terrain makes it almost impossible for the tractors to get to the vineyards. The new horses can now also assist Christiaan Loots, farm manager, and his team in removing boulders and undergrowth that are obscuring the way.
The estate also uses the manure of its Dexter cows in the vineyards to put back the natural organisms, bacteria and fungi and create new life in the soil, which was once treated by weed-killers and compacted by heavy tractors. In addition to the cow dung, it also uses the straw from the stables; grape skins and stems from the cellar; eggshells and natural scraps/leftovers from the restaurant, in addition to the weeds amongst the fynbos to create its own compost.
