As I sit to write this, I am reminded of how quickly time can pass us by. Since arriving at Palisander Vineyard in August, I have barely sat back to ponder the rhythm of the seasons in this new corner of the wine-growing world. Having just finished hedging the mature vines, it’s gratifying to witness the vineyard swing into pre-harvest mode, which clearly reflects our team's effort and the vines themselves.
I was fortunate to attend the inaugural Grounded Festival in the Huon Valley at Fat Pig Farm in early December. A gathering of practitioners, scientists and producers sharing the wisdom and virtues of regenerative agriculture across all farming spheres. The passion and talent of people in the Tasmanian primary industry has struck me as inspiring and rare. An often-expounded message I took away from these two days was the depth of value that diversity brings to any farming system – not only biodiversity above ground and below but also that of the people who work and inhabit the land.
Arriving at the vineyard the following day to the chickens scratching under the olive trees for insects, the native tea tree plantings in full flower and the bees busy gathering pollen from wild fennel flowers, I felt this ethos beautifully reflected here at Palisander.
