McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm

McFadden Family Vineyard & Farm has farmed without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides since planting its first vines in 1970, and joined California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) in 1991. In practice, organic farming at the property means using compost, mined limestone, and rock phosphate for soil amendments; mechanical processes for weed suppression and cultivation; and, when needed, CCOF-accepted organically derived applications such as pyrethrum. Cover crops are planted in vine rows each winter to prevent soil compaction and add organic material and nutrients. The farm supports insect biodiversity, including praying mantis, ladybugs, dragonflies, and bees, to aid natural pest management through predator insects rather than chemical sprays. On the energy side, the farm built a hydroelectric plant on the Russian River in 1983 and installed 300 solar panels in 2003, together producing renewable energy that exceeds the farm's own needs.