Draft Horses and Vineyards
January 24, 2017
We are seeing more draft horses in French vineyards these days, and despite the obvious pleasures of being near a working animal, there are incredible benefits to utlizing this old-fashioned plowing "machine". The use of horses lessens soil compactation, and the gentle plodding of hooves allows for microbial growth that is often supressed by an engine's powerfully relentless combustion. And of course, one uses less fossil fuel to power a horse! A great example here is this this shot of a horse employed by Domaine Marc Colin in Montrachet, where the old, selection massale vines and microscopic plot sizes can rule out any tractor work. So, yes, horses.