BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Nancy Corey says her husband was doing research on sheep and just happened to run across an idea that sparked his interest.
Corey and her husband are the owners of Corey Ippolito Winery in Blountville and have had sheep for a number of years. However, this season is the first year the couple has allowed the sheep to graze right underneath the vines where the grapes grow. Corey says they hope, in the long run, allowing the sheep to graze in the vineyard will not only save money, but also help the environment.
"We've had the vineyard since 1999 and we've got probably 55 to 60 sheep that graze all over, but we'd never let them in the vineyard. During my husband's research on sheep, he saw that there are different kinds of sheep you can use to keep your vineyards 'mowed' down. A lot of places out west, like in California, and in other countries are doing this. We thought it's worth a try," she said.
So, earlier this year, the couple put a dozen or so Katahdins and some Jacob sheep in their vineyard.
"We're just trying to see who does the best right now. We started with some of our young ones to see how it goes," Corey said. "Using the sheep in this way, cuts down on fuel costs and saves us time. We don't have to be out there mowing. The sheep will refertilize the ground. It cuts down on emissions that the mowers would put out."
But, Corey says, this is not a project she and her husband are tackling alone.
"We partnered with the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)," she said.
NRCS conservationists provide technical expertise and conservation planning for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners wanting to make conservation improvements to their land.
"They found out what we were doing and offered to help. They have put up fencing to keep the sheep in and away from a fresh spring. Eventually, they are going to put in some automatic water systems for the sheep. If this is successful this season, they're talking about possibly doing it in other parts of our vineyard. As far as we know, we are one of the first vineyards in Tennessee to do something like this," Corey said.
Corey says, so far, the sheep have shown no interest in the grapes hanging on the vines.
"We may have to pull (the sheep) out during harvest just in case, but, as of right now, it seems to be working really well," she said.
Corey Ippolito Winery is located at 533 Rogers Oakdale Private Drive in Blountville. The hours of operation are noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
For more information, call (423)323-1241 or visit http://www.civines.com/.
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Information from: Kingsport Times-News, http://www.timesnews.net