Sonoma Discoveries Fall 2017

Michael Presley reaches into a compost pile, extracts a fistful of rich, dark humus and smiles broadly. As the soil keeper for Biodynamic-certified DaVero Farms and Winery, his compost making contributes to the vibrancy of the farm—a diverse, self-regulating system of plants, animals and microorganisms.

Today Presley, whose title at the farm reflects the diligence DaVero pays to soil health, is working in the tasting room garden, a plant jungle, a proliferation of color—muted reds, pale yellows and purples. “Not only is the garden beautiful, it’s a harbinger of what’s happening elsewhere on the property. If the plants here are healthy, chances are the vineyards ate too,” Presley says. READ MORE