What Happens When You Grow Grapes With Compost and Cover Crops?

What happens when you combine cover crops, microbes, compost, and even sheep in a commercial vineyard? 🍇🐑

In this episode of Farm Learning with Tim Thompson, we visit Oranje Tractor Vineyard near Albany, Western Australia, where Murray shares how regenerative viticulture is transforming his vineyard and orchard. From multi-species cover crops and minimal till techniques to Johnson-Su compost bioreactors, plant sap testing, and temporary fencing for sheep integration, this vineyard is proving that winegrowing can be both profitable and regenerative.

You’ll discover:
✔ How multi-species cover crops improve soil and vine health
✔ The role of microbes & Johnson-Su compost in boosting productivity
✔ Using temporary fencing to graze sheep safely in vineyards
✔ Why plant sap analysis & soil testing matter for resilience
✔ Practical tools and ideas for regenerative farmers & vineyard owners

This video is part of the RegenWA “Make Your Hectare Count” program, supported by the WA Government’s State NRM Projects.

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📌 Related Videos:

Johnson-Su Compost Bioreactor Explained

Multi-Species Cropping Breakthrough

Regenerative Grazing in Outback NSW

🍷 Learn more about Oranje Tractor Vineyard: https://www.oranjetractor.com/
🌱 Discover RegenWA resources: https://regenwa.com/

#RegenerativeAgriculture #Viticulture #FarmLearning

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00:00 Intro – Regenerative viticulture in WA
00:30 Meet Murray at Oranje Tractor Vineyard
01:10 Multi-species cover cropping explained
03:20 Seeding without tractors – vineyard innovation
05:30 Sprays, soil cover & plant health
07:00 Grazing sheep in vineyards with temporary fencing
08:30 Johnson-Su compost bioreactor in action
11:20 Closing the loop in orchard systems
13:40 Pest resilience & apple tree story
15:00 Science behind regen – sap & soil testing
17:20 Where are the biological solutions?
18:50 Murray’s 10 principles of ecological farming
19:40 Closing thoughts & call to action