Why we're so passionate about soil
Our Philosophy
Winston Churchill once said, “The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see…” In the realms of pedogenesis (soil formation) and winegrape production, this mantra is ever so true. Selman Waksman, who discovered Streptomycin from soil microbes left the epitaph “From the Earth shall come thy salvation.” His words carry even greater weight once we consider the importance of soil on global scales. Soil formation cannot keep pace with the current rate of soil erosion. Human activities drive the lion’s share of soil erosion. Soils are the living skin of the earth from which we garner most of the food, fiber, and biofuels we use. Agriculture is the primary industry of all civilizations. Soil conservation is at the heart of all future generations. As our global population swells to a conservatively projected 8 billion souls by 2025 – a doubling rate of 50 years – we really must show greater respect to our soils.
Soils provide more than food, fiber, and bioenergy. Soils are a reservoir for our global gases. Soils store our groundwater. Soils filtrate our water of contaminants. While the surface area of a gram of sand is one meter square, the surface area of a single gram of clay is the area of a football field! Soils moderate our planetary temperature by virtue of albedo. Soils are the home to a vast and teeming ecosystem. Typical numbers of organisms in a single gram of soil are: 100,000 protozoa, 1 million fungi, and 1 billion bacteria.
By maximizing soil potential in an economic manner, the viticulturist can employ his methods to create superior quality wines. Our mission is to assist the grower to learn about his unique solum, and, by educating the grower, facilitate best practices that will lead to high-quality wines. We’re passionate about our mission and the wines produced when soil potential is maximized.
Read what one client had to say about our services here.
James Fisher, Soil Scientist
James Fisher, Soil Scientist, MS, CPSS
Fisher is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (ARCPACS) with a BS in Plant Science and an MS in Soil Science, both from the University of Delaware; a certified Associate Professional Agronomist with ASA, and a Certified Nutrient Consultant from DDA. He specializes in viticultural site assessment, pedology, and winegrape fertility programs.
He enjoys paragliding, kitesurfing, equitation, gardening, jazz, travel, and wine.