New Mowers Will Further Beckstoffer’s Commitment to No-Till Farming and the Reduction of the Company’s Carbon Footprint
(Rutherford, Calif.—April 10, 2023) – Beckstoffer Vineyards today announced that it has acquired two Fischer under-vine mowers, a GL4T and a Twister for the company’s Napa Heritage Vineyards. The Fischer under vine mowers will work in concert with Beckstoffer’s new fully electric Monarch tractors which have an expected delivery date of early May. Together, they will significantly reduce Beckstoffer’s use of diesel and carbon footprint.
No-till farming, carbon sequestration, and sound farming practices that promote soil health are environmentally safe and promote a viable soil ecosystem have long been part of Beckstoffer’s farming strategy. Additionally, in 2020, the company enhanced its focus by converting vineyards that were historically tilled to no-till farming. Since tilling releases carbon dioxide from the soil, incorporating under-vine mowing in vineyards will continue to help achieve sustainable and regenerative agriculture principles of soil health.
Andy Beckstoffer commented, “Beckstoffer has always been a pioneer in responsible and sustainable farming; we try to farm with ‘soft hands,’ using as little intervention in the vineyard as possible.”
The Fischer GL4T is a unique deck mower with two under-the-row mowing heads to cut grasses and weeds under vineyard rows without tilling. The reach of each cutting head can be individually adjusted according to the specific row width. Each cutting head has a fully-adjustable sensor rod to retract and cut around the vine’s base, and a heavy-duty all-steel design ensures many years of reliable service. The Fischer Twister offers single and dual-sided in-row cutting heads designed for in-the-row mowing of grasses and weeds in vineyards.
Beckstoffer Vineyards’s focus on under-vine mowing helps achieve sustainable and regenerative agriculture principles of soil health. Avoiding soil disturbance and having permanent cover crop under the vine will keep the soil covered, keep roots in the ground exuding sugars to feed the soil biome, create capillaries for water infiltration and sequester carbon. This becomes especially important in narrow spacing where the berm is a large percentage of the avenue.
Beckstoffer’s selection of the Fischer under-vine mowers is another step in the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and its focus on carbon sequestration. The company has also been a long-time member of Fish Friendly Farming.
ABOUT BECKSTOFFER VINEYARDS
Named “Napa’s most powerful grape grower” by both the Wall Street Journal and Wine Spectator, Beckstoffer Vineyards was founded in 1970. Beckstoffer Vineyards is firmly rooted in the soil of Northern California’s wine country, with Andy Beckstoffer playing an integral role in the evolution of the wine grape industry since 1970. Beckstoffer Vineyards’ goal is to produce the highest quality grapes in Northern California that form the foundation of exceptional wines, a passion for preserving the land, and viticultural expertise.
