What Did Organic Vineyard Certification Actually Take?

The sign says no spray. We spray more than ever. Both things are true - I'll explain.

Friday afternoon, tasting room open, an organic inspector going through everything with a fine tooth comb – and one record from 2023 I was sweating.

Caught in the Act: Tillage and Soil Health on Our Farm.

Chad and Carston Steiner with shovels in the freshly tilled pumpkin patch at Chelan Valley Farms, plastic mulch rows and the hills above Lake Chelan behind them

Chad and Carston Steiner with shovels in the freshly tilled pumpkin patch at Chelan Valley Farms, plastic mulch rows and the hills above Lake Chelan behind them.

A Saturday we didn’t want to end…

Jeana with our Fumé Blanc — the wine that got me thinking about place, soil, and why we applied.

We applied for organic certification this week — a label I’m honestly not a fan of. Here’s why we did it anyway, and what it has to do with the wine in your glass.

Love, Generosity and Corn: Reflections on a Year of Farm Life

The Steiner Family 2025

A favorite trip of ours – visiting Sun Mountain in the Methow Valley.

The Secret Sheep: Revealing A Funny Family Farm Story

The Secret Sheep Revealed. Yellow and Blue Eartags. A beautiful Southdown cross.

The Secret Sheep is revealed. We’re delighted to have her join our family flock.

No One Seems Interested: Why Regenerative Farming Still Matters

A thorough review and explanation of how what we feed our food translates into how our food feeds us.

Regenerative farming is the inspirational direction to go. Nutrient dense food that helps heal the soil and capture carbon.

What Pumpkins, Chardonnay, and Parenting Have in Common

A squash beetle and the damage they cause visible on a pumpkin leaf.

Pinot Noir “itself” talks about being past the 1/2 way point… see it’s berries turning purple 🙂

A New Way to Taste Wine: Connection, Laughter, and Stories in Every Pour

Chad and Jeana embrace a new way to taste... fun, stories and disarming.

Pinot Noir “itself” talks about being past the 1/2 way point… see it’s berries turning purple 🙂

Why the Vineyard Halfway Point Matters More Than You Think

Pinot Noir's voice gets heard... as we talk about the 1/2 way point.

Pinot Noir “itself” talks about being past the 1/2 way point… see it’s berries turning purple 🙂

Why Farming Stays Hard – And Why That’s the Best Part

Triage of pumpkin's dying: Water, Sunlight, Nutrition... if not those, then potentially a pest - like gummy stem blight.

What my sons taught me about life during farm chores.