Certifications
Kenefick Ranch aims to be as sustainable as possible. As good farmers, we want to protect and further enhance the soil to produce increasingly great wines. For example, we seed the rows between vines with soil-building (legumes, clover, etc.) material in the fall and then incorporate them into the soil in the spring. This avoids using nitrogen fertilizers which can run into the Napa River causing fish to die. The late Dr. Kenefick compulsively removed any individual diseased plants every fall to prevent spread, such as a virus, to adjacent vines, and his son, Chris, continues this today. We have one of the most disease-free vineyards in Napa County.
Becoming both Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming ™ falls right in line with our beliefs and our dedication as stewards of the land.
What is Napa Green and Fish Friendly Farming?
Napa Green Land Certification
Land owners in the Napa Green Certified Land program assess all aspects of their property including farming practices, roads and waterways. Following an evaluation, land owners implement measures to retain soils and prevent erosion, identify and reduce harmful inputs and runoff, conserve water resources and restore wildlife habitats to protect biodiversity.
Land owners and managers ensure the health and vitality of their piece of Napa Valley's ecosystem by developing a customized farm conservation plan. By implementing best practices across an entire property, Napa Green Land takes a holistic approach to sustainability.
Fish Friendly Farming Certified
Landowners and managers enroll in the program, learn environmentally beneficial management practices and carry out ecological restoration projects. The focus is on the land manager as the central figure in achieving and sustaining environmental quality. This approach ensures long-term environmental improvements, sustainable agriculture and implements the principles of state and federal environmental regulations. Three resource agencies - the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the County Agricultural Commissioner, provide an objective third-party certification.
The Fish Friendly Farming certification assures the consumer that the wines and farm products they purchase are produced by protecting and restoring the environment and by sustaining the beauty and natural habitats of California.