WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THOSE ROCKS?

When virgin land is prepared, brush is torn out by a bulldozer and later burned. Greater sized boulders are piled by the 'dozer, but groups of men gather the "tinier" rocks into small piles hither and yon, and later walk through with tractors to take them pile them. We can't help but build rock walls. Here's a 1985 photo of Jim's big circular wall at the corner of the Zin vineyard.

WORKING TOGETHER

Jim has built over ten rock walls. Mike helps when that extra bit of leverage is needed to place a 500-lb. biggie. Pictured left is the finished (2003) wall around Jim's cactus collection, adjacent to his Primitivo vineyard. Here's the unfinished photo from 2001. On the right is Mike's wall on the western side of the Zin vineyard. That sleigh in the front view is 25 years old and still carries rocks just fine. Click here to see the back. Soon, there'll be sculptures where Spuds the Dog is standing. Rocks "grow" in the vineyard -- mowing and other activities sometimes surface hidden rocks. We place these rocks inside of the spray strip or bring them to the end of a row. Nearly all of the rocks are granite in various stages of decomposition (there are also quartz veins & river rocks.) When you visit our tasting room, you'll see two more rock walls by Mike & Jim in the picnic area!

THE GREENSTONE WALLS AT OUR ENTRYWAY

Jesús and Moses built the greenstone rock walls at the tasting room's entrance. These walls have mortar in them while the granite walls are freestanding -- that is just a preference of different builders. Frank Alviso (HFH Ranch Muscat), Kenny Deaver, and other neighbors in Shenandoah Valley have walls built by these men. Be sure to notice their hard work when you come winetasting!