The native gardens at Troon Vineyard & Farm came to be as naturally as the plants in them. A bit of serendipity along with good karma introduced Troon winemaker Nate Wall to Suzie Savoie of Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds and our native garden project was born. What started as a small garden continues to expand to every corner of our farm, and integrating plants native to Southern Oregon is now an essential element of our farming philosophy.

Biodiversity is fundamental to biodynamic agriculture as it mirrors the systems that have evolved in nature. We are always seeking a natural balance in our work and from our farm’s produce. While biodiversity is required to be Demeter Biodynamic® Certified, we felt it was essential to go beyond the minimum requirements of certification to achieve our quality goals. It is not enough to simply be diverse. As you will learn in this podcast, to create a more native natural system, you must plant the right plants in the right place.

What started as a small project on one-third of an acre is now spreading throughout our farm – just as native plants should. What has grown from the seed of an idea conceived by Nate and Suzie has grown to include the entire Troon team – both physically and emotionally.

In this episode, the incredibly eloquent Suzie Savoie discusses native plants and seeds with Troon winemaker Nate Wall and director of agriculture Garett Long.