I think this is the crux of it. I’ve got several friends who are more or less weed connoisseurs. They discuss specific strains at length, but not once have I heard them talk about terroir
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I think that the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors made the right call in banning cannabis on AG parcels of 20 acres or less.
My county, Yakima County Washington, along with neighboring Benton County, grows about 25,000 acres of grapes, some are concords for jelly/juice, most are wine grapes including what many believe are high end wine grapes, Red Mountain, Champoux, Boushey, Red Willow, etc… Yakima Valley AVA is oldest in the state and largest by fruit tonnage and acreage. Lots of embedded and neighboring AVA’s within the 2 counties mentioned.
The county also grows a close relative of Cannabis that is related to another recreational beverage, Hops. Hops are almost as many acres as grapes, and since 75% of America’s Hops are grown here you might say it’s a more valuable crop.
Other aromatic crops include Mint, Tree Fruit, apples (which is largest by acreage, ~ 100,000 acres) , pears, cherries, peaches…
Cattle and other livestock are also plentiful and have their own fun odor profiles.
Legal Cannabis is growing, but still a tiny fraction. It has long been grown illicitly, often hidden within other tall crops, Hops are a perfect hiding place with 12 foot trellis and very similar plant structure and appearance.
They all co-exist and many farm families grow/raise a combination or all of the above. The odor/aroma/oil/pesticide wind drift issues, as well as water (it’s a desert here), groundwater pollution, and other land use issues all exist here too.
My opinion is that banning any legal crop vs. another, especially wine grapes as the one claiming superiority, is sheer snobbery/protectionism.
Disclaimer: I grow an acre and a half of wine grapes as a hobby (that’s too much for a hobby BTW). My neighbors grow/raise everything else.
We buy grapes in the Russian River AVA from a vineyard that has a big outdoor cannabis site right in the middle of it. Absolutely no impact on the fruit aromatics or flavor at all.
Leslie,
‘Big outdoor grow’ in the Russian River Valley is not the same as a Big Outdoor grow’ down here in Danta Barbara County. From what i understand the largest grow in Sonoma County is perhaps 3 acres; we have outdoor cannabis farms of 50+ acres, including the largzest in North America, with many adjacent to vineyards in the Sta Rita Hills. The jury is still out . . .
Anyone try a co-ferment or field blend yet?
Like I’m fond of saying, why not both? (Ooops, didn’t realize this thread was so old. Sorry bout that.)
I’ve tried a couple of wines that have had “things added to them” I can’t say when the green stuff was added but it sure was easy to know it was there based on the nose!
Didn’t drink enough to be able detect if the addition worked any differently since I was drinking plenty of wine both times…
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I gotta say, that’s pretty cool! It must be awesome to have your own homegrown stash. I’ve been into CBD lately, specifically for pain relief, and I actually came across this article that helped me find the best CBD for pain. It’s been a total game-changer for me! Anyway, I’m not much of a grower myself, but I can definitely appreciate the craft. It sounds like you’re doing a great job with your cannabis plants. Do you have any tips for someone who’s interested in growing their own?
I don’t have an opinion on the SB ban, as I don’t have a depth of knowledge adequate to really weigh in on that.
But any plant that produces oils (like eucalyptus or cannabis) is a risk for grapes. Most growers as part of their spray program us what’s called a sticker, that helps the spray material adhere to the vine, increasing it’s efficacy. The organic version of the sticker is basically a dilution of pitch. But that sticker also means other things amcan adhere as well, from dust to the oils of other plants. For the vast majority of plants that isn’t really an issue, but for cannabis it’s something to consider.
There are some conflicts happening in the Willamette Valley, but almost all of them seem to revolve around the smell of large grow operations. On a small scale it doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. And there are tales about some of Oregon’s pioneer grape growers having a few other “weeds” in the vineyard.