Date: Friday, March 28
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 12 Noon
Location: Alta Orsa Winery, Hopland
Cost: $15 (Includes coffee and pastries)
Join the Mendocino County RCD and Alta Orsa Winery for an open discussion of regenerative viticulture practices, and a tour of the vineyard and winery with winegrower Martin Bernal-Hafner. The focus of this event will be on the benefits of supporting grazing and pollinator habitat in the vineyard, but there will be room to discuss the other exciting practices and projects ongoing at Alta Orsa, such as no-till, cover cropping, compost, and how the winery is keeping up with the grape market through sustainability.
Speakers
Martin Bernal Hafner’s wine journey began as a harvest intern with biodynamic winegrower M. Chapoutier in the Rhône Valley. From there, he traveled to Mendoza for harvest at Viña Cobos before spending the next seven years as a protégé of Paul Hobbs. In 2019, Martin partnered with Roger Peng to create Alta Orsa, driven by a vision of crafting elegant, balanced wines that reflect their core values—regenerating ecosystems, relationships, and craft.
At Mendocino County RCD since 2021, Seth Myrick works with his team on assisting farmers and ranchers with conservation plans and providing technical and financial assistance for implementing conservation practices, among other projects. He previously worked at CSU Chico’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, gaining both laboratory and field experience demonstrating the benefits of sustainable agriculture.
Jessica Reid joined MCRCD as a GrizzlyCorps fellow in 2022, and as a staff Project Manager in the Soil and Water Programs in 2023. She graduated from Amherst College in 2020 with a B.A. in Geology and Russian. Her interest in climate action and land stewardship, as well as a desire to get involved with environmental challenges close to home, led her to GrizzlyCorps and MCRCD.
