Shaggy friends in the vineyard

Moo

Not far from the Birkweiler chestnut grove, where we were last year for the Riesling harvest, a herd of Scottish Highland cattle is grazing. Shaggy friends, known for their good nature.

Grazing animals are often used in holistic agriculture because they improve soil quality by depositing manure and incorporating it into the soil with their hooves, thus optimizing the humus layer. This also allows more carbon to be bound in the soil, promotes mycorrhizal formation for nutrient transfer, and provides a habitat for a variety of beneficial insects. At the same time, healthy soil is better able to regulate itself during extreme weather events due to its higher water retention capacity.

The cycle doesn't end with the Highlands and their soil cultivation, because what benefits insects also attracts birds, sand lizards, and other insectivores. One inhabitant creates a favorable habitat for many others.