The Powderham Estate located on the opposite side of the Exe Estuary to Lympstone Manor has a flock of Poll Dorset sheep tendered by Ben Mortimer from Exwell Barton, and for the duration of the this winter Ben has agreed to introduce 42 of his prized animals to the 11 acre vineyard site at Lympstone Manor until late February next year when we start the winter pruning on the vines in readiness for the grape growing season.
The vineyard has already been fenced off in preparation to contain the flock and they will be monitored on a daily basis to ensure that the base of the vineyard trunks are not damaged, once they have grazed sufficiently they will be moved to another area of the vineyard.
The introduction of sheep in our vineyard can thin out invasive overgrowth, keep the lush grass and weeds to a minimum, help nourish wildlife by encouraging the growth of healthy forage, and recycle vital nutrients back into the soil.
The sheep will graze and manure on the vineyard, increasing its organic matter and its ability to hold nutrients. It could also reduce the need for spraying thereby having a very positive environmental impact on the vineyard site.
