Biodynamics is a holistic form of organic farming that relies on the cycles of nature and regenerative agriculture to create a closed-loop system of biodiversity and self-sustaining ecology at the farm level. This includes the thoughtful care and employment of sustainable practices when raising and housing animals, crop diversity, using compost for fertility, crop cover, relying on animals for pest control, and rejecting the use of GMOs, synthetic chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Biodynamic practices may be employed at any farm, but Biodynamic certification is only achievable by following a rigorous set of practices that ensures the health of the farm is sustainable, in sync with the rhythms of nature, and able to act as its own ecosystem by being respected as one connected and living organism.

Mineral Springs Ranch and Soter Vineyards are certified Biodynamic by Demeter USA, the only biodynamic certifier in the US.

Our vineyard program aims to increase the health and resiliency of the vines by proper soil and nutrient management. We use materials that do not compromise the ability of the vines to fend off unwanted attacks by pest, disease, or extreme environmental events. We do not use synthetic fungicides, herbicides, or fertilizers that can interfere with the vineyard’s ability to properly express itself.  

We employ a number of techniques that support the health of our vineyard from a holistic perspective. We use cover crops between our vine rows to improve soil health.

Where our vines need a boost, we might plant mixes of legumes to mine nutrients from the soil and make them available to the vines. Where we have excess vigor, we will use grasses to temper growth. We also rely on animals and insects to assist with various pest problems. As grapes reach their peak ripeness in the vineyard, starlings and other birds are drawn to the sweet fruit and can cause excessive damage to clusters. We work with a falconer during harvest to provide natural bird abatement. We also rely on ladybugs, predatory wasps, and other beneficial bugs to combat vineyard pests like aphids and leafhoppers.

Animals are integral to a healthy farm ecosystem, and at Mineral Springs Ranch, we have no shortage of them. Fed on pasture and hay grown on the property, our animals are given as much opportunity to thrive according to their natural behaviors. With acres to graze, the chickens, cows, sheep, pigs, turkeys, donkeys, and goats are able to visit various swaths at different times of the year.

Our goats are essential for brush and weed control at the edges of our cultivated areas. Our chickens are used for pest control, fertility, food waste disposal, and a source of eggs and meat. Our sheep offer pasture and vineyard maintenance, fertility, and wool, and ducks give us beautiful fresh eggs and keep our slug population under control. Our dogs and donkeys are used for protection and friendship.

Our Provisions Tasting is a guided culinary experience designed to immerse our guests in the bounty of Mineral Springs Ranch. It’s an invitation to engage in the rewards of our commitment to biodynamic farming. Our menu reflects this with a diverse array of textures, flavors, and preparations that follow the ebb and flow of the farm’s seasons.

Head Chef, Clayton Allen, utilizes the farm’s abundance to bring her own unique style of farm-to-table cuisine to the kitchen. The result is an experience that we hope delights the palate and connects our community to the land we respectfully farm.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION ▸