Nearly 40 Santa Barbara County winemakers and vineyard managers gathered at
Solminer Vineyard in Los Olivos Feb. 26 in a “One Block Challenge” seminar
organized by the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation.

Solminer’s Estate “deLanda” Farm and Vineyard, which is certified both
biodynamic and ROC Regenerative Organic by owners David and Anna deLaski,
incorporates chickens, donkeys, sheep, bees, native plants and biodynamic
compost to support the microorganisms in the dirt and health of the vineyard.

Jennifer Becker of Sonoma County, communications advisor for the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation’s U.S. branch, leads its One Block Challenge.

Speaking along with Becker was Jordan Lonborg of Paso Robles, a graduate of Cal
Poly San Luis Obispo who worked as a pest control adviser before joining the
regenerative movement.

Lonborg now is employed by Coastal Vineyard Care Associates (CVCA) as
regenerative consultant/manager of organic, biodynamic and regenerative
viticulture.

Those joining the challenge, the two told seminar participants, would start with a
baseline measurement via soil health assessments in their various vineyards. These
tests monitor soil compaction, water infiltration, and both earthworm and macro
biodiversity counts.

With a baseline established, the next step would be to implement the three core
practices of the One Block Challenge — and all regenerative viticulture.

First, plant a diverse cover crop (such as barley, winter peas, vetch); second,
eliminate synthetic herbicides; and three, minimize tillage in vine rows.
The test block could be just that — one vineyard block — or several rows within a
block.

Vintner Bryan Babcock, co-founder of Babcock Winery in the Sta. Rita Hills, said
he plans to turn his entire vineyard “into a regenerative experiment,” and hopes to
decrease farming costs in the process.

In cooperation with fellow seminar attendee Aaron Thayne, grazing manager for
Return to Freedom, a wild horse sanctuary in Lompoc, Babcock recently
welcomed a herd of horses onto his property to start the compost process.
Babcock said he will host the next “One Block Challenge” at his vineyard on May
14.

Lonborg, of Paso Robles, described the intelligence of plants — “they eat
bacteria,” and are key to the biology of soil, be it in a vineyard or a backyard
garden. “One needs a good fungal community.”

Conventional viticulture/farming adheres to the use of nitrogren, phosphorus and
potassium (NPK) as amendments to soil. However, “excess use of NPK has
brought us to this point,” Lonborg said.

He and Jesse Smith, director of land stewardship for White Buffalo Land Trust
who also is guiding the development of Jalama Canyon Ranch, demonstrated the
use of a penetrometer in a vineyard block at Solminer.

A penetrometer measures the compaction, strength or firmness of materials such as
soil by measuring resistance to penetration.

Smith and Lonborg encouraged participants to test the soil, both in the vine rows and between the vines themselves.

The One Block Challenge was launched by the RVF; the pilot started in Paso
Robles in February 2025. It offers growers a low-risk, practical entry point into
regenerative agriculture.

Participants will commit one block, or even just a few rows, to regenerative
measures for a single season.

The menu will include diverse cover crops, compost applications, the removal of
herbicides, reduced tillage and the use of livestock. Assessments of soil health after
one year of these steps will help participants understand changes within the block
or rows of vines.

The One Block Challenge is underway in New Zealand, South Africa, Napa, Texas
and in the UK, where the RVF is based.

The RVF is a nonprofit that advocates transitioning to regenerative farming in
vineyards via translating science into practice. Its goal is to support growers’ use of
methods to restore soil health, increase biodiversity and strengthen vineyard
resilience.

Its goal is for 10% of the world’s vineyards to be regeneratively managed by
2035.