The City Estates Coop Initiative
An affiliate of the Esson Estates Winery Coop
- Purpose
- How this is done
- An Environmental Approach
- Eligible Lands
- Interested Participants
- Lands
- Assistants
- Level of Involvement/Commitment
- No involvement
- Full involvement
- Plants and Materials
- Horticultural Division
- Maintenance
- Costs
- The Benefits
- Sign-up
1. Purpose:
The City Estates Coop Initiative is a division of the Esson Estates Winery Coop that focuses on the growth and production of grapes and fruits related to wine production. It strives to undertake a large component of the wine industry that is normally only conducted in specific growth zones around the country and world. It attempts to mimic the production results of the country-side but within the boundaries of the city, township, and/or region.
2. How this is done:
Grapes and fruits grown for wine production are normally grown in large orchards, vineyards and farms found around the country-side. These plantations exist because of specific soil and climatic conditions that lend themselves to the growth of these specialized crops. Typically the growth of these crops takes place on one large piece of land, and is governed by individuals who were either born into such a situation or have a great deal of money and/or an interest in making a large sum of money in the wine industry. Although there are obvious advantages to growing your crop on one large piece of land, it is not a necessity.
The City Estates Coop Initiative under the guidance of the Esson Estates Winery Coop attempts to provide alternatives to this standard. Soil conditions can be altered through various forms of soil conditioning and fertilization. Micro-climatic conditions are artificially created by the presence of housing infrastructure and sub-terrain city servicing. These growing conditions already exist or can be created here in the city with minimal efforts. The main difference to point out is rather than using one large piece of land owned by only one person or company, the City Estates Coop Initiative has ‘borrowed’ lands spread out over an entire city/township/region and these lands are owned by wine loving members of the Esson Estates Winery Coop, and not by large companies. This is not to say that orchard/vineyard owners are all out for money (because some truly love wine and the industry), but rather that this system, which does not involve the sales of anything, only focuses on the final product and how it can be achieved and improved in a sustainable environmentally friendly fashion without having to worry about profits or making shareholders happy.
3. An Environmental Approach:
We at the City Estates Coop Initiative pride ourselves in organic agricultural practice and do not use pesticides, fungicides or herbicides for growing any of our plants. We believe in a holistic agricultural approach that adopts sound environmental standards.
4. Eligible Lands:
Eligible lands include any lands where there is access to water and access to sunlight for most of the day. Some fruit varieties do not require full day sun, but most do and therefore full day sun would be an asset.
Lands must be free from contamination. That is, free from pollutants caused by current or previous uses. (i.e. steel fabrication, coal/oil dumping, etc.)
Lands must be wholly owned or have a minimum of a 15 year lease with possible extension.
5. Interested Participants:
There are two forms of participation required for this initiative.
Land:
We are looking for lands to join this initiative. If you or someone you know is interested in having their property become a part of the City Estates Coop Initiative please contact the City Estates Coop Initiative Director. We will need to evaluate the property to determine what type of plants would best suit it based on its conditions.
Assistants:
As well, we are looking for participants to help run this program (i.e. gardeners, farmers, horticulturalists, viticulturists, biologists, chemical engineers, environmental minded individuals, etc.) If you are interested in joining this innovative initiative please contact the City Estates Coop Initiative Director.
Note: Only Esson Estate Winery Coop members are permitted to join the City Estates Coop Initiative.
Positions Required: (click on each title for a short description. Descriptions will open in a new window.)
- City Estates Coop Initiative Director
- Lead Horticulturalist
- Lead Biologist
- Lead Chemical Engineer
- Lead Viticulturist
- Maintenance Team Leader
- Maintenance Team Volunteers
- Promotion/Recruitment Team
6. Level of Involvement/Commitment:
No Involvement:
This program is built to suit. If you have land to lend but no time that is totally ok. We’ll do the work for you. You just sit back and reap the benefits of the coop. See ‘the benefits’ for more details.
Full Involvement:
If you don’t have land but you have time, or if you do have land, and you have time then this option is definitively for you as it is the most rewarding. Full involvement means helping out with the soil preparation, planting, maintaining and harvesting of the crop. Not only will you gain by learning some important life lessons in agriculture but you will also benefit by receiving more from the coop. See ‘the benefits’ for more details.
7. Plants and Materials:
Plants and materials required for the City Estates Coop Initiative will be provided to participating land owners and volunteers who are lending their lands and time to the Initiative. Over-time these plants will be provided through the Horticultural division of the City Estates Coop Initiative.
8. Horticultural Division:
The purpose of the Horticultural Division is to develop and reproduce plants to be used for the City Estates Coop Initiative. Their prime objectives will be to create a plant base made from parent plants selected for their resistance, hardiness, production levels and quality. This will be carried out through cloning, grafting and propagation methods.
9. Maintenance:
The maintenance of the City Estates Coop Initiative lands will be carried out either by the property owner/leasee, or by the City Estates Coop Initiative maintenance team. This is a decision of the property owner/leasee.
10. Costs:
As with everything in the Esson Estates Winery Coop, there are no costs associated with the City Estates Coop Initiative. We believe that membership and participation should be based on the time you invest and not the money you invest. We are looking for motivated serious individuals who enjoy wine and the growth of plants.
11. The Benefits:
By volunteering your time and or land to the City Estates Coop Initiative you are welcomed to the bounty created from it. The bounty in this case is of course Wine. By ‘lending’ your land to the Initiative you are entitled to 25% of the product that is made from the crop harvested from your lands. If you choose the full involvement means of participation you can receive 30% of the product created from the crop harvest from your lands. If you volunteer your time by joining our maintenance team or one of the other leads you can receive up to 10% of the product from the lands you were given to tend.
12. Sign up to become a part of the City Estates Coop Initiative today!