Episode 160: Creating Disease-Resistant Vines without Fungicides with Steven Thompson

Steven Thompson is the co-founder of Analemma Wines in Mosier, Oregon, where he and his team have transformed a conventional cherry orchard into a vibrant, biodynamic vineyard. With a background in wine and viticulture, Steven focuses on creating a farm that reflects beauty, biodiversity, and intentional design.

Through regenerative practices, Steven has eliminated synthetic inputs, transitioned to dry farming, and built soil health using sap analysis, foliar nutrition, and microbial inoculants. His approach has improved vine vigor, reduced pest pressure, and enabled clean native yeast fermentations that capture a true sense of place.

In this episode, John and Steven discuss:

• Transitioning from conventional cherries to biodynamic grapes

• Attracting pollinators with lavender and flowering hedgerows

• Managing powdery mildew with balanced nutrition and biologicals

• Soil improvements that enabled dry farming and deeper roots

• Using sap analysis to reduce foliar input dependency

• Boosting disease resistance through regenerative practices

Additional Resources To learn more about Steven and Analemma Wines, please visit: https://analemmawines.com/ To download a copy of the Plant Health Pyramid, developed by John Kempf, please visit: https://advancingecoag.com/plant-health-pyramid/ About John Kempf John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA). A top expert in biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who grow it.

Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition – a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology.

Support For This Show & Helping You Grow Since 2006, AEA has been on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable with regenerative agriculture. 

AEA works directly with growers to apply its unique line of liquid mineral crop nutrition products and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting-edge plant and soil data-gathering techniques, AEA’s science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most.

AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with its products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.

Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers worldwide.

Learn more about AEA’s regenerative programs and products: https://www.advancingecoag.com