Owner
Fallon
https://churchillvineyards.com/
How did you first get into your profession?
I am a fifth generation Nevada farmer. My family owned some of the first deeded property in Nevada. My grandfather bought our farm in 1944 and my dad took it over from him in the 80’s, so it was only a natural fit for me to purchase it from him. You could say farming is in my blood. We started our vineyard in 2001 as a high-value alternative crop that conserved our states most valuable resource, water! Our ten acres of vinifera vines only use 10 percent of the water a traditional field crop would use. After several years of successful yields in our vineyard, we started producing our own wine. Currently, Churchill Vineyards is Nevada’s only estate winery. We grow, produce and bottle our wine here in Fallon.
What is the biggest challenge your industry is facing?
Currently, farmers in Fallon are facing a water shortage this year. We are only allowed 75 percent of our annual allotment, which means we will all need to be smart when it comes to our water usage.