Workers grow their own produce at Napa vineyard
NAPA COUNTY - Staff at Somerston Estate have taken advantage of the fertile grounds on the ranch for years as experts in agriculture, an added incentive for their hard work helping to make wine all year and a nod to their heritage.
"In Mexico they grow a lot of their own produce. Something I thought was always a special opportunity is that we have these large vineyards and sometimes there are areas that aren't great for grapes but it's still great dirt," said Carmelo Leon, the irrigation manager at Somerston Estate.
Somerston Estate has multiple gardens for its employees to grow fruits and vegetables. Leon came up with the idea and it has been one of his passions for the past decade. He has worked in the vineyards for almost 20 years and knows the property better than most, becoming an essential part of the team.
"We get to grow some unique things that aren't available in every grocery store," he told KPIX 5 through a translator.
"We've always kind of prided ourselves that the quality is just a little better when you grow it yourself."
Leon came to Napa Valley for a better life and join family who already lived here. Around 45 employees take advantage of the produce each week by bringin food home, they all contribute to make it a success. The vast majority have the skills to grow quality crops but do not have space where they live.
So the winery has allowed them to put that knowledge to work and create a new incentive to thank them for their hard work. Employees collect food ready to pick and take it home on Thursdays and Fridays.
"It is a lot of work and we wouldn't be able to do any of this, especially on hillsides, without a really dedicated team," said Craig Becker, the general manager at Somerston Estate. "I always say what really makes a great estate great is not just the location and the climate of the location but really the people behind it that make it happen."
The estate is 1,682 acres and Leon looks over the pipes covering around 240 acres of vineyards, traveling almost 120 miles per week around the property. The managers are grateful for that kind of dedication and enjoy seeing their team finding a new incentive to keep coming back to work. They also love that Leon and others can embrace their heritage and share a part of their culture with each other.
"They all share the bounty, and there is a genuine sharing that goes on with the Hispanic culture that is fantastic," Becker told KPIX 5.
The job requires long hours all year long, in a variety of weather conditions. The garden highlights the work ethic that staff bring to the estate season after season. Leon says the Latino community has become so important to Napa Valley bringing their long history of experience in agriculture.
He says the entire process of gardening from the planting to the harvesting is a joy for him. His favorite though is the melons, the hardest crop to grow and one of the first to get picked by animals on the property.
"Napa was a special place to come to because of how pretty it was but also because of the opportunity," he said. "We're a real tightknit group, I call us a family."
