community | Madrone Landscape

Collaboration Spotlight: Mission San Antonio

Jul 8, 2021

Rich History and Old-Stock Mission Vines in Our Backyard

Located on 86 acres of the former Milpitas unit of the Hearst Ranch, the Mission San Antonio de Padua features a large church, a museum, and a gift shop. In 2020, as part of the Mission’s ongoing restoration project, we joined the team to complete a renovation of the Mission’s courtyard garden. Working together with Joan Steele, administrator, we were able to create a beautiful garden designed to showcase the many native plants used by the Salinan Tribe. Although the garden is new, these grounds are rich in history (this year marks its 250th anniversary!), and we asked Joan to highlight one of the few original features remaining in the courtyard garden: its original grape stock.

Heritage grape stock cutting purchased through the Mission San Antonio gift shop.

“The cuttings would have been brought either from Mallorca, Spain, in the 1700s and/or from the area around what is now Mexico City,” explains Joan.

The Franciscans knew they would need to plant a vineyard in the New World to have wine for daily Mass. Following construction of the first irrigation system (aqueduct) in California, the Franciscans and the Native Salinan Tribal Members planted the first vineyard on the Central Coast.

They built an adobe wall around the vineyard to keep the animals out and built a house for the “vineyardist” within the vineyard. As the vines flourished, the Franciscans built two large wine vats and a wine cellar (one of the vats and the wine cellar are still visible today as part of the Mission museum). By 1841 there were 4,000 vines in the vineyard.

The Mexican government secularized the Mission in 1834. It was temporarily abandoned in 1844 and the vineyard continued to decline. Prior to his death in 1882, it is believed Fr. Dorothea Ambris moved some of the vines from the declining vineyard and replanted them inside the Mission courtyard and out in front of the Mission to better care for them.

Joan shares that in 2011 the Mission sent samples of these vines to UC Davis for DNA testing. It was discovered that the grapes are “Mission” grapes – also known as Criolla Chica in South America and Pais in France. While this varietal is no longer available in Spain, this type of grape stock is still used widely in Central and South America to produce the local table wines.

“We are very proud of our historic vines, still producing wonderful annual harvests,” Joan notes. “It is one of our long-range goals to reestablish the vineyard at the Mission, using cuttings from the original vines. We hope to engage the cooperation of local university students to rebuild the adobe walls around the vineyard and grow the historic vines for many years to come.”

Currently, the Mission has some cuttings available through the gift shop when it is open on the weekends. Visit www.missionsanantonio.net to keep abreast of the changing schedule due to COVID restrictions and staffing requirements.

Meet the Team: Erik Gorham

Oct 25, 2019

It’s a wonderful day to Meet the Team! Today we are highlighting our Operations Manager Erik Gorham.

Erik has a hand in every project we build and keeps our construction department running smoothly. His vast knowledge of both construction and compost tea is an incredible asset to our team, and his great sense of humor makes him an absolute joy to work with. We are so lucky to have Erik coordinating and managing our construction teams. Thank you so much for all your hard work, Erik!

1. How long have you been working at Madrone?

Around 8 years

2. What is your favorite thing about working at Madrone?

At Madrone, I work with a diverse team that I get to both help shape and learn from.

3. What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on and why?

Honestly, I can’t point to one specific project. The projects I have enjoyed the most have always been with collaborative involved clients that work with our team to build their vision. I have also found that these types of jobs create lasting relationships with great people.

4. What is your favorite, or least favorite, plant and why?

While I don’t have a specific plant that stands out as my favorite, I would say plants that can serve dual purposes are my favorite. In particular, plants that can be visually appealing in the landscape and can also be served as a meal appeal to me. Asparagus, artichokes, rosemary, and fruit trees are among my favorites.

5. What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of work?

Currently most of my free time is taken up by planting and maintaining research gardens that allow me to experiment with organic fertilizers and pesticides while tracking their effects on soil biology.

Giving Back: El Camino Homeless Organization (ECHO)

Jul 1, 2018

Who knew stewardship felt so good?

No matter where you live, you make an impact. For communities to function well over time, conscious efforts must be made by many to contribute to the positive impact toward the development of that community, or else who will? That is stewardship. We recognize this at Madrone Landscape, and try to do our part. https://madronelandscapes.com/about-us/stewardship/.

One recent effort that Madrone participated in was the design and installation of a low-impact landscape at El Camino Homeless Organization(ECHO). ECHO is a non-profit organization with a 50-bed transitional shelter helping families and individuals find permanent housing within three months of entering the facility. The organization is located on the Central Coast of California serving North San Luis Obispo County, and you can read more about their efforts here.

Working with ECHO’s Board of Directors, Madrone came together with community volunteers and students from California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. The Madrone team and volunteers installed shade trees, screening, and a drought tolerant, native plant pallet. A quarter acre of fruit trees including apples, peaches, plums and figs were planted and a raised vegetable garden was also installed to make the most of what the facility has to offer.

Over two weekends of fun and hard work, Madrone’s general manager, Daniel Mazawa, led the charge with the help of Cal Poly professor Christie O’Hara and Rainscape manager, Victor Rocha, as 60 volunteers transformed the space into an aesthetically pleasing and functional landscape. Prior to the planting and mulching, Madrone’s build team graded the area, installed the irrigation and assembled all the needed materials. Local businesses donated irrigation parts, soil amendments and mulches. A little bit of conscious stewardship can make a big difference, and the benefits of this project will “ECHO” for years to come. The smiles say it all!