TRAVEL FOR GOOD: How Washington’s vineyards are adapting to a changing climate

Washington state is the second largest wine producer in the U.S., behind California. The changing climate and its unpredictability has created new challenges for growers. It’s one of the many reasons why vineyards around the state are adopting practices that make their grape crops more resilient.

At Two Mountain Winery in the town of Zillah, yellow-flowered mustard grass grows next to and under the vines. Patrick Rawn, vineyard manager and co-owner, said that in the past, his crews would mow down mustard grass. The grass competes with the grape vines for water and nutrients, or so conventional farming wisdom goes.

But it turns out, flowers from mustard grass are irresistible to thrips, a type of flying insect that likes to eat grape buds.