I really enjoy visiting Avondale, and every time I go, I learn a bit more about working closely with nature and its cycles.Working with the soil, feeding and nurturing it comes naturally to Johnathan Grieve, owner of Avondale Wine farm near Paarl. There are no chemicals used on the farm and it has taken the family many years (after purchasing the farm in 1996) to transform it to a lively energetic space, where nature is allowed to feed the soil and their wines express the true nature of the soils.The farm is organically certified and they use Biodynamic preparations and cover crops and plant by the cycle of the moon and really take cognisance of what nature presents them. There are ducks who control the snails, bees to indicate a very healthy diverse environment, and as Jonathan says, if there are weeds, one needs to look into why they are there. Are they providing something or showing you what the soil needs?Time for us all to nurture nature.