Earth day is every day at wineries in Missouri. Many of these businesses, both small and large, take time out of their day to reduce, reuse and recycle. Taking care of the Earth is top of mind when it comes to growing grapes and vine management, but it is also reflected in the small business aspect too. One of these wineries is Baltimore Bend Vineyard and Winery in Waverly.

Manager Sarah Schmidt says they want to minimize their footprint however they can. The staff at Baltimore Bend Vineyards takes the time with their glass to recycle it twice a month at their nearby towns of Marshall at Marshall Municipal Utilities and Higginsville at Lafayette County Enterprises, Inc. Not only do they recycle their tasting room bottles, but they welcome customers to bring their empty bottles back to the winery and they will happily recycle for them.

There are many packaging materials that ensure the safe arrival of products sold in their gift shop, as well as with other winery necessities such as corks, bottles, labels, signage and shipping boxes. Sarah and her team reuse these however they can. Boxes are often offered to those who need them for moving or storage. They even recycle plastic and aluminum too. Water bottles and cans on site are sorted and taken with other recyclable materials.

As the winery has continued to grow, the priority of reducing their waste has grown as well. A local distiller in Rayville approached the winery for their leftover skins and seeds after crushing. Jim Pierce started Of the Earth Distillery in 2010 and utilizes the leftover pomace to make fruit brandies. Other wineries add these leftovers as mulch in the vineyards or share it with livestock producers to utilize as feed. This adds a dynamic angle to their recycling, especially supporting another local business owner and his product.

Baltimore Bend Winery is housed in what used to be a cider mill. The town of Waverly is home to Peters’ Orchards, the largest apple producers in the state. The Peters previously utilized the entire space but now share it with Baltimore Bend, with hope of purchasing it in the future. These plans were delayed by the COVID pandemic, but lots of ideas are waiting to be explored with this possible expansion.

Although it can often be cliché, taking care of the Earth and its resources is very important to those who produce crops or live off the product of the land. Wineries across the state take pride in supporting this cause and their communities. If your local winery embraces sustainability, give them a shout out on social media by tagging them and us @missouriwine and #missouriwine.