There is a small and almost obscure plaque along the Silverado Trail. It shows appreciation for ALL the people that help make Napa Valley great. It takes a team of people to raise a vineyard. I dedicated my new book Harvest to the workers in the field for being an important part of the team.

Growing up I learned to celebrate the players, the coaches and the owners on the football field. They became stronger as teams of people working together. I now see the workers in the vineyards as valuable members of the teams of people making wines. Their hard physical labor helps make a sustainable harvest possible. I celebrate this teamwork and offer the workers my appreciation for what they do. It is a good time to say thanks to ALL the members of this team.

Some people in the Napa Valley live in wealth and style. Some workers sweat and struggle to survive. The workers in the fields deserve a safe and welcome place to call home. Their efforts contribute to the success of the wine industry. I am grateful for the Latino and Hispanic workers that help grow an abundant harvest.

Steve Irwin also inspired me to create Harvest. The Crock Hunter believed we would help save what we learned to love. I fell in love with the beauty of the Napa Valley appellations while capturing them on film. It became an adventure getting to know the different seasons of this rich land. I see how the tasteful blending of nature with vineyards helps create this magnificent agricultural preserve. Nature is refreshing the health of the land in this green garden of man.

I wanted to share the beauty I discovered in the Napa Valley. I hope people will want to help grow a future that is sustainable. A future that is good for things wild, like the salmon trying to spawn in the Napa River. I hope we all do our part as a member of the team. We can each learn to take green baby steps that are good for the environment, and good for the health of the workers in the fields.

We see tremendous growth all around us. The number of wineries increased 250% between 1995 and 2005. Wine grape production has increase 300% since 1988. It makes we wonder how far down the road will we be in 25 years. The road ahead is what we leave behind for the next generation to reap and sow.

I applaud fundraisers like Auction Napa Valley. They show us creative ways to help care for all of our people. I am thankful for organizations like the Napa Valley Land Trust. They protect over 50,000 acres of land that helps maintain the beauty and health of the Napa Valley. They connect kids with nature by providing education about the natural environment. The vistas in Harvest were only possible with the natural habitat they help preserve as forever wild.

My favorite quote is from Ansel Adams who said: “sometimes I arrive just when God’s ready to have someone click the shutter”. I also discovered you need to get out in the rain to find your rainbows. It was time for me to share the promise at the end of this rainbow. It is the right place and time to care for the land, and celebrate ALL the people on the team that make this Harvest possible.