MISSION

Plant the Vine teaches viticulture and history to underserved L.A. youth, inspiring change in how they see the city and see their role in shaping its future.

VISION

We envision a tapestry of communities with knowledge of the city's grape-growing past who can imagine a greener, more just, more livable L.A.

INTERPRETING HISTORY THROUGH THE VINE

Plant the Vine's programs are based on a chronological sequence of three grapes -- the native, the Spanish and the hybrid. The human story of the L.A. Basin begins with the Tongva/K'izh Gabrielino, who used the native grape in food preparations and for construction. They were then forced to plant the Spanish grape during the period of colonization. The two grapes then hybridized sometime in the later 1800s, creating the Vina Madre, L.A.'s oldest living grape-vine. The grape sequence was discovered by UC Davis grape geneticists in 2012. We use the sequence to trace an early history of the Los Angeles Basin.

THE INTERPRETIVE GRAPE GARDEN

Our goal is to fully fund a public vineyard by 2028, when Los Angeles will host the Olympics. The vineyard, which we call an Interpretive Grape Garden in order to emphasize its educational purpose, will feature the three-grape sequence and be planted in the centrally located Los Angeles State Historic Park. It will be of great service not only to Angelinos, but to visitors from all over the world, and provide them with a new understanding of the city we live in, the land, and the people.

In addition to funding the Interpretive Grape Garden, your tax-deductible donations will be used to:

Develop curricula for programming
Create signage and informational recordings for the vineyard in the Los Angeles State Historic Park
Maintain the vineyards that have already been planted
Fundraising, outreach and events

Thank you for becoming a Friend of the Vine and making Los Angeles a greener, more livable place to live!

Plant the Vine

Our Roots Are in the Vines