Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles turns out the sheep — and baby lambs, too

Animals are helping to till the soil at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles.

The winery at 9339 Adelaida Road uses a herd of sheep — complete with a cute array of lambs — that are guarded by alpacas, donkeys and a llama to build healthy soil on its 120-acre estate.

Between the vines on part of its acreage, the winery plants a cover crop for the animals to eat.

Then each fall after the harvest, the animals are released into the vineyard to eat, fertilize and till the soil. The process helps to create more biodiversity in the vineyard, winery spokeswoman Lauren Phelps said. In addition to munching lunch on the vineyard, the lambs are also bottle-fed.

This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 7:24 PM with the headline "Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles turns out the sheep — and baby lambs, too."