California vineyards taking steps to prevent loss of topsoil during El Nino

Jason Haas’ plan for El Nino involves oats, sweet peas, vetch, clover, sheep, alpacas, a llama and a couple of donkeys. It’s not for everyone, the organic viticulturist admits. But it works for his family’s vineyard in this Central California city, where dormant vines have laid bare acre after acre of precious topsoil on steep hillsides.