We all know that chicken and wine go well with each other, but one innovative producer in the Northern French wine region of the Loire Valley seems to have taken things one step further, by introducing 250 chickens to an acre of his land to help with the vineyards’ maintenance.

The vigneron who grows Cabernet Franc in the appellation of Bourgeuil has fenced off a part of his vineyard to host the chickens and prevent any foxes from attacking the birds.

“The chickens scratch and aerate the soil, mow, eat grass and insects. They will be doing a lot of the work for me,” he said.

However, the birds will only be used in the early months of the grape-growing calendar, until the grapes start maturing on the vine. Then, because the temptation might be too great, they will be removed to a nearby pen.

Furthermore, the winemaker has teamed up with a local restaurant owner in the village of Ingrandes de Touraine who will use the birds’ free-range eggs, and even the free-roaming chickens themselves, in some of his dishes.