Leave it to the French to come up with one word that can describe a project that leaves mere English speakers scrambling for adequate adjectives.

“Nu,” the shorthand title for the Napa County Farm Bureau’s 2008 calendar, stands for “Napa Uncovered”; the French translates as “nude,” and this revealing look at Napa farming — or make that, Napa farmers — is creating waves of interest around the world.

When word came out that a select group of Napa farmers had agreed to drop everything for a noble cause — raising funds for the Farm Bureau’s continuing support of agriculture in the valley — “sales went world-wide,” said Al Wagner, vineyard manager for Clos Du Val and past president of the Napa County Farm Bureau, who came up with the idea.

“French winemakers of Bordeaux did a similar calendar about four years ago,” Wagner said, “but I never saw it again. It was a little stuffy.”

“Stuffy” could not be said of the Napa Farm Bureau members, who grace the pages of “Napa Uncovered.”

Napa celebrates the 40th anniversary of its Agricultural Preserve in 2008, noted Farm Bureau director Sandy Elles, “and each of the calendar’s photos capture and highlight the sense of place of Napa’s beautiful vistas, open space and farmland.”

Not to mention its comely farmers.

The cover, printed above, only hints at the tantalizing delights of the inside pages. Imagine, for example, Mr. February, Tom Carpenter, viticulturalist for Grgich Hills, reclining in a bathtub full of grapes, fruit dangling from his toes. Mr. January, Lucio Perez, winemaker and owner of Lucio Perez Family Estate Vineyards, is captured enjoying the sun as he pursues his favorite hobby, fishing. Mr. May, Michael Honig, adds a “green” touch by posing on the solar panels at Honig Vineyard & Winery. Bob Barbarich, Mr. April, is about to take flight over a vineyard in a hot air balloon. Michael Hanna, Mr. June, takes on a Bacchanalian aspect as he poses on his motorcycle with a basket of grapes.

Some of the guys are even working, like Mr. August, Dan McQueeney of McQueeney ranch, who is seen lugging a strategically placed bale of hay across out to his cattle. Mr. October, Kirk Grace, from Wise Acre, and Mr. November, Albert Rios, from Rios Farming Co., are riding their tractors in the vineyards, while March is a double treat with the Lauritson brothers, Jason, and RJ — from Regusci and Clos du Val winery, respectively — at work on a tractor. With a nod to harvest, Hall Winery’s Eric Pooler, Mr. September, is seen carrying crates of grapes, while wrapping up the year is Mr. December, Jon-Mark Chappellet, cavorting among the barrels at Chappellet Winery.

Wagner makes an appearance as Mr. July, wearing a discrete red apron, which, he said, his wife made for him prior to the shoot. “I have another red apron but it covers up too much,” he said.

The man responsible for all this art is photojournalist Russ Munn, who began shooting the volunteer models “as soon as there was enough vine coverage in the vineyards,” Wagner explained.

Munn called the work “a wine lover and a photographer’s dream come true. All models, now friends, put a great deal of thought into the calendar and revealed a lot for a great cause.”

“It was fun,” Wagner said. “Everyone thinks it’s great. We’re already accepting applications for the next one.”

The models will gather at Clos Pegase winery tonight to celebrate the release of the calendar.

“We have a few fun events planned,” Wagner said.

Clothed or unclothed?

“Oh clothed,” he said. “Our wives will be there.”

The calendar is for sale now for $18 (a limited number of autographed copies are available for $36). Proceeds will benefit the Napa County Farm Bureau, a non-profit, non-government organization. Calendars may be ordered online at www.napauncovered.com or by calling the Farm Bureau at 224-5403.