Doggedly searching for the crux of the biscuit.
Whew. We had enough people (although more would have been helpful), the rattlesnakes kept their distance, and aside from one flat tire and a disconcerting hissing noise emanating from otherwise functional brakes the truck did all runs asked of it. Those grapes are somebody else's problem now. I hear people like the wine; it seems to sell pretty good.
Here's a link to a few snapshots from the adventure. Somehow the most sacred and central times don't get caught with the camera; we take work really seriously but take eat and drink even more-so. Nonna Gobo's spreads never fail to amaze. Grandpa can't quite do the heavy lifting like he used to but the best half of what's in Nonna's spread was coaxed out of his garden. Oh, and Froz, friends, and family can put back some serious vino, especially CEO Unk's marvelous homebrew.
Calaveras County meetup next August, anyone?
Great pictures, though they make me realize how much I miss all you guys. How big did the harvest end up being?
Posted by: apostropher at August 29, 2007 09:25 AMBeautiful. I am so envious--not just of the eating and drinking, but also of the sun and dirt and companionable work. I hope you get a great vintage!
Posted by: Jackmormon at August 29, 2007 11:35 AMGreat pics. Those grapes are beautiful. Nice looking people and critters too. And don't tease us about a grape-pickin' meet-up next August unless you mean it, Froz.
So, 1 box fetches $3.50 and produces about 8 bottles of wine? There's some serious value-added going on there. Are you guys in on that, or are you just the growers?
Posted by: M/tch M/lls at August 29, 2007 12:25 PM1: Come out here for harvest next year; although we'll see you this fall in NC. Final measure from one winery is still outstanding but the total tally will be about 10-11 tons. Vineyard in the front (along the main driveway) is deteriorating rapidly from phylloxera. 10 years ago it was the best producer. The big question is whether to replant it (like the one on the hill) or just start fresh converting the front pasture (on the other side of the creek) to vineyard.
3: I'm not kidding. And $3.50 is what a picker earns per box; friends and family can't do it all. The $3.50 is outrageously high by ag worker standards (damn those liberal values) but the work is not easy compared to the beautifully trellised, weed eradicated, high-yield (irrigated) corporate vineyards, either.
2: No need for envy; go buy some good wine. Tonight.
Posted by: froz gobo at August 29, 2007 08:43 PMSweet -- Makes me look forward to our crush, maybe three weeks from now (we're in Portland, and we get our grapes from the Yakima Valley). The grower we've been using has the fruit picked for us; convenient, but I miss the vineyard time on a nice harvest day.
It seems there may be some confusion between 3 and 4, because weren't talking about your price per pound, which around here ranges typically from $1-$3. Who buys your grapes?
Posted by: Jesus McQueen at August 29, 2007 09:42 PM5: 4 was a clarification for 3. Two small foothill wineries buy all the grape. Unirrigated, ancient vines produce very little but there's no difficulty finding buyers, even in the current glut.
Posted by: froz gobo at August 30, 2007 09:51 AM