6:00am Rise and Shine

6:15 AM Wendy loads the truck with water and supplies before briefing the team.

Wendy kept the picking team efficiently organized. Bill was in charge of the heavy machinery. The picking teams would typically go through three rows at a time. The guys often took on the duty of bucket boys. I happily took on thiss chore for variety, but I think my picking partner Steph got a little lonely when she asked me ‘Will you be a bucket boy forever?’ We were able to chit chat and evesdrop on our fellow pickers to keep the clock ticking while the mercury was rising. The group of 21 was a mix of mostly international backpackers and local teenagers. The girls were busy gossiping and the guys were looking forward to getting a lucrative job in the enormous mines nearby.

Bill in a rare moment away from the tractor, and hauling bins full of ripe grapes.

The grapes that were snipped off the vine (with as little stem and leaf as possible) dropped in to buckets, the buckets were carried over to huge bins where any extra leaves or moldy grapes were removed. Bill then hauled each bin away by tractor for pickup by the truck and the efficient process started again. The early morning Semillon grapes were more round and much easier to pick, while the egg-shaped Verdhello was a lot harder to get to since the leaves and vines were fuller (and our bodies were no doubt a bit dehydrated).

Wendy baked brownies or banana bread each day for the team on break.

I think the thermometer had already hit 40 degrees when we were done with our batches. We all deserved a cold beer on the porch, and some shade to cool our overheated bodies.

One tired grape picker