Albarino Harvest 2020
Albarino harvest 2020 has begun. This harvest is our kick off for harvest season at Oswald Vineyard!
Albarino is a Spanish white grape which has a light, fresh flavor and is great to eat on a hot day.
Albarino Harvest 2020 Begins
A little cool but perfect for coffee and a sweater!
We use the tractor to pull the dump buggy because it makes harvest go so much smoother. The tractor driver waits patiently, while the harvester makes it's way down the row.
Here Comes the Harvester
Two people normally ride on the harvester. One to drive and the other to check on how the machine is picking and to keep the driver company. Sometimes three or more people ride, the more the merrier!!!
As the harvester comes out of the row, the tractor is there and waiting.
The Tractor is Ready to Get Those Grapes
The drivers of the tractor and harvester use their horns to signal with. They are so good at it!
Now for the cool part. I just love seeing the grapes pour out of the Pellenc's bins and into the dump buggy. As always, it's so satisfying to see the fruit of your labors!
Ready to Harvest More Grapes
Now the harvester is empty and ready to start again. The guys make sure it's all working correctly before starting again.
They're off and going again! Ready to pick a ton more grapes - pun intended!
Harvest Day is Such a Happy Day!
We have seventeen rows to harvest, four acres worth. We normally harvest one acre per hour.
At the Barn
Once the harvester is going again, the tractor goes to the barn to dump it's load. John likes to climb on the bins to help the grapes while he directs the tractor driver.
Dumping the Grapes into the Bins
The real ripe grapes burst when they are harvested, that is the reason there is juice mixed with the grape berries. Some varieties "juice" more than others. Our "juiciest" variety is Aglianico (one of our red grapes). Albarino has a good mix of juice and berries.
Weighing the Bins
Time to weigh the bins. Someone writes down the weight of each bin, Louisa is writing today.
We write down the weights so we know how much we picked and so the truck driver knows how much weight he is hauling. It also is nice for the wineries to have a heads up about how much fruit is coming their way.
Loading the Bins onto the Truck
Now the bins are loaded onto the reefer (refrigerated semi truck). A couple of people are normally in the truck to move the bins around. We use a pallet jack to jockey the bins around.
When all the bins are loaded, the truck is headed to the winery! When we are done harvesting, everything is washed and the grape harvester is greased. Then we will be ready for the next harvest.
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