The Harvest..of Grapes (dedicated to Chris P. and Clay)

There are two friends back in Tulsa who appreciate the pictures more than the words of this blog, so I am backtracking a few weeks to share the (?) joy, and photos of grape harvesting I experienced with a few friends.

Herr Falklay had several large vineyards in the Mosel River Valley and supported his family for 40 years being a Wine Maetsro. When he retired several years ago, he sold all but a small vineyard which he kept for himself as his hobby. Growing the grapes is pretty much done by nature once the earth is cultivated and the fences are in place, but the harvesting is hard work and expensive. Herr Falklay and his daughters are modernized enough to know that you can entice Americans to come and have the experience in a lifetime, harvest the fields and offer them a hearty German meal at the end of the day. What an opportunity!!!

I went with a few American friends for this once in a lifetime opportunity, not realizing the hard work that was required nor the chain-gain mentality I was to experience. I went for the experience and the photo-ops, and within the first 5 minuets of "harvesting" I was reprimanded. I had my bucket, my shears, my hat, my good disposition and had listened carefully to the instructions of how to cut the cluster of grapes. I also had my cigarettes and camera.

I hadn't even begun to sweat when this woman came and confiscated my cigarettes and camera, saying "You won't be needing these." I intended to work my 6 hours I signed up for, but I also thought that as a volunteer, I could take a smoke break and take pictures as I thought fit. Woops. I forgot I was in Germany...

We worked in pairs, and my friend Z was on the other side of the fence. We got into a nice pattern, clip, clip, clip "you missed this cluster, can I reach it more easily?" "Thanks, I can get it." And, that was pretty much the conversation you heard on the hills of the Mosel River, in this eight lane slope of white grapes.

We worked for 4 hours without a break and then were summoned to the road where there were sandwiches, wine, water and coffee, and for some, a cigarette. Exactly 30 minutes later we were driven to another vineyard. We were tired, hot but..we were Americans who were driven to complete their committed task without complaint, and to do the best job possible. I for one NEVER tasted a grape, thinking somehow I would be cheating Herr Falklay out of profit.

Ah. A small vineyard with only 4 lanes. We could work together and have this baby done. Complete. On to the German meal we so looked forward to. Everyone worked fast, hard and without words in order to complete our mission. And we did so with such speed, we finished in exactly 5 hours 30 minutes. Then our hearts sank. We still had 30 minutes to work and didn't Helga know it! We were driven back to the family house with yet another vineyard, and told to fill 2 buckets each.

Our enthusiasm waned and so did our "professionalism". So meticulous I had been early in the day, not eating grapes and also making sure that not one grape stayed behind, I found myself (sorry GrapeGod) throwing in branches, rotten grapes, anything that would fill my bucket. I only wanted to eat, smoke, sit down, say something other than "you missed one." And, so. It finally came to pass. The buckets were full.

We were treated to a sit down dinner in the family dining room of German Goulash, boiled patatoes, delicious red cabbage, and a salad. And, of course, bottles and bottles of wine. Work was done! And this was the celebration! and then, the announcement.

Our hours were tallied, we were given a voucher of time worked and we would be paid in bottles of wine. Our choice, as long as we didn't go over our allotted price. I came home with a case of wine plus one bottle Schnapps. Not too bad for a days work.

How bad was it? I ended up really liking the daughter who confiscated my cigarettes and camera (who is my age and a nurse practitioner)and went next door to her apartment connected to her parents home, and talked about aging health problems in Germany, had a smoke and glass of schnapps, and signed up for next year's "volunteer harvest."

I love how the expected turns into the unexpected turns into appreciation. And, also I have learned a new appreciation for my mother who picked cotton and didn't get bottles of wine at the end of the day. Sorry, mom. It would have made your day better.