Harvesting the grapes - Camping Manjastre

Harvesting the grapes at Camping Manjastre.  What an interesting week. Brutal on the hands.  Not particular good for people suffering from back problems. Great for strengthening the arm muscles.  Excellent activity for meeting people.  And the camaraderie, wonderful.  Plus the sense of achievement, all those grapes picked and on the way to producing a decent wine.

How does it work?  

Ronald, the keen manager of the small vineyards that belong to Camping Manjastre, together with members of his family and friends, plus any willing but inexperienced and enthusiastic campers, set out to pick the grapes in the vineyards surrounding the campsite.  

We were all equiped with very sharp secateurs, and buckets.  But one very important point, keep the fingers out of the way of the secateurs.  I now have a plaster on the end of one finger.  Quite a deep cut, blood mingled with the grapes.  

My apologies to the wine connoisseurs who read this blog.  I have no idea about the grape varieties.  All I know is that the grapes are taken to a co-operative who turn out red wine or rose wine.  And they are getting better at producung a very drinkable wine.

I must not forget the wild pigs who love to eat grapes, green or ripe.   They will burrow under fences, and even between the strands in the electric fence, in order to get to the tasty grapes.   I wonder if they ever suffer from an upset stomach.  So many grapes.  It is quite a problem for vineyard owners, who have to continually check their vines, and get rid of the feasting pigs.

And to Australian readers, no redback spiders or snakes to deter people from grape picking.

Grape picking in the area in front of the swimming pool, vines a little sparse due to being very old, but still a reasonable haul.

Morning coffee in the bar, perfectly made, which tasted wonderful after an hour of grape picking.  At the end of the morning there were also pastis, and rose, plus plenty of nibbles, to set the mood for an afternoon siesta.  But not for me.  Too early in the day.

Not so many people picking grapes on the day the photograph below was taken, however there were about 25 people on each of the last two mornings.

The lower vineyard, lush and green and loaded with tight bunches of red grapes.  As this vineyard is down the hill, in a valley, we clambered onto an open truck, for the ride down and back.  Very bumpy.  Lots of laughs and no health and safety restrictions.

A grape picking pose.  No fear of cut fingers, anymore.  I had learnt to put my hand underneath the bunch of grapes, well away from the secateurs.  Mind you there was always a slight danger of being cut by the person on the other side of the row.

More posing, and smiles. It was a great opportunity to perfect the suntan.

The tractor with wagon, being filled with the grapes.

A very large bunch of luscious dark red grapes.

The very fit men lifted buckets and tipped the grapes into the wagon.  The full  buckets were very heavy.

And finally the celebrations, where we drank plenty of wine, and ate delicious food prepared by the chef.

Ronald made a speech and gave a toast.

This photograph was taken early in the evening, before we consumed many, many bottles of wine.

Toasting the successful harvest.

Everyone feeling very relaxed and happy.

Before we knew it, many hours had passed by, during which we ate the delicious food and drank numerous glasses of wine.   We also chatted and laughed and altogether had a really good time.

Thank you, Ronald, for organising a wonderful evening.   I just hope we did not drink all your profits.

After a holiday week that was quiet different, we now continue on with our holiday of rest and relaxation.

As well as let the fingers and hands recover.