Filippo's early harvesting
Last Sunday, September 28th, we had Grape Harvest 2011 at Ancora del Chianti.
This year Filippo decided to pick up the grape earlier than usual for 2 main reasons: first, grapes were ready earlier due to a very dry and sunny summer with hot wind in the last weeks of August that dried up the most of the grape; second we were afraid of rain, after almost 3 months of no rain this was a predictable risk. And heavy rain, tipycal in September can be a real disaster on mature grape and make it rotten in a few days…
"The good, the bad and the ugly"
The harvest started very early in the morning as the forecast announced rain starting in the afternoon. Filippo was already harvesting at 7,oo am in the morning with Spartaco’s help. As soon as friends and family arrived to join them in the field the buckets filled up quickly.
The number of kids partecipating to the harvest is increasing year by year: last arrived Filippo, 3 months. After a few hours of “hard” work in the fields kids started playing football, and little by little (lazy) adults joined.
By 1 pm harvest came to an end and grapes processed. Everybody was ready for lunch now. A huge table was prepared for 32 people together with our typical Tuscan meal: white beans and sausages!!
Last load for the "tractor"
Everybody enjoyed food, wine and company…but not for a long time….
Unfortunately the forecast was right: as soon as we started having lunch dark clouds approched and …. we had to rush eating and tiding up……before a heavy rain started. That’s why we have no pictures of the lunch: next time!!
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