Last week Terry had mentioned how many tomatoes he had, so I suggested that we make some passata.
So that was going to the plan, I would come up on Friday, and then leave again Saturday afternoon, as we were invited to Karen and Mark's for dinner.
However, as they say, "best laid plans..."
Terry called up again, and said there'd been a change of plan. The grapes in the front vineyard were ready to be picked, and had to be done this weekend (the original plan was that they would be ready and picked the following weekend). So I was invited to pick again (must have done something right last weekend)
On Friday, I tidied up and did some chores, and thenc drove the new passat - which now had instructions in Chinese! to Bendigo, as I was going to get some keys cut.
A month or so ago, we had new locks fitted to the back doors - and I asked if the bloke could also cut me some more keys. Unfortunately he didn't have a mobile key cutting machine with him, so he said he'd cut me some if I came into Bendigo - so that's what I did.
Danny cut me 3 keys, - which all work properly. The problem with the IGA cut keys is that they just don't work properly...I've had them cut, and replaced a number of times, but they just didn't work. Better to go to a proper locksmith
So, got into Inglewood around 3.15 - had a quick bite of some bread and cheese (I hadn't had any lunch) a swig of juice, and then onto Kingower, as Terry had said picking would start at 4pm
And, as per the notice that we got in the letter box, Verdon street had been re-tarred (actually took the below photo early on Saturday morning) - not that it really needed it in my opinion
I got there around 10 to 4, and Terry was already picking. It was a sunny hot day, over 30 degrees.
Started in one spot, which had pretty good grapes, but once I'd finished there, it was pretty much down hill all the way, as my new row was bird strike, and more bird strike - easily identified by split, unjuicy, light berries, bees buzzing around, and also milling ants. Not pleasant. And on top of that it was frustrating, took ages to just fill a white bucket, was throwing a lot more away than keeping....
I whinged a bit to Terry, saying that if it had been like this last Saturday, I might not have come back.
Anyway, we finished around 7pm, and then went back to Arleen and David's house to have some wine and antipasto, and then some dinner.
Unfortunately no photos - didn't want to look gauche (ok if I take them at my place, or Village Green etc though)
We sat out on the back deck, and it was very pleasant. I stayed till around 10 or so, and then drove home carefully - didn't want to run into any kangaroos in my new car - and luckily didn't even see one.
Very early start on Saturday, I had stupidly woken up again around 3 or 4am - so read for a while. But had the alarm set for 7am, and was sound asleep when it went off - and really didn't feel like getting up - especially being being on the weekend
But get up I did, watered the citrus, ate a couple of peaches that I picked - one yellow - not quite ripe, and the other white, and delicious.
And then onto Kingower, got there around 7.45am. Was a beautiful morning, sunny clear and cool to begin with.
Had to do a bit of organising, as the big space ship vat was full with the previously picked shiraz grapes. Had to bring some of the non mechanised vats around the front.
After this - which didn't take long, we started picking straight away as better in the cool of the morning, than the heat of the afternoon. Had a better row this time ie no bird strike, so was happy. And could also dodge the sun a bit - picking from one side of the row, and then the other
Morning tea around 11am - an apple pull apart cake from June, and an apple mulberry cake from Arleen - both delicious
It started warming up quite quickly...got to 35 degrees or so, luckily there was a slight breeze at times which made it a bit better.
Got rather hot and sweaty, and definitely had "hat hair" ie my hair was so sweaty under my hat that it felt awful - like straw....
Did another stint of de-stemming
And have a look at this glorious pre wine- hundreds of litres of fresh squashed grapes in one of the open vats
Had a late lunch after 2pm - build your own salad rolls - also with chicken,salami, egg etc
I had already told them that I had to leave at 3pm to get back to Melbourne, as we were invited to Karen and Mark's for dinner, and I would obviously need a shower and change of clothes.
Anyway, we were still sitting around at 2.45, so it wasn't worth my while picking up the snips and starting to pick again. - so Areleen disappeared into the storeroom and gave me a nice bottle of wine for my help today - with the promise of more to come (not that I picked for reward, I just wanted to help out, and see what it was like)
Terry had said that he had a huge crop of apples on 2 of his netted trees, and so invited me to drop over and pick some. Arleen lent me a bag to put them in. I did this on my way home
Had a bit of a bag malfunction though - as the bottom suddenly ripped open, spilling my picked apples on the ground
Had to gather them up and sort of wrap the bag around them like a nappy
Anyway, was all good - and I'll do some cooking with them/eat them etc
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