Like many of us, when I was a young student I had all sorts of dreams. We didn't really have gap years then but I thought maybe I would go off and teach for Camp America in my summer holiday or buy an Interrail ticket and travel Europe, ending up in France or Italy for the grape harvest. But I was only ever brave and adventurous in my head and in reality was too scared to go anywhere on my own and was always worried I would run out of money. There was no-one in the family who had done it before, no one to give advice... no internet packed with useful information, so I never did pick grapes.
Early in September we discovered a little gem of a vineyard in Bedfordshire. The Warden Abbey Vineyard is a community run venture that has a small output of rather nice wines. We had a lovely afternoon at their open day on a glorious sunny day.
And I even ticked off a sixty by sixty by drinking English wine in an English vineyard!
But at the weekend I returned to tick another thing off my list... And fulfilled a long held ambition to go grape picking.
No, it wasn't the South of France, it was a chilly and rather damp corner of Bedfordshire...
But it was great fun! I learned a little bit about the different grapes... we picked Reichensteiner, Bacchus and Muller-Thurgau. And I discovered what to pick or what to leave behind.... young berries are no good, black or shrivelled up berries need to be picked off the bunches. And I met and chatted to some interesting people.
It wasn't such a great harvest this year due to wet weather in the spring so with lots of volunteers we had finished by lunchtime
But I managed to fill three and half crates like this before we were treated to an Al fresco buffet lunch ( in the rain!) along with a glass of their lovely wine.
I came home rather cold and wet but as I recovered in a hot bath, I decided it had been good fun. Maybe not quite the same experience as heading off backpacking to the vineyards of Europe in the 1970s but grape picking none the less... And another sixty by sixty ticked off my list!
On Friday we are actually heading off to Europe for a few days and I hope to achieve some more sixty by sixty ambitions but you'll have to pop back next week to hear about those.
Well that looked interesting and certainly your first photo could have fooled us into thinking it was under a Mediterranean sun!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your European destination!! :)
I think we are kindred spirits Gina. I always had great aspirations but left those unfulfilled mostly because of my own anxiety and worries. Adventurous things were just not done in my family. The great exception being a backpacking trip to Australia when I was 28. I am pleased you are still holding on to your dreams and fulfil these one by one. Have fun in Europe! x
ReplyDeleteAt least you didn't have to worry about sunburn or heat stroke! Sounds like a very nice experience. Looking forward to the next installment.
ReplyDeleteYou're so cute! Sounds like a really fun time!
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show it's never too late, even if the location has to change. (Your post reminded me of the friends I had who went backpacking to India. They had a big farewell party with lots of tearful goodbyes. Turned out they only got as far as Staithes which is on the NE coast just down the road. But Staithes was very welcoming of their first hippies so it turned out okay.)
ReplyDeleteGina, even if the weather was a bit of a challenge, this must have been such an interesting experience. I'm guessing that you now will appreciate a glass of fine wine even more than before your day at the vineyard. (You could still plan a French vineyard visit, now that you've got this reference on your resume!)
ReplyDeleteHave fun on your next adventure. xo
What fun, even in the damp! I've never picked grapes either, but I did stay in a gite surrounded by vineyards near Bordeaux once - that was nice. Enjoy your break.
ReplyDeleteGood on you to finally get those grapes picked. Things are so much easier I think for the young today. Travel is certainly easier. Hope you have a great time in Europe . I await your next posts with interest. B x
ReplyDeleteI was unaware that I live so close to a vineyard! I must seek it out.
ReplyDeleteVineyard in Bedfordshire? Must look that up! Looks like fun despite the cold and rain.
ReplyDeleteThat smile says your dream was realised.
ReplyDeleteAn ambition realised! Wonderful x
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