Night Harvest

This is a Bobard.  These majestic beasts can be equipped with different attachments that rotate depending on the time of year and the type of work that needs to be done in the vineyards.  This time of the year they have harvest lights that light up the vineyards so the workers can see what they are doing.  Also this one has a platform for easy viewing.

Last week I went to the vineyards at 5am to see the harvest and ride the Bobard.  These are picking bins lined up at the end of rows.

We pick at night so the fruit arrives at the winery cool and to avoid overheating the pickers.  This is how green the leaves look with the bright harvesting lights.

Boarding the Bobard.

A sea of green.  Actually, to me this picture looks like it could be taken from underwater.

There are multiple picking locations, and therefore multiple harvest lights.  That is not the sun.

Standing on the platform over the vines.

The guys fill the blue bins.  

They work very fast because they are paid based on the weight of what they pick, not on time it takes them to pick it.

Then the bins are brought to the tractor and stacked on a pallet.

Smoking and picking.  At the same time!

This vineyard has vine that are very low to the ground, so the guys kneel or crouch, either way it's back breaking work.

The other thing that makes this Bobard special is that it has it's own espresso machine on board.  Coffee anyone?

6:40am, the sun is finally coming up.

Climb off the Bobard.

Photo Op on a tractor.

Sunrise in Napa Valley.

Stop for goodies at Bouchon Bakery in Yountville.

7:15am, watch the balloon take off.