Columbus weekend in Chautauqua

Over Columbus weekend, we spent a few days in Chautauqua with Granddad. We were very fortunate to have terrific weather that weekend, given that it was mid-October. It was extremely sunny, a little breezy and quite warm. After arriving Friday afternoon and spending a couple of hours on Sherwood lawn, bathing the dog, and hanging out together, we ate steaks and potatoes for dinner. The next morning was the big excitement - the kids were going to ride on a grape harvester and help harvest some Concord grapes!!!! Friends of Granddad own their own vineyard and invited us to come and help them out early on Saturday morning. The kids had all sat in the harvester before, but that was during the summer. Grape harvest begins in mid-September and goes through mid-October, a very short season to get all of the crop in. The Barans (the grape friends) sell all of their grapes to the Welch's grape co-op; they harvest about 1200 tons a grape a season. The next time you open some jelly or have some juice, remember it might be from the Baran's vineyard!!!!

Arriving at the vineyard

The harvester was already out picking, we watched it come down a row toward us

The kids are VERY excited

In the cab of the harvester with Mr. Baran

Riding along, pickin' grapes

Me and Molly were sitting together on the seat, looking down, Caleb was on the floor in front of us

The long fingers under the harvester shake the grapes free, they go up a vertical elevator and come out on a conveyor belt, which deposits them into bins. Someone drives the tractor on the next row over and another guy aims the chute down into the bin, picking out any branches or leaves and making sure no grapes spill out.

Happy harvester!!!

Me and Molly in the harvester

Two full bins, one left to go. Each of those bins hold 1 ton of grapes. Gulp!!!

These were the grapes on the vine before I picked them off and ate them!

The harvester is making a turn for the next row

Caleb, me, Helen Baran, Potter and Molly

After returning from harvesting, we headed over to one of the kids favorite playgrounds, the climbing playground. Located right next to the tennis courts, it is a perfect spot to play and to find a dozen 'new' tennis balls to bring home for Crash to play with.

Isn't this the coolest climbing structure??

After lunch and quiet time, I set up the kids for painting their tabletop sized pumpkins we picked up at a local farm. This is always one of their favorite activities while we are in Chautauqua in the fall.