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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Sept 11, 2009 14:08:30 GMT -6
Playboy logo mudflaps for the tires.
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Post by Dan on Sept 11, 2009 20:23:11 GMT -6
Damn..forgot those! Good call. Surefire way to lose that chica with the bleach blonde hair, 6" pumps and 38DDD hooters wearing the Daisy Duke's. Guess I'm back on border patrol again...can't have those pesky Americans coming down here looking for jobs.  |
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 13, 2009 10:42:36 GMT -6
Well we finished tha hand picking yesterday. Got read of 42 pickers and I have the Grape Harvester all fuels up and ready to go back to work Monday night.
Joe
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 13, 2009 10:44:50 GMT -6
I find it interesting that after a challenging day picking grapes, Joe turns to Jack to relax (Id turn down the Tequila in the field too) Jack has been an old reliable friend for many, many, many years. One call and he always shows up the kitchen bar and never ask any questions. Joe |
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 13, 2009 23:52:28 GMT -6
Well thing turned to shit quickly. It rained today something that we don't need 10 day away or sooner from the big harvest push. The rain will slow down the sugar production and also start bunch root in the berry's if it sticks around to long.
If it looks like thing are no going to dry out early tomorrow we are going to start our windmachines and dry the fields outs. We done this once before in 2005 and it worked. We need air movement to dry the berry's off as fast a possible.
Joe
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Post by Chicago Jake on Sept 13, 2009 23:56:26 GMT -6
I didn't understand a word of that, but it sounds like trouble. Good Luck!! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 14, 2009 0:04:37 GMT -6
I will try to explain it to you. The skins on the berry's become extra thin and break easy. If they crack, they start to rot and that is caused by the moisture that the rain has left on the berry.The needed air movement allows the mositure to be removed from the berry, therefore stopping and rot from begin. Once it gets started it can (the rot) consume a crop in a matter of days.
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Post by Chicago Jake on Sept 14, 2009 0:15:29 GMT -6
Yuk! Fingers, toes, and gonads are all crossed for you.
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on Sept 14, 2009 5:27:00 GMT -6
Good luck Joe... hows that blood pressure doing?
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 20, 2009 0:30:12 GMT -6
Update. We made it through the rain with no major damage to the crop. Did a couple of small picks this week but we still haven't made it to warp speed yet. Scheduled to pick Sauvginon Blanc again on Monday(50 tons), and hopefully we can start on the Chardonnay by Wednesday night. I have about 730 tons to bring in and it will take me about 8 longgggggggggg nights to do it in. Once I have the the Chardonnay in I breath a little easier and then everything heads to cruise control. After that I have about 100 tons of Syarh, 100 tons of Merlot, 75 tons of Petite Syarh, and 40 ton of Cabernet Sauvignon to go.
So far we have brought in 132 tons of Pinot Grigio and 180 tons of Sauvginon Blanc.
These late seasons suck. We are pushing for the latest start on Chardonnay for us . In 2005 we didn't start until October 4th. Hope that we don't take that long again this year. The latest we finished is 1999 on November 1, at 5:00am. It was on cold mother fucker that night.
Gordon the BP is doing fine so far, could go out of sight by weeks end.
My buddy Jack has been standing by my side every night with no questions asked to easy the pain.
Joe.
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Post by Chicago Jake on Sept 20, 2009 0:34:05 GMT -6
Joe, the Princess and I went out to our favorite Italian joint tonight, and I ordered a glass of their House Merlot to pay you homage. I don't know what brand of bottle it came out of, but it was good. So was the chicken-spinach-mushroom gnocchi!......Jake
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 20, 2009 0:41:45 GMT -6
Gnocchi,I love those little fucker. The only problem is that they love my waste line as much as I love them.
Thanks for Jake. Like the Cranberry growers all we ask for is a glass a day, but a bottle would be better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by Chicago Jake on Sept 20, 2009 0:46:55 GMT -6
The other problem is that they expand about 100:1 after you get them in your belly! Then you have to lie on the couch and moan until they pass. Only the true pros know when to stop eating so that you just feel comfortable an hour later......Jake
pssssst...... I'm not one of those pros!
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 20, 2009 0:55:27 GMT -6
pssssst...... I'm not one of those pros! Neither am I, but I still have fun eating them. It's worth the moaning. Joe. |
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 22, 2009 12:59:22 GMT -6
Update: Things turned to shit this morning. The rain last weekend has started to show it's ugly face today, with bunch rot starting in the Chardonnay at a rapid rate. It wasn't there Saturday when I checked but this morning, Bammmmmmm. Clos Du Bois is holding hard on it's new high sugar level that the fucking winemaker wants, but I think I may be able to start tomorrow night. If we don't get started in the 24 to 36 hours we may very well watch this crop rot on the vine.
So as I sit here helplessly waiting for the phone to ring to tell me to pick, I thought I would pass on this news.
Joe (who is considering if he should use a small caliber or large caliber bullet)
PS. I called Jack and as the good friend that he has always been, is coming by to help me drown my sorrows.
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Sept 22, 2009 13:11:00 GMT -6
At this point, it may be time to graduate to Gentleman Jack.
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 28, 2009 8:56:24 GMT -6
UPDATE # 3. We are half way through getting the Chardonnay picked. Tonight we are going to try pull off the biggest pick we have ever done. We are going to try to pick 140 tons starting at 5:30 this afternoon and be done by 4:00am Tuesday morning.
The most we ever done in a night was last Friday night we picked 119 tons in 9 hours.
We will have all of the blocks that had some bunch rot problems done by Wednesday night.
By late next week we will be winding the 2009 harvest down. I can't fucking wait.
Joe
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Post by Merlot Joe on Sept 29, 2009 11:06:32 GMT -6
Another update( I know you just couldn't wait).
We actually picked 150 tons last night, starting yesterday afternoon at 5:30 and finish this morning at 3:00am.
Looks I will be continuing in vampire mode for the next 3 days. Scheduled to pick every night this week through Friday night.
Joe (who is off to his coffin before the sun gets to bright)
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Post by ♥ COVID-19♥ on Sept 29, 2009 12:25:25 GMT -6
Looks I will be continuing in vampire mode for the next 3 days. I always wondered why that red wine tasted a little ... irony ... |
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Post by Ardbeg... innit on Sept 29, 2009 12:49:24 GMT -6
Merlot AB negative please
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Post by Hedo69 on Oct 1, 2009 18:22:15 GMT -6
Damn Joe, you will certainly need that vacation come December! I really really don't envy you about right now. Hope it's going the best it can and that you can keep most of the harvest.
Deb
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Post by Merlot Joe on Oct 2, 2009 9:26:47 GMT -6
Thanks Deb. Unfortunately we will not be going in December this year, but I do leave for Mexico on November 7th.
Joe
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Post by Merlot Joe on Oct 2, 2009 9:29:32 GMT -6
Yet another update. You people should consider yourself lucky!!!
Book out all the way through October 10th. If it all works out we will have only about 45 ton of Cabernet to pick the sometimes during the week of the 12th hopefully.
Joe
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Post by Merlot Joe on Oct 2, 2009 11:51:37 GMT -6
Here another update of the update.
So far we have picked 644 Tons of Chardonnay
173 Tons of Sauviginon Blanc
132 Tons of Pinot Grigio
We still have to pick 170 tons of Chardonnay(this goes Monday 50, Tuesday 50, Fri Day 70)
60 Tons of Petite Sarah(this go tonight)
100 Tons of Merlot'(Thursday)
45 tons of Cabernet(not any time soon)
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Post by Merlot Joe on Oct 8, 2009 10:29:03 GMT -6
The last update for the season. (are you guys lucky)
I finished picking my own grapes at 3:00AM this morning. Picked the last of the Chardonnay and then jumped right into the Merlot.
Not a bad year.
Final numbers:
These are my grapes only.
Chardonnay 839 Tons
Pinot Grigio 132 Tons
Sauvignon Blanc 64 Tons
Merlot 82 Tons
We picked about 390 Tons for others also.
I still have two more picks for others sometime next week.
It's been a long season and my crew, my machine, and myself are beat.
Joe
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Post by Tex on Oct 8, 2009 16:32:42 GMT -6
And 10,000 tons of pharmaceutical grade bullshit. ;D
Congratulations on a good harvest.
You are probably in the right business. People are going to drink and fuck no matter what.
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Post by innit Geezer on Oct 8, 2009 19:08:11 GMT -6
You are probably in the right business. People are going to drink and fuck no matter what. Years ago I read that wine and beer sales climbed as economy's went down. Anheuser Busch was probably a safety play for many conservative investors for this reason. |
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Post by Merlot Joe on Oct 8, 2009 23:28:29 GMT -6
People are going to drink and fuck no matter what. Fuck yes, drink I am not to sure. Wine sales are down about 25% right now. Joe |
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