Filled with Really New Wine
The second leg of our trip has officially and finally begun. We arrived in South Africa last week and started volunteering at a vineyard and winery. The Western Cape is wine country and we were fortunate to find a farmer who was kind enough to put us up and let us learn about his operation. In our travels we've been trying to find ways in which faith and agriculture intersect. A vineyard was an obvious choice and something we wanted to experience firsthand. Think of all the scriptural images: the wedding at Cana, new wine and old wineskins, 'I am the vine, you are the branches.' The parable of the wicked tenants is set in a vineyard, as is the parable about the laborers in which each worker was paid the same whether he worked a day or an hour. It's that last one that we most strongly identified with. It's harvest time here and hot to beat. Each day was full: picking in the morning, hauling loads midday, pressing in the afternoon. We garnered plenty of insight both about the physicality of the work as well as the complexity of the grape and the flavors it can produce. For now here is a little taste of our time in the vineyard.
Look out grapes, these shears are sharp
Pickin'
Filling Crates
Chenin Blanc Grapes
Geese with their ducks in a row
Setting for the church picnic we attended with a local English speaking congregation
Greetings from cold, cloudy MN! Glad to see you’re on your second leg and arrived safely. Were you able to make arrangements with Camphill at all to work there?
Don’t sample too many grapes while picking!!
Marv
Wow! You guys look warm!! I envy your short sleeves! Sounds like you guys are having a wonderful time, can’t wait to hear more!
I’m glad you are there and starting your new adventure
The juice is loose in SA!