Winter Work

“Grapes and Old Stones” is a chronicle of our new life, sometimes lived an old way.   Only 80 years ago this farm functioned without electricity and running water.    Today fireplaces still need wood.   The outhouse needs cleaning.   Big old trees need haircuts.   Vegetable and flower gardens need woodchips.

Now we get help from as much machinery as we can afford.    No nostalgia for filling thousands of wine bottles by hand, but still, very dependent on muscle power. 

Some nights they traipse in, muddy boots shedding all over my clean kitchen floor, work clothes scented with compost and machine oil.    It reminds me of another time.

So this winter I followed the men around to try and catch their sighs, laughter, brute force, camaraderie, and occasional exhalations of exhaustion.

Here is a little glimpse.

You Tube : La Tourbeille Vineyard – Winter Work