Grappling with Grapes

Deep breath...ahhhhhh...it's October and fall is finally in the air! The smells of winter's impending chill, burning neighborhood leaf piles, and everything pumpkin from pies to latte's is finally here to stay! Perhaps my favorite smell of fall, however, is that distinctive odor of our local muscadine and scuppernong grape. This afternoon I went searching for this delicious fall treat, and fortunately, there was a "Pick You're Own" vineyard about 25 minutes from Chapel Hill into the very rural community of Saxapahaw , North Carolina.  In those short minutes the scenery shifted from the hustley bustley cities of Chapel Hill and Durham to the very rural Alamance County, a place of horse farms, two-laned highways, and a seemingly infinite stream of Baptist churches, and tucked within this was a small winery of 50 rows of grapes. I parked my car, and approached the little stand, and boosting my self-confidence the lady asked, "Here to drink, or to pick?" She proceeded to hand me a five pound grape bucket and gave me a short lesson on grape varieties, which vines were producing, and how to know when their ripe. Following her directions, I ventured out into the vineyard, and as you guessed it, began picking, and picking, and picking. The picking was actually quite difficult because I was suffering from indecision, as it seemed all 5000 grapes were worthy of my bucket, but after about an hour both my bucket and tummy were full. When my grapes were weighed, they came in at exactly five pounds, which is actually an enormous quantity of grapes! (It was an entire grocery bag full) When I got back to campus, I had to take them on the bus to get back my dorm, and to my delight, it made the whole bus smell like muscadines. Yes, everyone got to experience the smell of that wonderful, North Carolina symbol of fall!

- EJS

 

 

Car Selfie (No Shame) Portraying My Enthusiasm for Muscadines



View of Grapes

 

Muscadine Selfie

Giant Bag of Grapes!

 On the Bus

Could've been store bought!