Harvest

The harvest is the grand finale of the works in the vineyard. The owners independently decided whether to begin the harvest, depending on the grapes’ ripeness and the concentration of sugars in the grapes. In smaller vineyards, entire families, extended families and friends helped during the harvest, while winemakers with larger vineyards employed hired help. The main work was preceded by numerous preparation activities, such as cleaning of the cellar and cleaning the wine barrels.

Grape pickers used sharp knives or shears to cut off grape clusters from the vines. They placed them in buckets, pouring them from the buckets into baskets or hods carried on harvesters’ backs and emptied in the barrels on the wagons. Harvesting was commonly followed by festivities. The owner of the vineyard usually treated all the participants of the harvest. Each of the grape pickers was given grapes as well.

Source:

Károly, Lábadi: Drávaszögi ábécé, Eszék-Budapest, 1996

Károly, Lábadi: Boranyja, Beli Manastir, 2007

Private collection of Mrs. Margita Sabo from Zmajevac.