Look at my grape picking family!

Every year, the week before Labor Day, the grape picking happens at our church welfare farm.
Today, the first time ever, I actually have pictures, THANKS TO ALLYSON MCKINNEY.
What a surprise to find these photos today in my email!

That's our grandson Austin, working away!


See my son Logan inside that vine?
I think this picture describes his personality well. He's never been afraid of hard work.  


Austin laying the grapes to be dried in the sun.


There's Austin, and Allyson's son Joel, headed for home, or rather the car.

 I wrote the following 2 years ago:
"I tried to explain to Elora, my 5 1/2 year old granddaughter, why her parents were picking grapes last Saturday. It is our welfare farm for our church. We (as a church) produce the grapes for raisins, and the proceeds help with expenses for the needy. Well I just gave her the simplified answer of, "Mommy and Daddy are picking grapes to help the poor people." Her response was, "Aren't the poor people going to get tired of eating all those grapes?"

Actually I learned today off Allyson's blog that our welfare farm produces ALL the raisins for ALL the bishop's storehouses in the United States. Well this IS the raisin capital of the world, so it shouldn't surprise me. But it does, because that is A LOT of grapes.

13 comments:

grandmapeg said...

That is a lot of grapes!!!!! It does look like hard work but I'm sure your guys don't mind it. Do they ever come away with spider bites or bee stings???? That's what I would be hesitant about.

Ammy said...

I remember those blue tubs...and black ones. I actually miss getting all hot and dusty...I never thought I would EVER say that. One summer John and I were row captains and I DREADED every time we had to go do anything with the grapes, but EVERY TIME we had an awesome feeling in our hearts.

Lori said...

there is an awesome video on LDS.org about the welfare farm under the RS section, you could share that with your grandaughter!

McKenna Heasley said...

What a cool post! It does look like hard work but I still really want to come and do that some time!

Grandma Honey said...

McKenna...I can totally see you doing this. You are such a hard worker...you would fit right in.

Lori...Thank you...I had no idea there was a video about it...I will look that up!

Grandma Honey said...

Peggy...NO, I don't ever remember getting spider bites or bee stings there, even though I have memories of going there as a child. I do know there are lots of spiders though!

Scrapally said...

I've never seen bees, but there are tons of spiders. they don't bite, they scurry! :) I think that is Logan walking up ahead of Austin and Joel...I will have to look up that video too..thanks!

Grandma Honey said...

Thank you again Lori, for telling me about that video. It's wonderful, and I tried and tried to get a link on my blog but it's not letting me. But it comes out great on LDS.org. Just scroll down on the Relief Society page and it's right there.

Richard said...

That looks fun. I think the market is ripe for some LDS entreprenuer to sell romantic get away grape picking excursions to beautiful Madera California. It could be like a Holy Land tour for the more practically minded. Madera is still famous for the tornado that hit in 1992 and did $5 million of improvements.

Richard said...

BTW, I'm not loving the new approval protocol for getting my comments posted...the hours of suspense I must bear to learn whether or not my small contributions pass muster are killing me.

Richard said...

"I have memories of going there as a child," JS...you and Wendy were both last there in 1964. Talk about a lifetime of memories, where else but the grape farm.

Grandma Honey said...

Richard...Your last comment just barely made it through moderation.

Susan Anderson said...

No kidding! That IS a lot of grapes. And I'm impressed that we make all the raisins for the US bishop's storehouses. Pretty cool.

=)

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