Anyone who wants to learn about grape harvesting or just want to help should join Middle Tennessee State University’s Tony Johnston and others for this year’s Grape Harvest Day in late August.
The harvest will take place from 7 until 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Rutherford County UT Extension at Lane Agri-Park, 315 John R. Rice Blvd., in Murfreesboro.
Johnston, professor in the MTSU School of Agriculture and director of the fermentation science program, said participants should plan to park at the Livestock Barn building lot and ride the hay wagon to the vineyard.
Participants should plan to park at the Livestock Barn building lot and ride the hay wagon to the vineyard.
Volunteers should bring pruners, gloves, a hat, sunscreen, water to drink, and a clean gallon jug to take your juice home. Everyone who picks at least 1 lug (20 pounds) of fruit will be able to take a gallon of juice home, he said.
Johnston said harvested grapes will be brought to the pavilion across from the Farmer’s Market building for de-stemming, crushing and pressing.
“Large-scale grape processing is a messy job, so members of the public are welcome to watch but are not encouraged to assist,” Johnston said.
Grape Harvest Day is a partnership between MTSU Fermentation Science, the UT Extension and Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension/College of Agriculture.The MTSU School of Agriculture is one of 11 College of Basic and Applied Sciences departments.
For more information, contact Rachel Painter at the UT Extension, at 615-898-7710 or email rpainter@utk.edu.