commercial picking

[Hokapsig]

Let's say that you have a vineyard that needs picked at harvest time. Do you prefer manual or mechanical picking and why? And for those that use either one, about what cost are you looking at for each method?

 

[salcoco]

the trellis system has to be built for mechanical picking. the shake rattle and roll of the picker is rough on the trellis. so this option needs to be selected up front.
Mechanical picking is sound with large acreage and little of a labor pool.
Hand picking allows for selection of grapes at the beginning of process. labor pool can be arranged by inviting customers to pick just serve a big lunch.

 

[grapeman]

Hand picking using "Volunteer" help is illegal now. A small winery in California was fined $115550 for using volunteer labor. Here in NY we were advised not to do it because it is seen as illegal by the labor department.
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=news&content=140286
http://newyorkcorkreport.com/blog/2014/10/17/the-spirits-of-volunteerism/
Just thought you should be aware of this.

 

[ibglowin]

Charge them $1 to attend an "educational seminar" on how to pick grapes and your ASK is covered……… Crazy!

 

[Hokapsig]

is there a ballpark figure to use for estimating the cost of manual and mechanical picking per acre? Or how do the pickers charge for those that have used different picking methods?

 

[sour_grapes]

I realize that conditions in OR may be quite different from those in PA, but there is a lot of info at the OWRI:http://owri.oregonstate.edu/articles/508

 

[grapeman]

Here is an article covering the subject of machine harvest versus hand harvest
http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?section=features&content=97355