In September we help friends with vineyards to pick their grapes. The grape harvest is called the Vendemmia. Here's Jean Claire Cheveallier.
Sometimes we pick grapes for the Picciolini family in their vineyards above the little town of Monterubiaglio. Paolo Picciolini explains the types of grapes and teaches us how to snip off the bunches correctly. (Peter Whitten photo)
Emanuela Lardani through the grape leaves (Peter Whitten photo)
Paolo on the tractor, bringing out the wagon which we load with grapes (Peter Whitten photo)
Paolo says we can be proud of our work (Peter Whitten photo)
Alessandro Lardani and his dad Giacomo, thirsty after the morning's labor. Then the Picciolini's invite us into the big shed for an enormous country dinner together. (Peter Whitten photo)
After the grapes are picked and the vine leaves turn yellow, the countryside is like Sting's "fields of gold." (John Skillen photo)
There's Orvieto and the profile of the Duomo in the background. (Christine Sullivan photo)
In November we help Emanuela Lardani's father pick his olives
The olive grove (Christine Sullivan photo)
John Mirisola keeps us singing while we pick grapes (Christine Sullivan photo)
Michele Lardani having fun with the students on his grandaddy's farm (Christine Sullivan photo)
Alexa Singleton playing with the dogs during a rest from picking. (Christine Sullivan photo)
Professor Skillen discovering his inner child (Christine Sullivan photo)
Angela Whitmore moves the ladder to get to the highest branches (Christine Sullivan photo)
The olives in Umbria are used only for pressing into olive oil, not for eating. (Christine Sullivan photo)
Then the feast together. Sergio and Marissa lay down long planks over saw horses, put out the table cloth, and out comes the pasta, the home-made sausages, and the wild boar stew -- Sergio shot the boar himself -- and their own wine. (Christine Sullivan photo)
Sergio, Hannah, and Alexa are happy and satisfied (Christine Sullivan photo)
AUTUMN in ORVIETO
