Colors of grapes: purpleHunting season starts September 28. The hunters are only allowed in the vineyard after all the grapes have been harvested. I assume they shoot buckshot, and shooting into vines loaded with grapes would be bound to knock bunches to the ground.
BluerWe don't look forward to hunting season. But hunting is limited to Sundays between 9:00 a.m. and noon, and then 2:00 until dark. So it's only one day a week. We can get out early for a Sunday morning walk with the dog, just so we get back home by 9:00. Sunday afternoons are more difficult. The hunting season is over at the end of January.
Pink — these are Pineau d'Aunis grapes,and are used to make rosé wines
I just went out to get the bread from the delivery lady and I could see my breath! It's that chilly this morning. This is the last week of summer, officially, but it's already fall here. And people are complaining about how unseasonably cold it is.
More Pineau d'AunisSo another summer ends. What's the assessment? Nice from May through July, but damp and chilly in August and September. The grapes obviously did well, but the tomatoes failed. The grapes get sprayed with anti-fungal chemicals, and the tomatoes don't. It's probably that simple.
Hunting being restricted to Sundays is presumably a local regulation? Or is it just custom? And presumably just applies to gun hunting?
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether the Sunday-only hunting rule is local, but I think it might be. It seems to me that out in Orbigny, south of here and in Indre-et-Loire, not Loir-et-Cher, I've seen hunters out on other days of the week. Here, there are sometimes organized hunts (battues) on Saturdays. Holidays are also hunting days. And I suppose it does apply only to hunting with guns — but really, what other kind is there?
ReplyDeleteEven hunting comes to a halt between noon and 2pm! How civilized. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBettyAnn
It is very civilized. I wonder if the reason hunting is a Sunday-only activity in our village/hamlet is because we're talking about shooting guns in a vineyard. Monday through Saturday there are people working out there, pruning the vines and burning the clippings. Only on Sunday can the hunters fire their guns without endangering anyone but themselves.
ReplyDeleteNice to see that hunting is limited somewhat. It's a little different here in the good ol' USA. You aren't missing much with this crazy country and the campaign for Presidnet. I enjoyed the photos of the grapes...hope you are doing well. Conn
ReplyDeleteHello Conn, nice to read you. We are doing just fine. Wishing we had had better weather for the garden, but what can you do? Hi to Betty and hope to see you again one day soon.
ReplyDeleteWell, there's bow hunting (but the rules are even more restrictive), but there is also hunting using dogs and nets, and the mounted hunts traditionally don't carry guns, just knives. Your impression of Indre et Loire is correct – I think I've seen hunters on other days besides Sunday, although that is the big day, and I was under the impression that the mounted hunts rode out more than once a week but have an arrangement that two mounted hunts don't ride out on the same day in the area – we have at least 3 and I assume their territories overlap somewhat. I also noticed that there is a list of which blocks of the Forêt you are allowed to hunt in on which days posted on the carpark board.
ReplyDeleteOK, if I see people out in the vineyard shooting arrows, I will have had it. Or carrying knives and or nets. If that's what goes on in the Indre-et-Loire département, I'm glad I'm just over the border in the Loir-et-Cher.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show how much further south of the Loire we are – much less civilisation to hinder us. :-)
ReplyDelete