Cherry Harvest 2013

Remember the cherry pictures I posted about in July?

the orchard was so gorgeous in them

see what I mean here

well, for a little over a week,

it wasn't just Taylor working in the orchard anymore

I got to work too!

few things:

I was a bin cleaner during cherry harvest this year

Taylor's Uncle has the orchards

a lot of the cousins all help work harvest

and some of the family was probably doubting that I ever did any work

it was about time for my initiation into my new family and lifestyle

as well as working a farm job

(other than being Taylor's buddy)

Bin Cleaning consists of standing

 behind the machines that shake and collect the cherries from the trees

and pulling out any non-cherry items that fall into the bin

Okay, not standing, I walked 

pretty much the entire shift for all of harvest

unless the machines needed work or oil or something

we had a few little breaks

but pretty much I worked

from 5pm to 5am every night 

this year, harvest was super short

it lasted 8 days

There are day shifts and night shifts

 so the cherries are constantly filling up bins and truck loads

this is what it looked like going to work

and these are coming home

I was very dirty, sticky, cold and tired every morning

amazed that I made it through another night

physically, I didn't think I could keep doing it after the first night

but I loved it!

everyone hates being bin cleaner 

because you are the dirtiest and well, its bin cleaning

but I really enjoyed working harvest

I won't be doing bin cleaning again most likely :)

but working and interacting with the people 

who drove the tractors, shaker or pan, 

I loved!

majority of the night shift workers this year were hispanic

so I was able to work on my spanish and help some of the on their english

mainly, we just were slightly embarrassing with our trying to 

speak and acting out words to learn but I loved every minute of it.

not a night went by when I didn't laugh

One of the tractor drivers that worked with the same hispanics I did

 noticed he didn't get the same treatment from them :) haha

I was constantly being offered tacos, coffee, pizza, chips, cigarettes

they even trusted me enough to drive their cars the first night I met them!

have I mentioned I loved it?

(oh and my friend would be sitting right next to me and not get offered tacos or cigarettes 

we found it quite funny

but maybe everything was just funny

it was funny hours :)

I honestly forgot at the end of it all I got paid

it just felt like I was helping out Taylor's uncle and enjoying new company

how awesome it that?

Anyway, I didn't get any pictures of videos during the actual process 

but these will have to do 

This is me after my first day, 

(pay attention to the hat for later)

like I said before, 

after shift I am so dirty, cold and tired.

So I drive home, take a long time to get my clothes off 

~because they are wet and sticking to my arms

as well as getting things over my head hurt!

my hair was like someone used an entire isle of hairspray on it

so moving it was interesting~

hop in the shower

clean clean and clean again

soak up the warm water

then I would put a towel down on my pillow

 since my hair was wet)

cover myself with warm blankets and pillows for extra warmth and comfort

and pass out!

Taylor was on night shift as well but usually had to stay a little longer 

(or sometimes he would work a lot longer! crazy man)

the first day he came home to this and laughed at me

 but then was smart enough and nice enough to darken the room for better sleep

yes, those are kayak paddles and a sheet

oh that genius man I married

One night during shift

I had a really bad bloody nose that was just not stopping

~it was already my 3rd that day!

I had one before going to work and 

one while switching out the day shift

 (who were my brothers and cousins)~

I was fine and just holding my sweatshirt to it

but one of the guys on my crew freaked out when he noticed and was so concerned!

he began telling everyone, "Tahnee's bleeding! She's bleeding!"

he hurried to where he lunch was at on the machine and grabbed a paper towel for me

which was all used up very quickly

I was convinced my face was just going to be stained red

one of the tractor drivers thought I was seriously bleeding from an injury, not a bloody nose

it was hilarious

eventually we got things worked out and 

the one guy insisted I go to the loading yard where Taylor is, the bathroom, and water

so I went and washed up

kept bleeding

washed up some more

eventually it stopped

I washed up one last time 

and then stuck a bunch of lotion in there haha

and off to continue bin cleaning

I think this picture doesn't even do justice of how much my nose was going

Some things that cracked me up

and I never would have thought

was pulling out 

bird nests, baby birds, and mice

from the bins

OH MY

there was a lot of them

I got hit in the head by numerous branches and a few bird nests too

because the cherries fall onto a belt that dumps off at the bin 

with a blower under it to blow away leaves and sticks

the whole experience was nothing I had ever been a part of before 

I love seeing the production of things and learning how we get all different types of foods

but I didn't think I would have handled 

(with my bare hands, for you that freak out easily)

so many 

mice and baby birds in such a short amount of time

anyway, harvest ended

 and I had new friends, initiation complete, and a little more money in the bank

so fun working along side with some of the cousins too

oh and stained and scratched up hands

and a very dirty hat

( I washed my hands real good whenever I ate and a ton after shift

but you just stay dirty

the hat I never washed)

now I have a new scar on my wrist too

That's my cherry harvest story.

There probably is a whole lot more but it has been a while since then