To be honest, I had imagined Rebenroden differently.

Namely like this: A machine comes and pulls out the vines, followed by a relaxed walk through the Rebstückle and collecting the vines that have now been pulled out. Well, as always… far from it. Expectation management is what they call it in project management language, and I can say that I failed myself.

Instead, a field of horror awaited us. As if 10 tractors had driven across the field, with heavy tire tracks. Why? – Oh well. Because I also asked for support for the maintenance of the embankment (60 meters long, 5 – 6 meters high). So during the week two large machines were out and about in the field, which left its mark.

Nevertheless, we were in good spirits to be able to collect the vines that were already sticking out of the ground and burn them. Right. Burn. Anyone who can remember February 18, 2018 will perhaps remember that the week before it had rained a lot as well as snow.

And so it happened that we stood in the vines with our wide-area burner (great word!) and a can of petrol and desperately tried to get a fire going.

In the meantime, we diligently collected the vines, which is only moderately fun on a soil that consists mainly of clay and loess and is wet. In rubber boots we waded through the earth, which clung more and more to our boots and weighed what felt like 20 kg per foot.

In addition, the unevenness of the terrain and the bulky seedlings were an ordeal. You don’t run for a plant, but with two in your hand it becomes difficult.

The roots stick out in all directions like paintbrushes and ensure that you get paint, i.e. soil, everywhere. I could have just as well thrown myself on the floor and wallowed in the mud like a little pig, it would have ended up with somewhat the same result of the degree of dirt.

Neither Olivier nor I are real pyromaniacs, so at the end of the day we had to give up and instead put the vines aside so that we can at least continue working in the field.

In the end we were happy to have cleared the larger of the two terraces and said to each other in good spirits: “The one at the top will be child’s play! We’ll do it next weekend!” However, that turned out to be a mistake…