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Grapes of Wrath



The Wallace family has been harvesting grapes a long time, so it is only fitting that as I jogged along Parley Street, the 20 MPH, 2 mile long road, what should I find?  Vineyards of Concord Grapes are everywhere.  

This vineyard is owned by the Great State of Illinois and is just a few blocks from our home.

   
This is one of seven vineyards, owned by Kelly Baxter.  The Baxter winery, located on Parley St. has been growing and harvesting grapes for five generations.  They are the owners of the oldest winery in this State.

This is Kelly Baxter himself.  He has agreed to allow me to be a volunteer during our free time.  Currently they are pruning the vines that are older.  The younger vines will be pruned in March. One new acre will be planted with vines this coming spring. The planting, pruning, harvesting, presses, and then the final sweet juice is the product of a lot of work.  Just like our lives.

Not only will I be working with the best in the business....one of his vineyards just east of here is located on the very site of the Nauvoo battle of Sept. 1846.  In that battle, about 200 men and boys who were LDS residents of Nauvoo, who were too poor or ill equipped to have left Nauvoo, with the main body of the saints, fought against 500 anti-mormons from Quincy and Carthage.  The battle was a draw, both sides fired all of their ammunition, including cannons and rifles, resulting in the death of three LDS and one state militiaman. Currently, there is a group in town that are searching this very vineyard for remnants and have asked us to assist them as we work in the field.  I really look forward to having grape juice this coming fall.




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