Berry picking time.

Well, tomorrow we fire up the berry picking machine and harvest begins, my hubby sits on pins and needles just trying to figure out the optimum time to pick, we have had some rain which means probably some mold and that is always a concern. I have to round up a crew for help and the machine uses a driver and 2 to 4 workers. The berries are basically shaken off the bushes and then fall onto a conveyor belt before dropping onto a larger belt where the crew throws out the rot or sometimes a critter like a mouse is abruptly awoken from his beauty rest up in the berry bush or birds as they nest in the bushes. Then the berries fall into crates that are handled by people. I wish I had a picture. Hubby dear enjoys all the berry work but harvest. Guess he just gets nervous knowing the whole years work is out there, we pick the berries more than once so it is not like a grain combine, once and done but we will be harvesting these early berries probably 3 to 4 weeks. Take care all, Joann