Fall coming in with a stomp
10:24 p.m. Saturday, September 27, 2008
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Fall comes in stomping at Campbell's Winery, just east of Holton. Owners Ray and Becky Campbell were kind enough to invite 49 News for their annual Grape Stomp Festival.
There was plenty of entertainment leading up to the stomp. Attendants got to drink plenty of wine, listen to a soothing jazz band and even take a couple of shots at a game of wine bottle target.
Ray and Becky tell me that the fun surrounding an annual grape stomp began at least a thousand years ago.
"They didn't have presses or anything like that, so they would take their grapes and put them in a tub... and then they would stomp them to get them crushed," said Ray Campbell.
And you single ladies out there beware, if this was a thousand years ago, you would be doing all the work.
"The unmarried women would get in and do the stomp. Don't ask me why, but that was always the way it was set up. It was always the single ladies thing to do," said Ray.
And while I am not a single lady, Becky had plans for me.
"...and we're hoping to get you in it," said Becky.
But I had to wait my turn to put my feet in the cold berries. Three others were competing ahead of me. The goal was to see who could squeeze the most juice out of a flat of grapes.
I was happy to have a safety pole to lean on, should my fast feet get out of control. My special secret was to add a little twisting motion to the stomp.
It was great way to have a little exercise and have fun too, as long as you drank the wine in moderation beforehand.
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