We had a great start to the tour. We left UMDNJ at about 7:40 this morning, met the rest of the group at Hunter College, and headed to Sakonnet Vineyards (http://www.sakonnetwine.com) in Little Compton, RI. On the way up, students presented an overview of Sakonnet vineyards, and the safety and health issues facing workers who work at a winery. We started with a tour of the vineyard. Pumpkin, the Vineyard manager, demonstrated the different types of hand tools used to prune the vines. You can see some of the tools in the pictures. She provided the opportunity for everyone to ask questions about the type of work she does.
We then were met by the Vineyard owners, who provided the opportunity for a wine tasting. We tasted six different wines, which were good.
We then went through the winery, where the wine is processed from pressing to bottling. It was a great opportunity for us to learn about agricultural worker hazards, and some of the methods used to control the hazards.
At the end of the tour, many took the opportunity to purchase some of the wines we tasted. Thanks to Sakonnet Vineyards for being a great host.
