It’s time to stomp some grapes.
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Alton Farms Estate Winery on Aberarder Line in Plympton-Wyoming is holding its ninth grape stomp Saturday in support of the Bluewater Center for Raptor Rehabilitation.
While grapes grown at the vineyard are crushed mechanically these days, Alton Farms has been holding an annual event each fall where visitors can jump back in time and step barefoot into a large bucket of grapes to try out their stomping ability.
There are trophies, along with bragging rights, for those who stomp out the most juice in 60 seconds and the $10 a person entry fee goes to the center which rescues and rehabilitates injured birds of prey.
The event begins at noon Saturday, with the first stomp at 1 pm and continuing through the afternoon.
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Information on how to sign up to stomp can be found on the winery’s website, altonfarmsestatewinery.com.
Between 40 and 80 competitors take part, typically, said Anne Kurtz-Alton, who founded the winery with her husband Marc Alton in 2005. Alton Farms is the pioneer winery in what has since become the Huron Shores emerging wine region along Lake Huron.
About $1,400 was raised at last year’s stomp, Kurtz-Alton said.
The winery has partnered since the stomp began with the center for raptor rehabilitation which is also located in Plympton-Wyoming. Raptors help control the grape-eating bird population in the vineyard.
The center will have demonstrations Saturday, plus there will be artisans on site with items to sell, as well as live music. Girl Guides will also be there fundraising.
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There’s no admission fee for spectators.
The local group, Caregivers of Petrolia Ferals, which cares for feral and stray cats in Lambton County, will also be there this year with a fundraising barbecue.
Kurtz-Alton said she has a soft spot for critters.
Grape stomps are held in the Niagara Region but Kurtz-Alton said she doesn’t know of any others held locally.
“It’s a lot of fun,” she said.
Kurtz-Alton said she tried stomping once, early on. “I thought everyone can stomp for five minutes” but after “45 seconds I was kind of done.”
So, she decided 60-second heats were enough for the annual competition where six people stomp at a time.
Volunteers then change out the grapes and measure each stomper’s juice production.
It runs rain or shine and is for all ages.
In the past, an 85-year-old stomped on her birthday and, so far, the youngest has been an 18-month-old “stomping with momma,” Kurtz-Alton said.
The stomp paused for a year during the pandemic and the trophy lists “COVID” as that year’s winner, Kurtz-Alton said.
She said they’re often asked if they use juice produced at the stomp for winemaking.
“Yes, we do,” Kurtz-Alton said. “Fermentation kills all human pathogens.”
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