MACHINE PICKING
AT THE PICKING MACHINE

"Hanging On"

This photo shows the trailers being unloaded at the picking machine.

The trailers are specially designed to carry the hop bines to the picking machine.  As can be seen, they are open with angled sides to prevent the bines from falling off the side.  At the front of the trailer is a slot where the bottom end of the bine (the bit nearest the ground when growing) is put with the main part of the bine with the hops spread length ways down the trailer.

The hop bines are hung on to hooks which are on a continuous chain which takes the bines through the picking machine.  

"Hanging on" was a strenuous job as to ensure the efficiency of the picking machine, as many as possible of the hooks needed to be filled with bines.  As the hooks rose up on the chain the hops were pulled out of the trailer.  Care needed to be taken that feet were firmly on the floor of the trailer with no bines wrapped around them.