Overview

This document will serve as the guiding instructions for handling BEWBC macrobins. It will provide an explanation of what needs to be accomplished prior to harvest, during harvest operations, and after all pick-ups are complete. The goal of this document is to establish the best possible bin usage to support membership needs. All questions relevant to this procedure can be addressed by BEWBC Board Members in the following order: (further referred to as the Macrobin Management Hierarchy (MMH))

1. Equipment Manager

2. Grape Procurement Coordinator

3. Vice President of Wine

4. Club President

5. Any other Executive Board member

6. Any other vineyard focal
- Contact information for these members can be found on the current club website in the Press

Equipment and tools:

1. 1. Macrobins: The club owns and maintains a fleet of size 24 macrobins for use by Vineyard Focals for delivering grapes during crush season. They are stored at the Kent storage locker during the off-season and are stored behind the Kent Recreation Center during crush. They are labeled with BEWBC and numbered.
   2. Macrobin Checkout File: The macrobin checkout file is used for the Vineyard Focals to reserve and manage logistics for the macrobins. Consult the equipment manager or grape procurement coordinator for the current file’s name and location.

General rules:

The following basic rules will serve as guiding principles for the entire procedure.

1. 1. Only vineyard focals or executive board members (acting on behalf of the vineyard focals) are allowed to make reservations for or use the macrobins. No other member of the club may check out a macrobin.
   2. The vineyard focal checking out the macrobin must provide adequate contact information to ensure that the macrobins under their control can be accounted for at all times. Those checking out the macrobins are responsible for ensuring all requirements are met for pick-up, check-out, delivery, cleansing, and return as well as the safe handling of the bins.
   3. Optimally, macrobins should not be checked out for a delivery for longer than 48 hours. If staging or longer check outs are required, this will be coordinated through the highest member on the MMH.
   4. The bins can hold over 700 pounds of grapes. Since the club has limited resources, in order to maximize use of our equipment, we need the focals to understand that efficient loading of bins allows other focals to make use of the resources. Please check out 1 bin for each 600-700 pounds of grapes. Exceptions (500 lbs / bin) can be made for the following thin skinned berries: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Pinot Noir, and Merlot. Other waivers must be approved by the highest member on the MMH. Consider taking a few totes along with to handle overages of these increments (each grey tote can hold 50 pounds of grapes).

Procedures Prior to Harvest:

a. Move Bins from Storage: Before the beginning of the harvest season, the highest club member on the MMH will arrange group transportation of the macrobin fleet from the storage shelter down to the Kent Recreation Center.

b. Collect Focal Information: The Grape Procurement Focal will compile all contact information into the Macrobin Checkout File and also post it on the Check-out Board at the Recreation Center/Club Store.

Procedures During Harvest:

1. 1. Reserve Online on Macrobin Checkout File: Grape procurement focals use the online Macrobin Checkout File to reserve bins for confirmed needs.
   2. The file will be located on the club server under the Equipment folder on the Club Server. It will be called Macrobin Checkout File.xls.
   3. The highest ranking member on the MMH will review it weekly to ensure that bins are not being inappropriately reserved.
   4. When reserving a bin, the Vineyard Focal will allocate a number of bins noted with the vineyard number (assigned on the spreadsheet), varietal, pounds to be picked up, and any other pertinent information.
   5. If the Vineyard Focal does not have access to the file, they will contact a fellow Vineyard Focal or someone else on the MMH.
   6. Use: The bins will then be used for the time period that they were checked out for.
   7. Return and Clean Bins: Once finished with the bins, the Vineyard Focals will ensure the proper return of the bins. They will clean them according to the following procedure:
      1. Rinse and scrub so that there is NO VISIBLE GRAPE MATTER OR RESIDUE at all.
      2. Drain thoroughly so that there is NO STANDING WATER at all
      3. Wipe down with a towel before stacking/storing
      4. Store on side
      5. Confirm Check-in Online on Macrobin Checkout File: Following the check-out procedure, the Vineyard Focal confirms that the information in the Macrobin Checkout File was correct (done to make sure accurate records exist for further analysis and also indicates if bins are available earlier than thought).

Procedures After Harvest:

1. 1. Move Bins to Storage: At the end of the harvest season, the highest club member on the MMH will arrange group transportation of the macrobin fleet from the Kent Recreation Center down to the storage shelter.
   2. Secure Bins: Upon delivery, the bins will be cleaned, dried, and stored on their side in the storage shelter.