Like Nolan said, don’t stress too hard. Just get ready to bust your butt, be tired, wet, sticky, tired, and strangely happy…
You aren’t scaling Everest, but you do want to be as comfortable as possible.
FEET:
You have to take care of your feet and do not skimp on boots.
-Get Pull ons- Blundstone, Redback, Rossi etc… Condition them as soon as you buy them and also mid harvest. I don’t like steel toe for my normal boots, but I like them for my rubber boots.
-Once you get boots, pay another $40-70 and buy Superfeet insoles for your already expensive boots. They are worth it.
-Keep 3-4 pairs of dry wool socks (not cotton and pass on synthetic) in your car at all times. You probably need 7-8 pair total as you will may only be able to do laundry 1x a week.
-Keep flip flops / sandals in your car for driving home or going out afterwards
HANDS:
If you are going to focus on any sort of conditioning, I’d actually focus on your hands more than anything. -Get a grip strengthener / hand exerciser. You are going to have tons of night where you wake up with both hands asleep, aching, and pain in your forearms. You don’t realize how much you use your hands sorting, rolling barrels, cleaning etc.
-Gloves get 2-3 pair of synthetic work gloves for barrel work or working with kegs.
Head:
-Get a headlamp (doesn’t need to be super fancy)
-Get BIG A** Hat. A wide brimmed hat will be your best buddy when on the crush pad or in the vineyard all day–You can get a cheapy or something like this https://www.rei.com/product/767086/sunday-afternoons-adventure-hat. You will look goofy and you will be happy.
-Advil
Other stuff:
-A good 32oz+ water bottle and also a thermos. You may or may not be able to make coffee mid-day and having a big thermos of coffee is magic. Iced green tea is good to have around
-Snacks (trail mix, beef jerky, dried fruit, bars- think 3 snacks a day on busy days. If you can save and buy some by the case now, go for it.
-Have a good, pocket sized mag light
-A knife or leatherman comes in handy
-Try to steer clear of cotton- synthetic shorts and shirts keep you much more comfortable.
-Keep a toothbrush, tooth paste, and deodorant in your car.