Abstract: A vine crop harvester having improved harvesting features for reducing damage to the vine crop and increasing the efficiency of the harvester is provided, wherein a harvesting apparatus attached to a tractor has a digger chain employed to carry the vine crop upwardly from the ground to a pinch roller subassembly, the digger chain forming a shallow angle with the ground surface to reduce slippage on the belt to reduce abrasion and other damage to the crop being harvested. A digger blade is disposed adjacent the lower end of the digger chain, the blade having a base plate, a stainless steel cutting blade at an upper front surface thereof, and a PTFE layer fastened at an upper rear surface thereof, the spacing between the digger blade and the digger chain being adjustable and the angle of the digger blade being adjustable as well.