Olive Pickin'

Back in November I was invited to spend a day picking olives in a traditional, organic farm, somewhere between here and Siracusa.   The drive was beautiful, winding roads, farms, olive groves, mist laden hills and green landscapes.

The destination, Palazzolo Acreide or should I say just on the outskirts of the beautiful old town.   As we drove into the farm,  we were greeted by Mila, Paulo (owners) their baby girl and entertaining young son plus 17 puppies and a couple of Mama dogs.   The farm was owned by Paulo's parents and he grew up picking olives, almonds, walnuts, carob and tending the vegetable garden.   Paulo and Mila, a young couple, now live/run the organic farm, with help from volunteers.  

Interestingly, Mila has advertised the farm on a work/vacation website and in the 6 months since her first post,  they have had people from all over the world stay and work on the farm.   Room and board is gratis and the work is gratifying, scenery beautiful and clean air, free.   We arrived just as an Israeli family of 3 was leaving, having spent over a month living and working with Paulo and Mila.

But we were there to work, so off we went to the olive fields.   Traditional picking was necessary to not bruise the olives.  We had to climb into the trees and hand pull off the olives, after we had spread a net below the tree to capture the fallen olives.   We worked 8 hours with a 40 minute break, 8 strong, healthy adults and we only filled 8 crates...hard work this olive picking.  But the scenery was breathtaking, especially from the top of an olive tree.  Oops maybe I was taking in the view a little often.    

After we finished, Mila (and a new farm hand from Austria) served us a meal of lentil stew and fresh made bread, oh and the homemade wine too.   Delicious and perfect food to fill our bellies, although I found myself quietly falling asleep at the table.  

Paulo then took us to the olive pressing cooperative in town.  Forget the bar or cafe because the olive pressing warehouse was the place to be.  Everyone was there, talking, drinking and laughing and I believe some olives were pressed too, but not sure.  The process was interesting due to the cold versus hot pressing, what constitutes organic, which olives are better.   

http://www.oliveoilsource.com/page/extraction-process

Thinking that somehow the Sicilian olives are worked differently, I discovered making olive oil is a standard practice.   Above link has the most concise and fast read on olive pressing, if your interested.

Thank you Sandra for organizing this adventure.

Maggie

(pictures courtesy of Nicola, S/Y Emerald)