Just collected the oil from the neighborhood press this morning here in Greece! There are only 2 trees harvested this year on this land (out of 6) but it was a very fulfilling experience. At once looking heavenward and then on hands and knees running hands through the olives on the net, sorting out twigs. I'm always astounded by the bounty of nature close at hand. We have trees on this island that are over 1500+ years old and still producing olives. That is a healthy dose of perspective for one whenever current events might be getting you down.
Hi Yanagi, I'm so happy you had the chance to harvest this year! You have touched a great point with "We have trees on this island that are over 1500+ years old and still producing olives", this is a reminder to us to appreciate nature and put everything in perspective. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Our olive season in Abruzzo was harvested in just one week this year. Due to the intense heat of the summer and lack of water the harvest was half that of last fall. Nonetheless, we will ship a good quantity home to Toronto and are satisfied that the percentage of oil was quite high 17.5% (for those who know 😉). Weather right now is fabulous but most important, the oil is fantastic! 🤗
Getting oil from Abruzzo to Toronto sounds the best thing ever! It was a low production in Sicily as well due the intense drought this year. Thank you for sharing it, Sarah and enjoy your new oil!
What a beautiful essay! Thank you so much. I am 82 years old and when I was a child, my mother‘s two brothers had a farm where they raised chickens and turkeys. Fall was the time that we harvested the turkeys for Thanksgiving. And the men in the family (brothers-in-law ) would do that job while the woman prepared lunch. I was ten Years old and while my help was limited, I was included for menial tasks. But I remember with such fondness all the family related things you talked about. Thank you so much.
Beautiful article, and perfect timing. My next novel is about the olive harvest and oil production, and I’m just working on finding a farm in Sicily to volunteer with. I know I’m too late for this year. Its also very expensive to get there from where I live. But authenticity is important to my writing, so I’m determined to make it to Sicily!
Hi Sonia, that sounds exciting! I guess you'll be able to find some farm in the center of Italy, close to Piazza Armerina, the altitude there delays the harvest of several weeks, but you should go now :) Looking forward to hear more about the novel and if you need some contacts of farms, please send a DM.
Ups sorry I meant Sicily. Piazza Armerina is on the center of the region, yes I think it’ll be worth it! Would love to read it once it’s published, keep me posted 🫶🏽
Oh dear. Today I am going to clean the house. That means getting down on the floor and scrubbing! But it is our home, our shelter from the storm, our nest and a place of goodnesss and warmth. So I will treasure cleaning today, and yes, something I will be doing in some shape or form the rest of my life. And my daughter and son-in-law, my treasures, are coming over for dinner, so that means sifting through recipes and finding a good one for this autumn season. God bless you and your love of home and family. It does mean everything.
Hi Krisitn, beautiful! No matter if it's cleaning, harvesting, or something else. Respect and taking care of the place you live is so important and emotionally needed. Enjoy the dinner, these are the moments we live for!
This was beautiful. Thank you. We are just about to replenish the 3 green rectangles to be filled with that gorgeous elixir (our comes from trees in Umbria) that will live in a dark corner under the new stairs in our new little Venetian home. The sharp liquid that I will cook with all year long, saying thank you with each glug & swirl.
Hi Gillian, that's awesome! Umbria is a fantastic place for olives as well! I'm a big fan of bread + new oil. I could eat that all year long! Thank you for reading and sharing!
We have a fine friend here who goes to Spain for the harvest for their small olive vineyard they own there, and the olive oil for which they bring back and sell here in the states is the best I’ve ever had in my life.
Something to be said about small, family, harvested oils and olive oil that is uniquely blessed from all those elements.
Thank you AB for reading and sharing your experience! There's something special about small farm's oil, you're right. If you have the chance, go with your friend next time, it's a great moment!
My wife just harvested the olives from our small tree here in Texas--now they are soaking to get the bitterness out. She is Greek, and her mother's family down in the Peloponnese owns lots of trees. They used to send her oil every year, but now no one wants to take time to harvest them. It's a shame when old traditions fade, old family members pass away, old family homes are sold, the youngsters do not share old interests. Thus it has ever been. Thank you for this reminder of your family's history.
Hi James, thank you for sharing your story! Oil from Greece is fantastic, and I'm happy you're keeping up with the family's tradition with your trees in Texas, no matter how big the field is or how many trees you have. I think the most important thing is to keep the tradition alive. Sending you much love.
Such a beautiful film. I love the pace, with your brilliant words. It slowly unfolds, it takes time, we slow to notice the arm in the tree, the olive grove surroundings, the hand on an iPhone, the carefully laid cloth to catch the olives as they fall. Thank you so much for this wonderful start to my day.
Just two days ago we held a Día de Muertos dinner at home (I live close to Barcelona with my italian-mexican family); for the first time we asked our friends to contribute to the ofrenda with an item that reminded them of a loved one. It was a beautiful time of sharing and I wish we could repeat it every year.
And olives, they are a recent and ancient memory at the same time: my grandfather had a small olive grove, my father took it over after his death but only involved me in harvesting when I grew up - and at a very difficult time in my life. Since then it is one of the beautiful reasons why I like to come back to Sardinia in the fall, even though olives do not always respect seasonality (at our place they are often ready in December!).
Just collected the oil from the neighborhood press this morning here in Greece! There are only 2 trees harvested this year on this land (out of 6) but it was a very fulfilling experience. At once looking heavenward and then on hands and knees running hands through the olives on the net, sorting out twigs. I'm always astounded by the bounty of nature close at hand. We have trees on this island that are over 1500+ years old and still producing olives. That is a healthy dose of perspective for one whenever current events might be getting you down.
Hi Yanagi, I'm so happy you had the chance to harvest this year! You have touched a great point with "We have trees on this island that are over 1500+ years old and still producing olives", this is a reminder to us to appreciate nature and put everything in perspective. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Our olive season in Abruzzo was harvested in just one week this year. Due to the intense heat of the summer and lack of water the harvest was half that of last fall. Nonetheless, we will ship a good quantity home to Toronto and are satisfied that the percentage of oil was quite high 17.5% (for those who know 😉). Weather right now is fabulous but most important, the oil is fantastic! 🤗
Getting oil from Abruzzo to Toronto sounds the best thing ever! It was a low production in Sicily as well due the intense drought this year. Thank you for sharing it, Sarah and enjoy your new oil!
What a beautiful essay! Thank you so much. I am 82 years old and when I was a child, my mother‘s two brothers had a farm where they raised chickens and turkeys. Fall was the time that we harvested the turkeys for Thanksgiving. And the men in the family (brothers-in-law ) would do that job while the woman prepared lunch. I was ten Years old and while my help was limited, I was included for menial tasks. But I remember with such fondness all the family related things you talked about. Thank you so much.
Oh wow Gandolfo! What a beautiful memory you shared, I think those are the ones that stay with you forever. Thank you for it!
Beautiful article, and perfect timing. My next novel is about the olive harvest and oil production, and I’m just working on finding a farm in Sicily to volunteer with. I know I’m too late for this year. Its also very expensive to get there from where I live. But authenticity is important to my writing, so I’m determined to make it to Sicily!
Hi Sonia, that sounds exciting! I guess you'll be able to find some farm in the center of Italy, close to Piazza Armerina, the altitude there delays the harvest of several weeks, but you should go now :) Looking forward to hear more about the novel and if you need some contacts of farms, please send a DM.
Thank you! I may take you up on that. Still hoping to make it to Sicily specifically — I believe it would be worth the wait!
Ups sorry I meant Sicily. Piazza Armerina is on the center of the region, yes I think it’ll be worth it! Would love to read it once it’s published, keep me posted 🫶🏽
Ah, yes, I understand now! I would love if you could connect me with a farm, and even better if they have accommodations as well.
Absolutely!
Oh dear. Today I am going to clean the house. That means getting down on the floor and scrubbing! But it is our home, our shelter from the storm, our nest and a place of goodnesss and warmth. So I will treasure cleaning today, and yes, something I will be doing in some shape or form the rest of my life. And my daughter and son-in-law, my treasures, are coming over for dinner, so that means sifting through recipes and finding a good one for this autumn season. God bless you and your love of home and family. It does mean everything.
Hi Krisitn, beautiful! No matter if it's cleaning, harvesting, or something else. Respect and taking care of the place you live is so important and emotionally needed. Enjoy the dinner, these are the moments we live for!
This was beautiful. Thank you. We are just about to replenish the 3 green rectangles to be filled with that gorgeous elixir (our comes from trees in Umbria) that will live in a dark corner under the new stairs in our new little Venetian home. The sharp liquid that I will cook with all year long, saying thank you with each glug & swirl.
Hi Gillian, that's awesome! Umbria is a fantastic place for olives as well! I'm a big fan of bread + new oil. I could eat that all year long! Thank you for reading and sharing!
We have a fine friend here who goes to Spain for the harvest for their small olive vineyard they own there, and the olive oil for which they bring back and sell here in the states is the best I’ve ever had in my life.
Something to be said about small, family, harvested oils and olive oil that is uniquely blessed from all those elements.
Thank you for sharing your post.
Thank you AB for reading and sharing your experience! There's something special about small farm's oil, you're right. If you have the chance, go with your friend next time, it's a great moment!
Beautiful
🫶🏽
My wife just harvested the olives from our small tree here in Texas--now they are soaking to get the bitterness out. She is Greek, and her mother's family down in the Peloponnese owns lots of trees. They used to send her oil every year, but now no one wants to take time to harvest them. It's a shame when old traditions fade, old family members pass away, old family homes are sold, the youngsters do not share old interests. Thus it has ever been. Thank you for this reminder of your family's history.
Hi James, thank you for sharing your story! Oil from Greece is fantastic, and I'm happy you're keeping up with the family's tradition with your trees in Texas, no matter how big the field is or how many trees you have. I think the most important thing is to keep the tradition alive. Sending you much love.
What a beautiful post - hearing your voice, sharing your story, seeing your video. It has touched me deeply - thank you!
Cathy, huge thanks to you for your time in listening and reading! I'm so glad you liked this, wish you the best!
This really makes me reflect more on establishing personal for myself and my future family. Thank you for this.
Happy it resonates with you, and thank you for taking time!
Such a beautiful film. I love the pace, with your brilliant words. It slowly unfolds, it takes time, we slow to notice the arm in the tree, the olive grove surroundings, the hand on an iPhone, the carefully laid cloth to catch the olives as they fall. Thank you so much for this wonderful start to my day.
Just two days ago we held a Día de Muertos dinner at home (I live close to Barcelona with my italian-mexican family); for the first time we asked our friends to contribute to the ofrenda with an item that reminded them of a loved one. It was a beautiful time of sharing and I wish we could repeat it every year.
And olives, they are a recent and ancient memory at the same time: my grandfather had a small olive grove, my father took it over after his death but only involved me in harvesting when I grew up - and at a very difficult time in my life. Since then it is one of the beautiful reasons why I like to come back to Sardinia in the fall, even though olives do not always respect seasonality (at our place they are often ready in December!).