They called us into the olive mill yesterday: it was our turn. Pressing time for our 300 k+ of olives which we’d hauled in the day prior.
Delivery of our olives to the mill, the day before the pressing..
We headed there immediately: anyone consigning olives to the mills must absolutely be there at pressing time. Each must have their own oil from their own olives: not even the intrusion of a kilo or two of the olives of a neighbor perhaps pressing at the same time!
When we’d delivered our olives the previous day, clutches of men had been gathered around olive crates discussing the olive yield this year (poor – weather too warm!) as they awaited their turns for pressing:
Olives were arriving via tractor and immense shiny stainless steel canisters of just-milled olive oil were heading home in mini-trucks, Api.
Other canisters fit into station wagons:
And finalmente it was our day for the transformation of our olives into “liquid gold”:
Pino couldn’t wait for a taste of our “green gold”:
…..and the yield was even more than we’d anticipated: the containers we’d brought wouldn’t suffice….
Luckily, every mill has cans for sale for those (happily) underestimating:
We watched as the last golden drizzle dropped into the funnel…
…and then it was time to weigh in the yield (46 kilos – 52 litters of oil):
Time to head home with “the gold”:
….and our mille grazie go to our olive-pickers helping Pino and Keegan in our harvest: Jenifer and Ian from Trinidad and Jennifer from Chicago:
…..and let’s have a bruschetta reunion soonest! That good Umbrian bread, garlic and our olive oil are ready and waiting:
Ah, the pride and joy on your faces makes this clear.
So wish we were there.
Abbracci e congratulazioni!
Pepper and Denise
Wish you were here, too!
More than you expected – that’s great! I see you are using the netting method, southern Italy style. Your story told step by step let’s us feel we’re there as it’s happening. Lively writing!
Lyn
FAVOLOSO!
Oh, how I wish I was there for the harvest and pressing! How long will the olive oil last for you, Pino and guests! Such a beautiful color, truly liquid gold!
Dear Annie and Pino, congratulations on your glorious harvest! And what an international crew of helpers – I’m sure they enjoyed their experience. Such a difference than grabbing a bottle of olive oil (usually something sub-par here in the US for the uninformed) off the shelf).
Can’ T wait for our first taste! June can’t come too soon!
We have snow!
Lyn, Christine and Bev – grateful for toru comments..now come for bruschetta!
Bev, Christine and Lyn
thanks for your comments..and now…come for bruschetta!
oooops//sorry for doubled comments! – was told “not taken”.
Kathy S, we’ll probably use all 52 litters this year!
Ann C, yes, an international group this year and I think they enjoyed the picking – we were delighted to have them with us!
What a fantastic experience – it was so beautiful and peaceful out among the olive trees in such glorious weather. The end product was delicious also!! We thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you Pino and Anne!
Thanks, Ian and Jenifer, for your good work – glad to have you with us!
Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your harvesting. So glad you got more than you expected! I would love to help next year! Is the timing predictable?
Oh yum! I wish I was there to sample!
CBSNews just had a clip on the olive oil problems-so sad.
Thanks, Diane, for your note – also about the CBS clip.
Si! Olive oil is truly GREEN GOLD this year!