The traditional harvest of the Old Olive Tree, estimated to be over 1500 years old, a protected natural monument in Kaštel Štafilić, took place today with the joint efforts of adults, children and young people. This autumn its crowns were once again full of fruit, and this year's harvest sets a record in the last ten years. This "grandmother" beauty is still holding up well, and the lower part of its crown is growing intensively.
The harvest was organized by the "Bijaći" Society in cooperation with the City of Kaštela, Split-Dalmatia County, the Agro-Mediterranean Faculty of the University of Split, the Public Institution Sea and Karst, the "Mastrinka" and "Šušur" Associations, the Kaštela Tourist Board, the Kaštela City Museum, the "Braća Radić" Secondary School and the "Bijaći" Primary School.
Around the Old Olive Tree, children from the Olive Garden, students from the Bijaći School, and users of the Mir Center gathered, along with representatives of associations and institutions, and the harvest was led, as usual, by Assistant Professor Dr. Sc. Tatjana Klepo who is very pleased with this year's olive harvest.
- It produced excellently, so much so that I have to admit that I am a little scared. Since I have been here, for over ten years, I have never seen it produce this many olives. To my soul, we are a little late due to the weather and circumstances. We hope that the weather will let us go and allow us to harvest the record harvest of Old Olives in the last, certainly, ten years for sure – she said Cough and added that the health of the olive tree is very good and that the lower part of the crown is growing intensively. At the same time, preventive protection of the olive tree against disease was carried out by CIAN doo
Kaštela is rich in cultural and historical heritage, and this old Kaštela beauty, a 1500-year-old olive tree, testifies to the tradition of agriculture in Kaštela. And this olive tree is the Kaštela brand, said the acting head of the new Administrative Department for Communal Economy during the harvest Grgica Benutić. He pointed out, among other things, that he is glad that children and young people are involved in the harvest, because that way they enjoy nature and learn what it means to live in harmony with nature.
An old olive tree that was planted during the Roman Empire and is a living witness to ancient times in this area. The care of this old beauty is led by the Bijaći Society, who affectionately call it the "grandmother" of olives. They harvest it, and the olive branches are used to make sculptures, make teas, and organize various tourist promotions. In this way, it becomes one of the symbols of Kaštela, with which we can freely go out into the world as a European rarity - he said on this occasion Tonci Buric, president of the Bijaći Society.
Photo/video: Ivana Topić
