Harvest
There are still olive growers who deliberately wait for a bora (wind) to dry the fruit on the tree and evaporate the water, believing that they will then pay less for processing the olives. But there are also those who believe that only black fruits can produce good oil, ignoring the historical facts that a thousand years ago this oil was intended only for slaves. But there are also those elderly households that cannot employ foreign pickers, but instead pick them themselves, slowly and in rough weather, and thus wait until December, while oil mills wait for them and process such olives once a week. At this time, a characteristic rotten juice accumulates in the olive fruits, which spoils the quality of the oil and it takes on atypical properties of smell and taste. According to research by our respected expert, the late Mr. Pavle Bakarić, the varieties dužica, uljarice, žutica, piculje and zuzorka can still be harvested at this time, he writes Olive grove.
Preservation of black olives
This is the time to pick fully ripe black olives for canning. The largest possible, firm and healthy fruits without punctures and damage are picked, they are placed in plastic baskets with holes, up to ten centimeters in height at the most. For canning in the traditional way, by drying or baking, fruits that are well wrinkled - shriveled, those that have started to lose water from the fruit are picked.
Oil storage
Oil storage is the final step in the process of preserving extra virgin olive oil and should be approached carefully and responsibly, because improper storage can significantly impair its quality and our year-round effort and expense. Larger quantities of oil are stored in a cool place in stainless steel containers, which must be filled to the top. Smaller quantities of oil are stored in dark glass bottles, in a room that is not exposed to light and high temperatures.
Pruning
Old trees that we have decided to rejuvenate from the root or stump, and that are 30 years old or more, can now be cut. Rejuvenation is done by cutting down and removing the central stump, leaving 4 to 5 suckers – shoots on the main root, after which the central pit is filled in. There is another way of rejuvenation from the stump, but it is also less secure.
Advice for organic olive growers
It is recommended to all organic olive growers, if possible, to separate the residues from the processing of their own olives and return them to their olive grove. The benefit will be multiple, and the production of free organic humus will be much cheaper.
Tip of the month
Olive pomace and vegetable water are useful and valuable secondary raw materials. Vegetable water can be discharged into the olive grove before the rain, and the pomace can be used as animal feed, high-value fuel, organic fertilizer and, more recently, as a raw material for the production of biodiesel.
Source: Olive grove
Photo: Pixabay
