Earlier than harvesting olives in Tuscany, I might go weeks with out utilizing olive oil. The bottle of cheap-o yellow stuff I obtained on the grocery retailer would get pushed to the as soon as extra of the shelf and go dangerous earlier than I might use your full (small) bottle. Seems… I’ve been utilizing all of it flawed! Between the household I stayed with (4 folks) and the WWOOFers (4 folks) we managed to make the most of a complete complete liter in ONE WEEK! Olive oil was poured over bread, soup, salad, meat, pasta, greens… primarily all the gadgets that was on the desk!
Olive harvesting is a hard enterprise… as is any type of farming. In 2014, all of Tuscany went with out new oil on account of a fruit fly infestation typically known as “olive tree leprosy” that precipitated the whole olives to fall off the tree. So this was an notably thrilling yr to take part contained in the harvest. All of the Italian farmers I met have been abuzz with pleasure as they anticipated the mannequin new oil.
As I’ve talked about earlier than, I beloved my WWOOF hosts, Kirsten and Pascal. Their daughter, Anna, son Oliver and his girlfriend, Taisia furthermore made the week memorable and fairly a bit satisfying. And the three completely completely different American WWOOFers have been a blast to carry spherical with!
A typical day WWOOFing on the olive harvest
Our days started with breakfast and a pair hours harvesting. A observe about harvesting… straightening my hair for half of my life has ready me in a manner nothing else may want.
At 10:30, the shofar horn was blown and we went as so much as the home for tea and snacks the place now we have now been normally joined by a rooster or one amongst their canine. Nac, the gray one on the best is a truffle canine.
After tea, we’d return into the fields for added harvesting. Climbing bushes isn’t only for kids and the view of the Tuscan countryside from the easiest was fairly spectacular.
When it was time to assemble, we gathered the massive parachute-like netting from all through the bushes and picked out as many sticks and leaves as we might earlier than transferring the olives into crates. We’re undecided if the horses have been being useful or simply looking for significantly snack. For horses and folk alike, olives are terribly bitter straight off the tree.
After we’d stuffed a minimal of fifty crates, we despatched the olives off to be pressed.
Then… it was time to have fulfilling! Prosecco and tiramisu applications have been a spotlight of my journey!
TLDR: watch the video
You may even see the general course of from choosing to urgent to the fettunta the primary kind of present oil on grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with new oil on this YouTube video.
Kirsten and Pascal don’t export their olive oil, so within the occasion you need to try theirs you’ll should hitch them for his or her completely completely different ardour… scorching air ballooningwhich is an outstanding romantic day journey from Florenceafter which you should purchase as fairly a bit olive oil as you’d like!
Or, you presumably can have olive oil shipped from Podere Gualandi (the place I helped with the grape harvest). It’s going quick, nonetheless you should purchase from him for 13.5€ a bottle and 70€ for six and 100€ for 12.
Pin this submit!
