Last weeks were weeks of really hard work, but also moments of enjoying nature. By now, almost everyone has collected the olives from the olive trees on their fields.
First day of olive collecting: we stood up at 6.00, made a coffee, arranged our lunch (bred, cheese, tomatoes, olives, some ham), took on our work clothes and started driving towards the first field. It was cold, but when we arrived after 20 minutes the smell of the fabrics that were already making olive oil out of fresh collected olives was overwhelming. We took the olive sheets which needed to be put under the trees. Afterwards we took our olive combs and started ‘combing’ the trees. The olives were falling down on the sheets. When all olives were on the sheets, the leaves that had fallen down had to be removed. And at last, the olives were put in a box. We repeated this on every olive tree. Until 5 o’clock we continued collecting olives. It was exhausting but on the other hand, a pleasure to see so many fresh olives ready to become olive oil.
Some Greeks have to travel long distances because their fields are far way. They have to stay at a family member living close to the fields or in a cheap hotel and most of the times they collect the olives on a shorter period of time. Others, living on a short distance from their fields have the privilege of collecting their olives on a longer period of time.
I think Greece could export more olives and olive oil. I don’t know why the country doesn’t support this idea more seriously. Greece has so many olive trees, so many good products. Anyway, olive oil is for sure very healthy as lots of websites refer to it as one of most importants things that we have to add to our menu if we don’t use it yet.
But I like the tradition, it’s fun!
