The Olive Pick

The fruits of our labour - freshly picked olives

Although I've seen it many times on Food TV, I've never actually picked an olive until last weekend.  I use Olive Oil by the litre and, like wine, I have my everyday variety and I have ones that are special and I am particularly fond of knowing and seeing where they come from, which is much easier now that New Zealand and Australia are starting to produce some of their own very interesting oils.

There is something about the provenance of tasting an oil from a place that you have picked the olives - and that's exactly what we did.  Off we went on an autumn's day with our new found friend Rex and our combined pack of 4 hounds to Susan's olive grove, eco house, El Paca farm and all around self sufficient property located on the Kaipara Harbour South Head north of Auckland. It's totally off the grid, solar and wind powered, and with NO mobile coverage whatsoever (!).

2 puppies enjoying the freedom. The olive grove is to the left in the background

This weekend was a communal effort which you only often read about, where all the neighbours and friends turn up in their carloads, grab a bucket, a ladder, some of the very high tech Italian tree shaking equipment, and go to work.  Some people were in the kitchen preparing the communal lunch to feed the masses, there were dogs running around everywhere (ours had a ball - at one stage there where 10 dogs running around together!) and everyone pitched in and had a good time, either meeting new people or catching up on the gossip with old friends.  The food was deliciously wholesome, the wine and stories were flowing, and of course everything is served on a communal table.  I could have been on the set of an Italian cooking programme that was trying to convey the spirit of 'familia'. The Europeans do this well - reminds me of family events such as my parents making sauerkraut and also stomping grapes for wine with their crazy German friends.  The wine/sauerkraut/olive oil are revered, but quite honestly the produce seems like a good excuse to get together and have a good time!

Sorting and drying out olives

many hands and many stories - one of the crews at work

Even as a complete novice I got top marks for my carefully and properly picked olives with no bruises, and  sorting the olives in preparation for the pressing was a soothing escape from the brain based office work that I usually find myself doing.  Picking olives is not hard, sort of like picking cherries if you ask me.  All you have to do is treat them gently.  Stems get pressed so are OK, but bruised olives, leaves, and too much moisture make for a bad press.

What more can I say - I had a great time and I'd recommend it to anyone.  I do not profess to know much about the olive oil process and I'm sure you can read about the agricultural aspects on line, but the bottle of olive oil I was given in exchange for our efforts at the end of the day and the story which has been carefully pressed with the olives into the bottle will be a treasured part of my foodie collection. 

Susan 

Wishing she could join the El Pacas in the olive grove....