October 24th 2021:
Today we’re starting to harvest the olives…
Well, we survived the first day! We had a few hours help from some experienced friends and that helped get us into the swing of it all. We’ve got 4.5 crates so far, and I think we need 10 (200kg) for the pressing. I’ve learned so much today – it’s so labour intensive.
October 26th 2021:
We are now about 5kg of olives short of the 200kg required, so are going to the frantoio to have them pressed tomorrow afternoon. I will never again flippantly ask for a drizzle of olive oil – the work that’s involved in the production is incredible!
I’ve learned quite a lot since Sunday, including:
1) Pippa blends in perfectly with the parched grass in the olive grove
2) Theo really does love that 
ball
ball3) I’m not as good at climbing trees as I used to be
4) Earwigs are *not* more scared of me than I am of them, and they cling onto fingers…
5) Harvesting olives gives you a full body workout – I thought you just shook the trees and the olives rained down…it’s hard work, all day
6) You need nets. Large ones
7) It’s addictive…a bit like a fairground game, you just have to reach a tiny bit higher and get that last olive…and the next last olive…and the next…
8)It’s somehow both annoying and fun at the same time
9) I’ve now got a whole new range of skills to add to my CV, but I don’t think I want to be a farmer, despite being a Shepherd!
October 27th 2021:
We did it! We turned olives into oil…or at least the local frantoio did. The photos show the last tree we tackled, the tricky business of gathering them up into the crates, that we’d forgotten how small our car was – I had to travel with my feet on the dashboard…and the last half-crate was actually a shopping bag because of lack of space! 
They also show the various stages in the processing of the olives, and of course our finished olive oil. We came away with 30 litres from 186kg (not sure where the other 14kg we thought we had disappeared to!)
They also show the various stages in the processing of the olives, and of course our finished olive oil. We came away with 30 litres from 186kg (not sure where the other 14kg we thought we had disappeared to!)My final “olives” comment: I can honestly say it’s been an amazing experience. I won’t say I enjoyed every minute, I’m exhausted and I’ve been seeing olives even with my eyes shut as I’m falling asleep , but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world – it’s really made me appreciate the things we take for granted – and I’m already looking forward to next year!
, but I wouldn’t have missed it for the world – it’s really made me appreciate the things we take for granted – and I’m already looking forward to next year!