In December 2017 I went for the olive harvest to Lapithas' Farm, and learned a lot in ten days!
Alberto, Elefteria and Kleiton harvested the olives. I harvested too, but more to learn! This year it was a very small amount of olives, because nobody pruned the trees in May and because of a hail storm in November, which threw half of the olives to the ground. I went to Papadopoulos' mill near Pyrgos. He and Vasiliki took a lot of time to explain the hole process. They allowed me to go in between organic farmers and conventional farmers, as I am just at the beginning of transitioning to organic. It is a small quantity, but the taste is amazing. ! It is deep green and has so much taste. People described it as peppery, like grass, like tomatoes ... I would call it pungent. Which does not sound that good. But after the second bite you love it! And the pungent taste comes from all the flavenoid polyphenols, which carry all the health benefits of olive oil.
Inhye, a friend of mine, went as far as to say 'I can drink it. That's how good it tastes.' ! :-)
Next year I will aim for early harvest, in October!
I also learned a lot about shipping and regulations.
And I finally met my neighbors! It turns out that Ilias and Niti are the ones running the library in Xirochouri. :-) I am so glad that they are my neighbors.
