Harvesting green olives

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Ricasso
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Harvesting green olives

Postby Ricasso » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:31 am

Two years ago (my first year as an olive tree owner), I picked a few and cured some olives from a couple of my four trees. My first time. They were a purplish colour. It was quite successful. They tasted ok but maybe I should re-think the seasoning I used.

The trees probably hadn't been touched for years so I had a Spanish gardener friend trim them a bit in the following January. I don't know if it was because the trees were pruned, but last year, they didn't produce any fruit.

This year, I'd like to attempt to cure some green olives. The question is, when to pick..
I've read that when squeezed, the juice should be creamy (not clear) before they are picked. I've tested some and the juice is a creamy greenish colour. The only thing is, all the olive grove owners in my area (Cómpeta campo), haven't started harvesting yet. It does seem a little early but some olives on my trees are already turning a little purple. I'd really like to try some green olives. They're not particularly big but my first 'crop' (only one jar to be honest, but it was a trial), was relatively successful. Any ideas anyone?
Thanks.
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Enrique
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Enrique » Wed Oct 23, 2019 8:29 am

Hi Ricasso,
Here the Families have a Table olive tree or two, the rest are for Olive oil production so a different variety.

"The Picual, also known as Marteña or Lopereña, is an olive cultivar from Spain. Picual olives are the most commonly grown olive today for olive oil production, with production centered in the Spanish province of Jaén. Picual trees are estimated to account for 25% of all olive oil production in the world. Wikipedia"

Sounds like you have the oil variety, Pruning is done every two years, the harvest can vary from year to year depending on when the rains arrive .
Currently on my Parcela only 50% of the trees have olives. So this season yield will be lower than my average.

The harvest season here used to be from January on, but has been brought forward over the years to start end of November.

Our Member olive will have a different take on this as he is further south in Granada province.
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Trooperman » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:01 am

I don't have any trees....but am surrounded by squillions. Harvesting here (Antequera area) started on 1st October....still going on... (endless parade of tractors/trailers/tree shakers from about 7am)
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olive
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby olive » Wed Oct 23, 2019 9:33 am

Down here in the Poniente, the Hoji Blanca variety is king. Rounder , a bit smaller than the Picaul.

The few trailer loads here are green olives for processing for eating. Only a few trees are starting to turn from green to dark. Those earlier varieties will start being harvested here for oil production in three to four weeks time.

Expect much lower price for olives delivered to the co op due to a glut in production ( better production techniques, more irrigation and abigger area of trees, US tariffs). Ideal newspaper predicts Producers in Granada province will take a hit of 225 million euros on income. They suggested 40% drop in price. Bad for small farmers in our area.

I digress but readers may find that interesting. If yours are turning dark you may have missed the window for pickling.

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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Ricasso » Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:32 pm

Thanks everyone for your response. I understand that olives used for oil tend to have larger stones as the stones contain a lot of oil and that's the main reason why they're chosen for that purpose but they also make perfectly good table olives (I'm told). If my variety are the 'oil' variety, they taste fine to eat. It would be interesting to know what my biggest tree's variety is (pix attached). Any thoughts?
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby olive » Wed Oct 23, 2019 5:14 pm

The olive fly olive?

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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Ricasso » Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:45 am

You think it has olive fly?
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Enrique
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Enrique » Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:19 am

Hi Ricasso,

Yes................ :(

Google..... olive fruit fly damage

Currently growers up this way are Spraying.

Depending on what nasty is around there are compulsory Spraying Decrees issued by the Junta.

A Post from 2009 about olive Farming by non- locals i.e Members of A.com........... :D

viewtopic.php?t=21629
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Ricasso » Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:28 am

There are some marks, I can see..
Thanks for the useful link
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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby olive » Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:35 am

Hi Ricasso, sorry I meant to do a follow up posting yesterday.

First thing to add to Enrique’s post, do not worry about the “damn olive fly “damage. They are everywhere just part of nature. Even when sprayed , intensively farmed groves have damage.

My guess on your variety is Alorena ( accent over the n). There are several hundred olive varieties in Spain. The easiest way to find out is to ask a farming neighbour or turn up at the local Co op and ask someone waiting to drop off harvested olives. It is useful cultivating a local friend. They might for example bring you a bucket of eating olives for you to pickle or whip off higher branches of your trees while they are pruning their own.

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Re: Harvesting green olives

Postby Ricasso » Fri Oct 25, 2019 8:43 am

Encouraging... I picked a large jar full and there are a few with a brown dot or two on them but they look quite nice otherwise. They're only for my own consumption and I'm just itching to see how they pickle. I think I used regular table salt and vinegar last time. Do you think that'll be ok? I took advice from sites such as https://www.wikihow.com/Cure-Olives
When you mention 'co-op', do you mean a local olive oil factory? .. thanks again
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