Looking out my window at the full-grown green olives weighing down the branches of our tree, I am reminded that the Jewish New Year does not begin neatly at the end of one traditional agricultural year and the beginning of another. These olives, last of the summer fruit to ripen, will only be harvested in … Read More »
olive harvest
A Green Olive Harvest
The first serious bout of winter rain descended several weeks ago, marking a traditional and unofficial opening of the olive harvest season in the Galilee. In fact, late September is too early for olive picking, which generally extends from late October through November. But that first rain fulfilled its function of washing off the summer … Read More »
Cracking Olives
The olive harvest is officially underway here in the Galilee. At this point, though, relatively early on in the season, most people I know are picking olives for eating – the large scale harvesting to make olive oil will probably begin in another week or so. As we do every year, Ron, our good friend … Read More »
Olive Harvest Fund-Raiser
The olive harvest in the Galilee usually starts after the first serious rain, which rinses off the dust and plumps up the fruit. In the one year on, one year off cycle of olive trees, this is an off year, and the price of oil – more than $150 for a 16-liter container – reflects … Read More »
Olive Harvest 2008
Every year, come Fall, we happily take part in the Galilee olive harvest ritual. Until this year, this meant picking several buckets of olives – mostly green and one or two black – and curing them for our own and our friends’ enjoyment. This year, however, we decided to be ambitious and make our own … Read More »