Goddess Athena and the Olive branch

Ever since Goddess Athena gave an olive branch to the people, they use and worship its fruits up to now. In Greece, olive oil is not just used for the preparation of meals, but is also a fundamental ingredient for health and beauty.

Olive trees grow all over Greece

They grow nearly everywhere, on steep and stony slopes, in hot and sandy hills and last but not least in the most mountainous areas. Olive trees need very little water or fertilizer and they survive harsh conditions much better than any other fruit or vegetable. This is why many farmers still produce in an ecological way. Olive trees contribute to the preservation of the ground itself, protect from erosion on steep slopes and keep the earth fertile. Nearly 90% of all olive trees in Greece are planted to be used for the production of olive oil. The olive tree gives it is first harvest after seven years but it can have harvests for hundreds of years.

Olives

Many families have their own fields of olive trees for their own use. They are keeping the olives themselves and storing them in oil or vinegar. The antioxidative properties of olives are known since ancient times and they are essential for every meal. Especially during fasting seasons, before Easter and Christmas, they are a must on most families meal plans. Most of the olives in Greece are used for their high quality oil. They grow them to have their yearly yield just for their own olive oil consumption. It’s not a secret anymore that everything in the Greek cuisine evolves around olive oil. For frying, cooking, in salads or even baking olive oil is the Greek Nations highly regarded golden green cultural jewel.

Harvest of olives

Olive oil production starts with the harvest of olives. Not much has actually changes since ancient times in the methods of harvesting. It is very hard hand made work. The olives are harvested from November till February, depending of the types. Only every second year the trees bring a big harvest. The branches of each tree are cut down and thinned out. Nets are laid under the trees and the workers hit with long sticks the olives from the rest of the branches into the nets. In these modern times workers also use small saws which are petrol fueled to cut the branches and sorting machines help harvesting the tiniest of all types: The Coronaeke. This type of olives are teeny tiny, but despite their size it produces huge quantities in high quality oil. Each olive tree can bear from 50 to 70 kilograms of olives, which could bring between 5 and 10 liter of olive oil.

The way that the olive oil is produced, has also remained the same since ancient times. This has helped to preserve the character and nature of the Greek landscape untouched and therefore kept the ecological production going. Main reason why the Mediterranean countryside has been protected from major catastrophes.

Cold pressed for extra high quality

Cold pressed oil was used in archaic times for therapy of all kinds of skin diseases and even for.

Personal NOTE

Olive oil is for me one of the treasures of Greece. The liquid gold for my daily use in meals and a true enrichment for the health of my body, internally as well as externally.
For my products, I only use ecologically produced olive oil, which has been cold pressed and certified. I am collecting the olives myself – this is a time of meditation for me and deep silence.