Olive Harvest 2020 – some good news!

After an amazing workshop tour in Australia (got back just in time!), the local harvest is upon us and for those that are interested /involved, I thought I would share what is happening here on Awakening.

First the green Nocellara had to be harvested, and these together with a few Manzanillas and Nandis, made up about 230 kgs (first harvest from these trees!).

Two drums were filled – and one drum has a valve at the bottom, so it is easier to process green olives with a bit of lye, in this as I am able to circulate the brine.

In the second drum, all I can do is allow the olives to undergo a natural green fermentation – with no intervention. I placed these olives in an acidified 10% brine.

Now we are harvesting gorgeous Kalamatas

– and they are placed directly into Inn-O-Vats, which hold 1 tonne of fruit. The olives are poured into cushioning water, which not only rinses the olives, but also allows the Inn-O-Vat to be filled completely (loading olives into 8 – 10% brine does not work!). The water is drained off and brine is added – 8% for the first week. The brine is circulated every week and salt added to bring the brine up to 10%.

As the olives absorb the salt, a bit more salt is added – until the brine stabilises at 10%.

The olives are bubbling away merrily, safe ‘n sound.

And while this is all going on, outside the processing room, I have my protection keeping an eye…….