Olive Harvest

[Raoul Duke]

We started harvesting our olives this past weekend and sent to press 1,800 pounds of Lucca olives and 1,200 pounds of Arbequina. The Lucca pressed 40 gallons and the Arbequina 28 gallons. Initial tastes out of the press showed the Lucca to be very buttery with a delayed mild pepper finish. As expected the Arbequina came on with strong pepper right up front. Lots of fresh mown grass on the nose of both with the Lucca adding some bananna and Arbequina with a little artichoke aromas. We have approximately the same amount to harvest this weekend to finish harvesting the grove. Don't let anyone tell you farming is easy, I'm sure I woke up dead on several mornings! More as it occurs, questions and comments are welcome. God I love Cali this time of the year!!

Raoul

[Peter the eater]

A vivid and passionate description -- I'm suddenly craving a piece of rustic bread and a bowl of that green-yellow manna.

What happens next?

[Raoul Duke]

So what we have in the barrel is going to sleep for awhile. Fresh pressed has a cloudy appearance, all those antioxidants floating about. In about 4 weeks or as the appearance dictates, we'll start bottling and labeling. We have regular clientel and of course we have a picking group of family and friends who get product for their work and orders to fill.

I just finished a wood fired oven this year so we had neopolitan style pizza's on Saturday with all the family and friends. Friday after picking with those that stayed with at our house we bbq'd rib eye roast, mac n' cheese and broccolli. A couple of bottles of J. Lohr '92 Cab and several others that are lost in the fog, after that. Sunday we had the roasted chicken on sandwiches with basil/mayo spread. Local Rousanne to wash it down. The chickens were roasted after the pizza's were done. Lots of cooking but lots of fun.

This is the 4th year we've done this with family and close friends from out of town staying with us and other local friends coming over to harvest and dinner. This year was the first I had to have farm labor contracted due to the volumne of the crop. I suspect the dinners and indulging will continue into the years but more reliance on farm labor for harvesting will be the order of the day.

The best part is it brings young and old together for some great times. I share wine and my kids share, well I did grow up in the sixties. In fact just today Mitch Mitchell wasa found dead in Portland Oregon. The last of the Experience that I saw at Monterey in 67.

[Chris Amirault]

Raoul, do you have any pictures of the harvesting and pressing? And what is written on the labels, pray?

[Peter the eater]

In fact just today Mitch Mitchell wasa found dead in Portland Oregon.  The last of the Experience that I saw at Monterey in 67.

I heard that sad news on the CBC today.

I was an infant at the time of that Pop Festival, but my crazy west coast uncle eventually introduced me to Hendrix.

And to the 60's version of The Traveling Willburies known as The Dirty Mac -- Mitch Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and John Lennon.

[Raoul Duke]

OK I'm back at my daytime gig after another weekend of harvest. Never thought I'd miss my regular job! Yesterday I took 2,300 pounds of Lucca olive to the mill and it pressed out to 53 gallons. I know now how Hugo Chavez feels when he see's that barrel arriving. I gotta tell you olio nuovo is the best, fresh from the spout with a little bread. I never thought I'd be to this point of production, but here we are. We started this in the middle of a neighborhood of vineyards just to be different. We thought that this would put the land to good use and provide us with a retirement project.

This coming Friday, and possibly Saturday we will finish the harvest with picking the last of the Arbequina. The crew , 6 mexicans, arrive at 6:15 and work until the sun goes down. We cook them lunch everyday they are here, something big wineries don't do, but we think it's a good thing. We are blessed with plenty and have been lucky in life, so we share. Simple proposition.

The label identifies our farm, that it's estate grown, the type of oil, region, and harvest date. It also indicates that it is extra virgin olive oil. California just passed and the Terminator signed a new bill establishing the parameters for olive oil to qualify as extra virgin. Most of the producers have been adhering to these guidelines so it's not a dramatic change. Oleic acid needs to be below 0.05%, international standards are 0.08%, peroxide measured and UV testing if you produced over 50 gallons. I'm pleased to see these standards in place as it protects the public from adulterated oils, and that old crap that's sent by the boatload to the colonies.

I'll have more time after harvest to post some pics. And as usual questions/comments are welcome.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Raoul Duke (log)

[Raoul Duke]

Picked up the last pressing of olives today and the season ended with the following:

Lucca olives - 4,065 pounds harvested and pressed out to 95 gallons.

Arbequina olives - 2,475 pounds harvested pressed 55 gallons.

Tired, but happy it's in the barrels.