My olive challenge.

[Lisasbolt]

When we first looked for a house 3 years ago in Spain, we thought we would be looking for ages and take a few trips over here, but as it happened we drove in the estate agents car up a long driveway with a totally over grown garden/land to our left, then went up little with more overgrown garden/land. The land had/has 40 olive trees in it and it seemed like a dream. I fell in love there and then and when the OH looked at me he knew that would be our new home. It was the first one we saw and all the others did not compare.

Well we are in the countryside and everything went corrupt several years back and people built everywhere to make money. So the town hall said for any houses to be built or existing to be made legal they must have a minimum on 4,000sqm´s of land (along with other things) anyways some farmers no longer cared about the tree´s that had been here for hundreds of years and sold them off to the corrupt builders. This resulted in fields which are totally derelict and dead olive trees all over.

My house was one of those built about 15 years ago and to be legal has got about 4,000sqm´s of olive grove (and mountain) they had not been watered for years, half dead and looking very sorry for themselves. I can stand seeing plants die (or anything)

We did not want to see them die, one of them has been here for 700 years. So although it was hard but we hacked and chopped them, spent a small fortune putting in the special agriculture water cannel in. Anyway finally this year we have got a crop of olives, nothing massive but it is a start. It is now time to pick for curing, so i am going picking today. Then December time to pick for oil.

I love driving up the long driveway seeing the progress on my tree´s and it was all worth it for the view if nothing else.

I will do a massive pot with garlic and another with homegrown chilli´s and maybe a few small jars with herbs.

I am going to post some pic´s as we go along, i wonder how long it will take to sit on the terrace and have a few olives and a beer.

[Lisasbolt]

This was the first ever plough

[craftymarie]

A sad back story regarding the olive trees. But how great that you worked hard and now have a crop to enjoy. Love them stuffed with pimento or cheese. Look forward to seeing photos.

[Lisasbolt]

Also 10 kilos. Now time to crush them

[BUFFS]

it is a great feeling when you get a derelict wasteland turned into a productive garden, be it flowers/veg or, for you, the olives, well done you, it might then have the neighbours keeping up with you, what is the Spanish for "keeping up with the joneses" or juans? .... enjoy your success and your olives...

[KevinM67]

This thread has brought back some great memories for me.

When I first left Scotland back in 1991, I headed to Greece. After a somewhat 'hedonistic' summer - I ended up in the Peloponnese region during the winter, picking mainly oranges (which was really tough work), however we did have the odd day where we picked olives instead, which was a breeze compared to the oranges.

Anyway, that year totally changed my eating habits - olives, butter bean soup, stuff vined leaves, 'real tasty' tomatoes, taramasalata, hummus, etc. - not to mention the fantastic variety of fresh fish, octopus, sea urchins, etc.

Fair play to you and I hope all goes well - I'm extremely jealous !!!

[WilliamD]

Fantastic work Lisa. To have brought that land and the trees back from the brink is great. And all the olives you can eat is a fab bonus! :-)

[Lisasbolt]

Well lets hope they are edible.
I did get a bit heavy handed with the hammer by the end, so a few very squashed ones at the tope whoops

[muddled]

I did get a bit heavy handed with the hammer by the end, so a few very squashed ones at the tope whoops

Still a whole lot better than acres of shrivelled up dead ones!

Have you any idea what the area would have been like 700 years ago?
I think I'd have to start a little winter research project over the winter....try to figure out who planted that tree and what their life would have been like.
12/13C for Spain was such a tumultuos time, crusades under the papal banner, the all powerful Rome had fallen out with Alfonso, plagues and royal dynasties, the establishment of great universities...

[Tripmeup]

Well done you!!

And yes, I am also a bit jealous.
Olives...mmmm...

[BUFFS]

Well done you!!

And yes, I am also a bit jealous.
Olives...mmmm...

and me....

[Ryleh]

Olives stuffed with Jalapeno's are probbably my favourite, also like them stuffed with tomato salsa.

How big are the trees by the way?

[Lisasbolt]

Olives stuffed with Jalapeno's are probbably my favourite, also like them stuffed with tomato salsa.

How big are the trees by the way?

They vary in size, but some 10-15 foot tall. Others are babies where we had to pretty much chop everything off and start with a couple of shoots. But coming along nicely now.

[Lisasbolt]

Right after getting some funny looks at garages by changing the water. (the olives came on holiday with us ) We are ready to make the brine, so going to have a good wash (the olives) and get on with it.
One batch of chilli and another with garlic and herbs. I will upload some photos

[Lisasbolt]

Nearly done, just waiting for the brine to cool