That is the big question facing us this year.
2010 was a great first harvest year for us. It was the year some of our trees were 5 years old, which is the maturity level needed to pick, and it was the year of heavy bearing for most growers.
Olives are alternate bearing, so every other year it is a light crop, or heavy crop. Weather also has its role. A freeze when blossoms are forming, can mean loss of olives. That happened this year, and affected many farmers.
As we are approaching harvest (we picked last year in December and January), we have to have a wait and see approach, as to whether it will be olive oil, or home cured olives!
Here is a picture of our very first olive crop, in 2009. Since we didn't have enough to mill just our olives, we needed to add them to others who had the same problem. But, we were so excited to pick our beautiful olives, and go through the process involved with milling.
In 2010 we had a real crop!!!! Both of us picked from early morning, rain and all, to late in the day....what excitement! Here is a picture of those olives, the very ones that earned us two SILVER MEDALS in Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
While we wait, we have been busy planting many more trees. It has been a busy productive year, and we look forward to sharing some of those days with you, with pictures and stories.