In the fields just outside the city of Ierapetra in SE Crete, the trees are full of baby Koroneiki olives. My family have been there each day since Sunday, gently raking the trees to gather the olives. This is my dad’s favourite time of the year and I’m sad I can’t be there to help them with the harvest.
The olives are gathered into sacks and taken to the press each day to be cold-pressed into delicious fresh, grassy extra virgin olive oil. From here, the oil will be filtered and bottled, boxed and palleted. Then the journey to the UK begins, transported by road, overland across Europe. Before not too long, to the shelves of our beloved retailers.
A family affair
The harvest team: my cousins Yiannis and Adonis with my Dad. Photo taken by my camera shy brother Nikos!
The three of them are standing next to a giant metal sieve, with hessian sacks attached to the sides. The gathered olives are fed into the sieve to separate the olives from twigs & leaves and fall into the sacks.
From here, the olives are transported to the press to be cold-pressed the same day.