Olive harvest. How and when to do it - Sbenny's Blog

There olive harvest it is a demanding agricultural practice but also full of satisfactions. In fact, picking a drupe may seem simple, but things are not exactly like this. This important operation, in fact, in addition to physical fatigue also requires various technical knowledge. Furthermore, it must be done on time, with the right methods and ways. The method in which you they collect olives in fact, it determines the final quality of the oil, so this practice must be carried out with the utmost care.

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In this article we suggest the best period for harvesting the drupes, considering several factors to be carefully evaluated. Let’s also see how to do this, what risks the tree runs and how to make oil.

When to harvest olives

In olive tree cultivation the best time to start harvesting it depends on multiple factors.
In fact, let’s consider that the season for picking this fruit goes from the beginning of autumn (about mid-September) to the beginning of winter, roughly mid-December. It is therefore not possible to establish an unambiguous timing.
The first factor to consider is the variety of our olives and the purpose of production.
The main subdivision is that between table olives And olive oil.

The harvest of table olives

The table olives are harvested when they have reached their maximum size and maximum ripeness. This is true both in terms of color and texture of the pulp.
Being table olives they must be soft and tasty, so not too hard. To be commercially appreciable, they must not have external defects. For this reason they should be harvested with not very aggressive methods, by hand, or with equipment that does not damage the skin.
Even if they are harvested at maximum ripeness, they are usually harvested earlier than those for oil, being mostly early varieties.
The exact time of harvest must also be assessed on the basis of seasonal climatic trends. A very dry summer season delays the period. Rainy summers, on the other hand, allow the olives to be picked early.
It is therefore necessary to evaluate these aspects in the field.

Table olives grown in Italy

These are the main ones variety of table olives grown in Italy are:

• Bella di Cerignola
• Ascolana tender
• Nocellara del Belice
• St. Augustine
• Taggiasca
• Carolea (also considered an excellent olive oil and used in Calabria to make crushed olives in oil).

The harvest of olives for oil

The time of the olive oil harvest it is more complex to evaluate.
The right moment must be chosen taking into account the evolution of the quantity and quality of the oil present in the fruit during the ripening period.
In general, if you proceed early you will get a bright green oil. This has herbaceous hints and relatively higher levels of bitterness and spiciness, determined by the high presence of phenols.
A late harvest, on the other hand, results in the production of a less intense green, almost yellow oil. The typical hints of fruity, bitter and spicy are consequently less intense.
Finally, if we take the fruits in an intermediate moment, we will have average qualitative characteristics of the oil.

Olive oil grown in Italy

Here is a list of the main varieties of olive oil grown in our country. Alongside the evaluation, according to an average, of the collection time:

• Cellina di Nardò ‘, precocious
• Cima di Mola, early
• Cypress, medium
• Coratina, precocious
• Ogliarola from Bari, average
• Nociara, precocious
• Ogliarola garganica, average
• Salento Ogliarola, early
• Peranzana, early
• Rotondella, medium-early
• Cima di Melfi, early
• Crusher, average
• Leccino, early
• Moraiolo, precocious
• Pendolino, precocious
• Carolea, belated
• Maiatica, precocious
• Picholine, average

How to understand the degree of ripeness of olives

An immediate benchmark for understand the degree of ripeness of the olives is that of the degree of veraison. Basically we must observe the change in color of the peel.
In general, the oil has a high sensory level if the pigmentation of the olives affects only the surface. On the other hand, when it also affects the pulp, there is a sensory flattening.
This aspect, however, is closely linked to the yield in terms of oil. The quantity obtained in the mill increases with the progress of the degree of ripeness.

The times of olive harvest. In summary

Let’s recap the period for the olive harvest:

• Early: determines lower yield and higher quality.
• Medium-late: determines more yield, but a decline in the organoleptic qualities of the oil.

In our opinion, picking the fruit at an intermediate time meets both needs.

The olive production disciplinary

Important aspect to consider for pick the olives is where our olive groves fall back into PDO or PGI areas.
Obviously, this step is only important if the olive grower wants to obtain the relative certification. In this case, the production regulations must be respected. These give clear indications on the period in which the olive must be detached from the tree and on the analytical and sensory characteristics that the certified oil must guarantee.

The risks due to the olive fly

Another factor not to be underestimated in the choice of best time for olive harvest is linked to the presence of the oil fly. If there is a risk of late attacks, it is better to pluck the drupes from the olive tree as soon as possible.

The risks due to the cold

In colder environments, i.e. where early frosts frequently occur, harvesting must be anticipated as much as possible. The frost damages the olives and therefore the final quality of the oil. The sensory defect found in these cases is called damp wood.

The seasonal trend of olives

There are therefore many factors to take into consideration for a profitable one olive harvest. Last but not least, the seasonal climatic trend must be taken into account. This greatly influences both the ripening times and the presence of the olive fly.
Furthermore, as is well known, the olive tree has years of “charge” and “discharge”, especially if no balanced tree pruning.
In years of “charge” the ripening is slower, while in those of “discharge” it is faster and can be harvested in advance.

How to harvest olives

Even the olive harvesting techniques affect the final quality of the oil.
There are some principles, in fact, that must always be kept in mind. First of all, the more ripe the olives, the lower their resistance to detachment, therefore the easier it is to harvest them. On the other hand, the more mature they are, the more they soften and become susceptible to the damage that can be caused by detaching them from the tree.
Bruises and wounds on the fruit favor the onset of alteration processes of the oil contained within it. There are in fact risks of acidification and oxidation of its composition.
Another consideration is that, if the drupes on which there are dents and wounds are not immediately taken to the mill after harvesting, the development of microorganisms such as molds can be favored.
While harvesting the drupes, we advise you to keep some of them as well olive leaveswith which make an herbal tea purifying.

Methods and tools for olive harvesting

Here is a summary of what the ways to harvest olives:

• By hand (picking, combing, picking)
• With facilitating machines (beating, shaking)
• With large equipment (with vibrators at the trunk or at the branches, with the tractor)

In general, the choice of the righteous gear it is not always obvious and often depends on the way we have set up our olive grove. What to prefer between harvesters, vibrators, shakers or maybe a simple hand picking can therefore vary from case to case.
The adequate equipment they depend primarily on the collection method chosen. Consequently, the conditions of the trees and their economic resources are assessed.
Obviously, the tools do not all have the same price and the same quality, so you have to evaluate the alternatives carefully.
In any case, beyond the manual or mechanical choice, the essential tool is certainly represented by networks.
These are the basic equipment that every good olive grower must have.

The nets to collect the olives

The nets for the olive harvest are placed under the trees to avoid contact of the fruit with the earth. Moreover, indeed, above all, they facilitate the subsequent taking and placing in the boxes (or bins).
There are networks of different qualities, sizes and purposes of use.
For large flat olive groves, more than a single net, a set of nets are used, spread out like a carpet, with the aim of moving them as little as possible.
For the collection of single trees and in inaccessible places, the “split” nets in the center are very interesting. These allow you to “embrace” the trunk of the tree and cover the entire surface projected by the crown.
This net is very easy to move from tree to tree and is perfect for not too large olive groves.

Attention to the quality of the nets, in terms of thickness and width of the meshes. A network that is too fine and large-meshed will certainly suffer from punctures. If the net is punctured, you have to stop to fix it or even run the risk that the freshly picked olives will be lost under the net.
So, when buying, it is better to spend a few more bucks, but work calmly. Also because these nets, if well preserved, last for many years. If you don’t already have them available, you can find them here.

Collect olives without tools

There hand-pickedtherefore without tools, it is certainly the oldest and most intuitive method.
It must be evaluated if there are few trees in the family orchard and especially if they are small in size. Ladders can be used to collect by hand and reach the highest points of the tree, but be very careful. Falling from olive trees is one of the most frequent accidents that occur in the countryside.

Burning

There hand picking of olives “Pure”, without tools to collect them, takes its name stripping. Harvesting by hand means being sure not to spoil the olives and having a perfectly intact product. This technique does not need nets.

Combing

Small variant of the browsing is the combingwhich is still hand-picked.
In this case, however, we make use of small tools for picking olivestypically gods rakes.
Collecting olives with this equipment suggests that we put a net under the tree to intercept the olives. Here you find a rake suitable for this operation.

Harvesting

Among the methods of hand harvesting of olives there is also the recollectionThis technique is nothing more than the operation of harvesting the olives when they are already on the ground. This happens when the olives are at the peak of ripeness and inevitably go towards the natural drop.
This is the method that we absolutely advise against, both for the times and for the method itself. In fact, the result that is certainly achieved is that of a low and very low quality of your oil.

The tools for harvesting olives (hobby, semi-professional and professional)

Harvesting by hand is obviously impractical for medium or large olive groves and for those who carry out professional olive growing activities.
There are several methods that use facilitating equipment for fruit detachment. Let’s see what they are.

Harvesting

One of the most common methods for harvesting olives using tools is that ofbeating (or beating).
This system is practiced in an artisanal way using the famous rods. These are, in fact, long canes (preferably bamboo) with which to beat the crown of the tree to make the olives fall.
This system is obviously out of use, as it is very costly in terms of effort, over time. Furthermore, it is stressful for the plant which is easily damaged. It is a system that should only be considered for a few family plants.

The modern harvesting technique

There modern abbacchiatura technique uses specific tools for the olive harvest.
These are nothing more than long telescopic rods at the head of which there are vibrating and / or oscillating “combs”. There are many on the market, for all budgets and uses (professional and hobby).
The rods can be powered by electricity, using car batteries, or through pneumatic energy powered by special motor-driven compressors.
They are the most used tools for harvesting olives, as they are cheap, simple to use and within everyone’s reach.
Here you find olive harvesters for hobby and semi-professional use.
Harvesting with olive harvesters certainly speeds up the work. It is perfect when we face it carefully pruned olive trees and order. But it is more difficult with irregular plants.
However, this technique requires a good hand of the operator. The combs of the temples are very “aggressive” on the hair, they make many fall leavesso if there is not a certain practicality there is a risk of doing damage to both the plant and the fruit.
The greatest risk is that of damaging the vegetation and making it susceptible to attacks of fungal diseases. Among these we point out the olive tree mange and thepeacock eye.
If during the harvesting operations the vegetation is too damaged, a preventive treatment with copper salts is advisable.

Shaking

A variant of the abbacchiatura with the rods is the shaking. This is done with the use of a specific tool, called precisely shaker.
The shaker is composed of a rod that ends with a hook that is inserted on the branch of the olive tree. At this point, the tool is activated and begins to shake the branch, causing the olives to fall.
The shakers are usually powered by internal combustion engines, which are carried with a sort of backpack.
These tools for harvesting olives are functional and efficient. Unfortunately, they are also much more expensive and heavier than harvesters.
However, they have a clear advantage in technical terms and for the well-being of the tree.
In fact, if used well, there is no risk of damaging the vegetation and harvesting operations are much faster.
Here you will find one semi-professional.

Trunk vibrators

In professional olive growing, especially in very large olive groves, the methods of olive harvest through the use of vibrators.
These are vibrating tools applied to the trunk or branches (the choice is based on the size of the plants).
In the case of application to the trunk, they can also be equipped with an interceptor frame (a sort of umbrella). This also makes it possible to mechanize the operations subsequent to the detachment of the fruit.
These are autonomous equipment, i.e. not connected to the tractor and limited in size. They are able to move easily from one plant to another, naturally in the case of flat olive groves.
These tools for harvesting olives do not damage the plant, if the vibrations are not too strong and prolonged.

The great advantage of using this vibrator is that it allows you to concentrate the olive harvest in well-programmed times. This allows to deliver large quantities of olives to the mill and therefore to have an oil of homogeneous quality.
The disadvantages, on the other hand, are of an application and economic type. In fact, they cannot be easily used in sloping olive groves. They are also quite expensive equipment. Generally they are dedicated only to farms that produce oil in large quantities and, therefore, have the possibility of amortizing the purchase cost in a short time.

Tractor

Finally, among the tools for harvesting olives, there may be the mechanical hammers (oscillating reels, panels with vibrating rods, vibrators with intercepting umbrellas) applied to the tractor. The difference with the harvesters seen previously is that they are operated with the driving force of the tractor.

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Recommendations in the use of tools to harvest olives

The recommendation that we feel we can make to better face the long olive harvest season is that of operate safely.
So wear personal protective equipment, i.e .: excellent work shoes, gloves, goggles, reinforced trousers, helmets, etc.
It is important to protect yourself at work, even when you have a lot of experience and are confident in yourself.
The tiredness of a hard day’s work leads to loss of clarity and a moment of distraction is always around the corner.

When to bring the olives to the mill

Let us introduce the various harvesting methods:

OLIVE HARVEST BY HAND

With this method, the olives are literally picked from the tree by hand or streaked from the branches of the olive trees and collected in a kind of „shoulder bag“. Sometimes smaller tools such as e.g. small rakes are used. This is surely the most gentle method for the trees and the olives, since neither of them suffer any injuries. Mostly only quality producers use this method or when the olives are being collected for food purposes rather than oil.

Olive oil: the gold of Crete.

HARVESTING OF OLIVES WITH PNEUMATIC COMBS OR „VIBROLI“

In recent years, quality producers started using mechanical devices such as pneumatic combs or the so-called „vibroli“ (a kind of stick with about 20 centimeter combs on it). They support the manual harvester and do not damage the olive tree or the olives. This method is very helpful and accelerates the harvesting process – but, of course, is still hard work.

OLIVE HARVESTING WITH SHAKERS

For some years now, so-called “vibrators”, which are mounted on tractors, have been used to harvest the olives. The olives are “shaken” from the tree with a shaker that grips the trunk with a pair of pliers. The olives falling from the trees get caught in nets or tarpaulins stretched underneath. The disadvantage of this harvesting method is that it cannot be used in slope terrains. In addition, some some sorts of olives cannot be shaken from the tree by this method. The advantage of this method is that the olives remain undamaged. The disadvantage is, that if olives are first shaken from the tree and then some time later picked up, they start to rot on the ground relatively quickly or absorb substances that negatively affect the taste.

Harvesting olives: A lot of manual work.

“HARVEST” FROM THE GROUND

The least suitable method for obtaining high-quality olive oil is to leave the olives hanging on the tree until they fall – overripe – into the nets stretched on the ground underneath the trees, from where they are manually picked up. The overripe olives have long passed their ideal harvest time. Studies show that a mixture of only 5% of olives picked from the ground with fresh olives from the tree has an adverse effect on the quality of the oil that the “extra virgin” quality class can often no longer be achieved.

HARVESTING OLIVES BY „DEPOSIT“

A traditional way of harvesting is to knock down the olives with long bamboo or cypress wood sticks. However, this way olives can only be harvested when the olives are already very ripe and therefore fall off easily.

Once beaten down from the tree, the olives get separated from branches and leaves are put into a kind of sieve, filled into sacks or boxes and taken to the next olive press. Mainly the olive tree, but also the olives can be injured with this method negatively impacting the oil quality. Since this method is carried out manually, the harvest yield per person is relatively low. Additionally, it is quite tedious and results in great physical stress.

Of course, the time of the olive harvest is very important.

Since the ripeness of the olives significantly influences the intensity of the taste as well as the yield, the time for harvesting is one of the most important factors in producing high quality olive oil. Olive oil tastes all the more intense and hotter the sooner – i.e. greener – the olives are harvested. The content of valuable, health-promoting substances tends to be higher in early harvested olive oils.

Harvesting olives and everyone helps.

The later, i.e. the blacker, the olives are harvested, the milder the olive oil obtained. In order to determine the ideal time, some quality producers use chemical analyzes which provide information about the sugar content in the olives and the enzymatic activity, which if possible should be low.

The quantity or yield of late harvesting is usually higher, since these olives have a higher oil content. The content of valuable ingredients – such as antioxidants – is relatively low.

The ripeness of the olives – green, reddish purple and black – depends on the sort of olives, temperatures, hours of sunshine and irrigation.

1.) Green (immature): Green olives are still immature. Extracting olive oil from green fruits takes more efforts and means less yield. This automatically makes the “green” oil more expensive. Olive oil obtained from green olives also tastes „green“, i.e. rather bitter (one of the three positive characteristics of an oil) and a little bit like grass with the unripe fruit note resulting in special freshness. These oils contain a high proportion of polyphenols (antioxidant ingredients) responsible for the bitter taste which guarantee a long shelf life of the olive oil, since they work as natural preservatives. The chlorophyll content is also higher in green fruits, so that the oils have a more pronounced green color.

2.) Ripening: At the beginning of the ripening phase, olives first turn yellow-green, then reddish-purple and the fruits become softer. The olives still have a high polyphenol content, but slowly develop more mature flavors in addition to the bitterness, as well as a certain hotness (also one of the three positive features). The yield of olive oil from these fruits is much higher and processing is easier.

3.) Black (ripe): Ripe olives take on a black color, the polyphenol content is significantly lower than that of unripe fruits. Black olive oils are only slightly bitter and less spicy with a rather sweet note. The oil has a rather golden color (depending on the type of olive) and a much lower shelf life.

Transport of the olives.

Regardless of the ripeness – ideally olives are transported to the oil mill on the day of harvesting and processed the day after at the latest. If the time between harvesting and processing is too long, the same happens as does with fruit in the kitchen. Pressure marks turn brown and the fermentation process slowly begins to work. The fresh, crisp aroma is then quickly lost and the quality of the olive oil decreases.

Depending on the sort of olive, about five to ten kilograms of olives are needed for one liter of olive oil. A large old olive tree can easily deliver up to 180 kg of olives. On average, 50-70 kg of olives are harvested from an olive tree, i.e. a single tree produces about five to ten liters of oil per year.

So: 1 tree -> 50-70 kg of olives -> 5-10 liters of oil

And don’t be surprised if one liter of olive oil does not weigh one kilogram: olive oil has a density of about 0.91 g / cm3 under normal conditions (temperature 20 ° C, pressure mbar).

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