Issue 6: Harvesting Olives ..on the island of Crete

Perhaps there is no surprise that this island, with its Minoan ancestors from the third millennium BC, was a site for high culture, art, political strength, and what we know must be a very old olive agriculture. In each residence in the archeological site of Lathos, one saw stone grinding devices for the production of olive oil, grapes, and perhaps other processes. Olives would be arranged between two stones, the bottom being stationary and the top having a hole into which a dowel could be placed. The bottom stationary stone would have a cutout lip to pour off the liquid, be it oil or wine. It was interesting to us that we were sold olive oil two weeks later in Şirince, Turkey that was produced by the same hand grinding methods. Much better than modern processing, we were told. And it was delicious!
We saw ancient trees and ultramodern processing on our trip.
To find out more, open the Crete Newsletter.

Issue 5: Harvesting Olives in Belianes, Catalonia

It didn’t matter if we were speaking with Josep Ramon, mayor of the tiny Catalonian village of Belianes, or Dr. Xavi Rius, agricultural engineer at Agromillora Iberia, the world’s largest supplier of olive and fruit trees - a spirit of innovation deeply rooted in tradition characterizes olive production in this region of Spain. Perhaps because of this entrepreneurial spirit, small growers with hundreds to thousands of trees are willing to try new cultivars and new methods of planting, pest control, ground management, and pruning. Collaboration and respect characterized their relations with each other and with the agricultural engineers focused on the production of saplings for facilities far away on the scale of millions of trees. We saw here a competence and confidence that is a product of centuries of independent self-reliance and a respect for the traditions of the past while not being root bound by them.
To read more, open the Catalonia Newsletter.

Issue 4: Fall 2014 - A non-harvest in Tuscany, Italy

What happens when all efforts fail?

I didn’t matter if you were Guido Tinnaci, a farmer in San Gimignano with his small family grove of 500 trees or the giant estate of the Principe Cortini in Chianti with 73 hectares of olive trees and their own press.....the story was the same. Weather and pests had conspired to almost totally shut down production of olive oil from this region in Italy this year. Many olives were still on the trees. Some presses opened for two weeks, others not at all. With the hundreds of hours and large sums of money wasted, we could have expected our visit to be met by anger, frustration or bitterness. Instead, the people we spoke with had a longer view of the process, and were much more resigned to the fact that this year, they in fact would not be producing the oil. Guido admitted that he had not produced enough for even his family to enjoy. The office guide at Villa Cortini said that oil would have to be imported.
“It’s been a disastrous year, but at least we won’t starve...” 
To read more, open the Tuscany Newsletter.

Issue 3: Olive Origins Lesvos, Greece and Ayvalik, Turkey

A 9:00 AM ferry leaves Mytilini, Lesvos every morning for the 90 minute crossing to Ayvalık, Turkey. Customs houses, duty free shops and passport controls line the wharves on each harbor. On Lesvos, tiny stone chapels can be found every 5 km along the twisty roadside, each interior illuminated by a simple oil lamp. Spanikopita, kayseri pastries are served up with thick rich Greek coffee for breakfast. In Ayvalık, the call to prayer is heard five times a day. A simit with honey, figs, string cheese, and a cup of çay starts you off on your day. In both regions, olives and olive oil will be included in every meal. In both the talk is all olives in late Fall. We were lucky to visit both.
In 1923, the Treaty of Lausanne authorized a mandatory population exchange. 1.5 million citizens of Turkey – Greek Orthodox farmers and fisherman were relocated to Greece and 356,000 Turkish citizens of Greece – mostly Muslim tobacco framers were sent to Turkey. Today, the lands share a profound devotion to these trees and a passion of olives and olive oil. Our trip allowed us to sample both.
To read more, open the Lesvos and Ayvalik Newsletter.

Issue 2: Off the Grid.... Şirince, Turkey

Nesin Math Village was the vision of entrepreneurs who envisioned a place for students or all ages and inclinations to spend time with no distractions in a beautiful environment in close colloquy and ponder large questions.  The 2014 Zeytin Program was held here, and included several key activities related to olive harvest.
For one, workshop participants spent a morning harvesting olives learning from agricultural engineer Cahit Tunç, who recently retired as the Chief of Research and Development at TARİŞ Cooperative, largest in the country. He is now consulting with farmers and cooperatives.
For another, we interviewed a number of local residents about their experience with olive oil, which often turned towards harvest, as most owned a grove or had a relationship with someone who did.
We also visited the Şirince Cooperative Press.
To read more, check out the newsletter.

Issue 1: Harvesting Ideas and Olives in Yeni Foça Turkey

It is fitting that Rich Blatchly of Keene State College in Keene, N.H. and Patricia O’Hara of Amherst College in Amherst, MA, begin their 2014 sabbatical in Yeni Foça, where their interest in olives began more than 4 years ago.  In the summer of 2010, both professors were invited to consult with a group of scholars brought together by Zeynep Delen, Part Time Faculty in Chemistry at Boğaziçi University and Director of Ege’de Atölye.  Our task in 2010 was to create a workshop centered on the olive, Zeytin, that utilized the type open inquiry and interdisciplinary learning that is at the heart of liberal arts education.
The first Zeytin workshop came into existence in 2011 and Pat and Rich came back to Turkey to teach in the program in both 2011 and 2012.  They brought their own special knowledge of the chemistry of olives.  Today, after almost a half dozen more workshops later, Zeytin program is well established and Pat and Rich are in Turkey for five months to enjoy the fall harvest

To read more, here's the Yenifoça Newsletter.