The best olive oil

[Green Squall]

California Olive Ranch is good since you can find it at most super markets. If I want to spend a little extra I'll go to a local place that sells small batch olive oils and vinegars. One time I asked for the most robust olive oil they had...woooOOO. That stuff was way too bitter for me!!

 

[Muad' Dib]

Here some beautiful ancient trees.

These 2 olive trees are very old, they are around 700-800 years old. The second one have 3 opened arms and needs some support for the branches. This technic (opening arms) were commonly used to get a better yield but when the tree is too much old the size and weight of the branches are a problem.





These 2, according to the experts, are about 1100-1200 years old.





When I took the pics I didn't have any universal standard except a cigarette in order that it could be taken as a reference of size. Can you see it?



Good vibes.

 

[dirkdangle1]

The greener the better= fresher press and least amount of preserves

 

[Jahnice]

@muad dib, do they do a tree ring sample to get the age?
Looks like a beautiful place you have there.
Lucky man

 

[LowFalutin]

great posts and pics.
btw, i like adding a dash to my coffee.
sort of a creamer substitute.

 

[Muad' Dib]

@muad dib, do they do a tree ring sample to get the age?
Looks like a beautiful place you have there.
Lucky man

Hi there Jahnice. There is some methods to date olive trees. The most realiable datation is that the radiocarbon date but it might cause damages on the tree.

The most commonly used is that to take a sample with a special tool, as you say, in order to analyze the rings but it's not easy because the trunk is usually compacted and twisted.

Other way is that to estimate the age through a mathematical formula (Age = 2.11 × diameter(cm) + 88.93, R2 = 0.80) But I think that way it's the less precise because it don't keep in mind the variety neither the growing conditions of the area (soil, altitude, climatology, historical water deficit periods, the place respect the sun, etc.) so... This is not the best way imo.

There is some companies that have their own experts, usually agrarian engineers, whom make valuations if you want to sell/buy a parcel with millenary olive trees because there is a value totally different than the current price of the land.

Just where I'm living it's a bit special because it's a protected area and the olive trees as well. There are many analysis about our variety and the oil parameters.

Vibes.

 

[Jahnice]

do you bring your olives to a local community press?

 

[Bush Dr]

Taking core samples from old trees is what killed the oldest tree in the USA, the bristle cone pine, survived 3,600 yrs before someone decided to drill a hole in it

The guy who took the core went back as soon as he found out how old the tree was only to find it dying.......karma?

 

[Jahnice]

oh jeez, what a crying shame. i am sure it was not intentional.
i bet that guy felt like a pile of poop when he came back.

olive wood has such beautiful patterns and swirling grains that i cant imagine how a core sample would be read, which is why i asked muad dib how they did it at his place.

people go into forestry courses because the love trees.
then they teach them how to cut them down.


@bush dr. -great image for your avitar
Trojan Records, Ganja Reggae box set
3 cds/albums-50 ganja reggae songs

 

[Bush Dr]

@bush dr. -great image for your avitar
Trojan Records, Ganja Reggae box set
3 cds-50 ganja reggae songs

I've got them all on vinyl too, my mate used to go over and buy suitcases full, some of the pressing are typically Jamaican, the labels are not central so the "vinyl" is actually paper pressed into vinyl

I've got so much blue beat/ska/dub/reggae that I don't buy much these days, Richie Spice, Fantan Mojah, Tarrus Riley and the whole Bobo Ashanti movement are bringing respect back to their lives

Tarrus runs a free dinner for 150 school kids, out of his own pocket, you can see him cooking the meal on YouTube, "with plenty pepper", country spicing

Jahnice, you should give Tarrus a listen, his Challenges album is a good taster

My Rasta Cook has the keys to the cave used in the Virgin records tribute to Bob, amazing place, the film is called Countryman and there's talk of updating it, Countryman was a real person in Little Bay, where Bobs beach house still stands

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Olive wood is beautiful, but pretty useless for most carpentry as it takes. 40 years to mature, before that it still twists and splits so much it can only be used for very rustic, crude work, so unbelievably it is used for firewood here in Spain.

My friend bought a stunning finca, 40 hectares up in the hills, 5km of dirt track. When the sale was completed the previous owner asked if he could "take some firewood" so my buddy said yes. They came and chopped down all the big old Olives and took the wood away before he arrived. This was a guy really into trees and nature and it was a large part of why he left a few years later.

 

[Jahnice]

my heart is breaking just hearing that.


we have a full set of olive wood cooking utensils as well a a few small wood bowls.
it took me an hour picking them out because every piece was so unique.
the set was an xmas gift for my dude a few years back and we use it every day.

 

[Muad' Dib]

do you bring your olives to a local community press?

Yes!... And there is 2 options, get inmediatly the oil in relation with the whole fruit weight (not exactly your own but community oil) or just wait some days to process your own. In both cases you must to pay around 70€ for 120 liters. So you can sell also your fruits without getting any oil, just money.

Olive wood is beautiful, but pretty useless for most carpentry as it takes. 40 years to mature, before that it still twists and splits so much it can only be used for very rustic, crude work, so unbelievably it is used for firewood here in Spain.

My friend bought a stunning finca, 40 hectares up in the hills, 5km of dirt track. When the sale was completed the previous owner asked if he could "take some firewood" so my buddy said yes. They came and chopped down all the big old Olives and took the wood away before he arrived. This was a guy really into trees and nature and it was a large part of why he left a few years later.

Hey there mate, we use as firewood olive trees and many other unusually trees but just the pruned branches... Carobs, almonds, orange trees, etc.

Whatever, you are right if you are saying that there is not an ethical behaviour in so many cases. I'd say more, rural areas are always exposed to looting and speculation... And don't forget the corruption and despotism in the little councils.

Sorry for your friend, thats a very sad story.

Vibes.