Cart
0
You may also like
We were anxious. From early on, the entire town sensed that it would be a tough year for everyone. By the time the lockdown began in March 2020, the olive trees were in bloom. No one could have predicted just how devastating the impact of the Coronavirus would be. If the harvest was poor, if a fruit-fly infestation hit, or if the weather turned at the wrong moment, the entire year could unravel in more ways than one. The town's worries were well-founded.
Colletorto is an olive town
The growers here in Colletorto, Molise, are mostly small farmers. They depend on their own labour and skill to provide a supply of excellent olive oil for their families. Knowledge and expertise is handed down through the generations and not a great deal has changed regarding olive growing, care and harvesting.
The population is less than 2,000 and many of those who are not olive farmers depend on the olive industry for their own livelihoods. Our family is one of those. We own the olive mill and so depend on good harvests to keep the wheels turning every year.
Olive farming methods here are organic and sustainable, with respect and care for the environment a high priority. Pesticides and chemical fertilisers are not used, which helps make our oil such a high-quality product. Farmers grow for their own consumption and sell their surplus to our family, who bottle and market it under the Timperio brand. These families want only pure, untainted, olive oil.
Olive harvest is such a joyous event in our town
Especially in the great years, when the quality is exceptional, olive harvest season means joy. It’s not just a question of incomes and livelihoods – it’s the sheer pride and pleasure that the farmers and their families feel at producing the very best extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
The harvesting season in our part of the world takes place once a year, in October, November, and sometimes it stretches into early December too. Farmers haul loads of their olive to our mill using mostly their agricultural tractors and trailers. They book a slot and arrive with their families on the appointed day, full of good feelings with smiles all around. It is such a great social event. When the olives are being processed, they sit and chat, drink coffee or a little wine, and laugh a lot. My parents invite them to share coffee and pastries, and to catch up on all the happenings in the town and amongst their neighbours. It’s a big deal in a small town – the highlight of a whole year of planning, hope, worry and sheer hard work at times. That’s why the 2020 harvest was an especially big deal. The good news is that the fruit fly did not materialise. The weather was perfect at the right times, with enough rain when it was needed and plenty of sunshine to ripen the olives.
How COVID disrupted the harvesting season
This year, we found ourselves in a truly unique situation. At the start of the harvest season, in mid-October, COVID-19 cases in Colletorto spiked alarmingly. In a town of fewer than 2,000 people, predominantly elderly, we registered over 80 cases, and sadly, two individuals lost their lives. Fortunately, nearly everyone else has since recovered.
The high incidence of COVID-19 during the production season presented us with significant operational challenges. With nearly every farmer having a family member affected by the virus in our close-knit community, we had to implement extraordinary safety precautions.
We quickly ramped up all preventive measures, including enforcing social distancing, limiting the number of people allowed in the production facility at any one time, and installing several hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the site. We also established checkpoints to ensure that everyone—both our personnel and visitors—was wearing a mask at all times.
What actually happened during the 2020 olive harvest
Culturally, this situation has had profound implications. As mentioned in a previous article about the experience of being an olive farmer, farmers rely on our milling services to obtain the oil they need for their family's yearly consumption.
When it's their turn to bring their harvest to our mill, farmers typically spend the entire day with us. They might join our team and family for lunch, and we treat them to coffee and pastries. As a gesture of longstanding friendship, some farmers bring small gifts from their farms, such as chickens, eggs, cheese, and milk.
Our olive harvests are remembered not only for their quality and yield but also for the connections made, the conversations had, the jokes that brought everyone to laughter, and the food and drink shared together.
This year, however, the "social aspect" of the harvesting season was severely limited due to the necessary restrictions. Many farmers, especially from the older generation, felt the emotional impact of this loss.
The moment when EVOO is produced is a moment of joy. It signifies the culmination of a year’s hard work, and farmers want to fully experience this moment with us and their friends and families. Unfortunately, this year, they could not share in such a celebration
Happy ending – a superb olive harvest with high yield and exceptional quality
On the brighter side, the 2020 harvest has been fantastic, much like in 2019. Colletorto produced a yield that is 15% to 20% higher than in 2019, maintaining consistent high quality, as confirmed by lab tests:
- Acidity: 0.2% (Low is good; EVOO generally must have acidity levels below 0.8%.)
- Peroxide value: 2.7 (Low is good; the average peroxide level in EVOO is 20, with high quality defined as below 12.
Expert EVOO connoisseurs have assessed our oil and found it to be well-balanced, featuring that slight, pleasing stinging sensation. In terms of taste, the 2020 production is similar to the 2019 oil, although the 2020 vintage has a slightly more balanced flavor and leans towards a medium intensity. Last year’s EVOO was more intense, even in terms of that stinging sensation.
People’s great qualities shine through in times of adversity
We want to highlight the tremendous dedication of our farmers, staff, and customers, and extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of them.
First, we want to recognize the farmers who, despite an incredibly challenging context, persevered with the harvesting, ensuring a steady and abundant supply of high-quality olives.
Next, we extend our deepest appreciation to our personnel, management, and everyone involved in operations. Their hard work and commitment, even in the face of significant challenges, have been remarkable. They worked tirelessly, often putting in extended hours, and delivered truly outstanding results.
Finally, we want to thank our entire community of customers—locally, nationally, and internationally—who continued to support us throughout this journey.
Thank you, each and every one of you.
