The olive harves

The olive harvest takes place beginning in November through January. The olives are traditionally picked by hand using comb-shaped tools. During picking, the olives drop down onto mats spread beneath the trees to avoid the olives coming in contact with the ground, which could have a negative influence on the oil. The olives are pressed immediately following picking.
Oil extraction from the olives may be achieved by the traditional method in olive presses which still use the ancient millstones to crush the olives, or by more modern techniques involving the use of a "frangitore" which crushes and grinds the olives and allows for a fast processing of high volumes of olives. In both cases, extraction of oil labelled "extra virgin olive oil" must be achieved without heat (the temperature remains below 28° C), and this is indicated on the label as "spremitura a freddo" (cold pressed).