
The olive harvest in Salento
The olive harvest at Schirinzi Agricultural Company
ugThe Mediterranean climate, the soil, and the characteristics of our approximately 60 hectares of olive groves, located just a few kilometers from the Salento coast, combined with the generational experience in the operations of olive harvesting and pressing in the mill, allow us to produce a prized extra virgin olive oil from Puglia, with unique, unaltered, and absolutely unmistakable sensations.
The olive trees, over 6,000 between young and ancient, are mainly of the Ogliarola Leccese and Cellina di Nardò varieties, and the olives are hand-picked from the tree with the help of aids just before the fruit’s ripening process is complete.
Olive Harvest
In Salento, the olive harvesting season begins early in the maturation phase of the fruit, specifically when part of the skin has taken on a wine-red or nearly black color, which corresponds to the so-called fruit ripening phase.
The timing and methods of the olive gathering operation are crucial, as they directly affect the quality of the finished product.
The olive harvesting process starts with placing cloths or nets made of fiber under the tree, followed by the detachment of the fruit directly from the tree, guiding all produce onto the cloths to avoid contact with the ground and moisture, which initiate a process of acidity even in the field. All of this ensures the quality of the oil that will be produced.
The detachment of the fruit from the tree is done manually using comb-like tools; however, a common practice in the industry and also used in the company is the employment of vibrating shakers. Owned by the company, these shakers, mounted on and operated by tractors, apply a vibrating force to the primary branches of the tree, causing the olives to fall instantly onto the cloths already laid on the ground. With this system, the olive harvest can be performed in a maximum of only two interventions, depending on the ripeness of the olives, thus reducing the gathering cost by 70%.
Operations After Olive Harvest
After the olive harvest, the fruit is transported for processing to its production oil mill, which is in full operation from October to November. The mill is located about 10 km from the olive-growing fields, and once the olives are gathered, they are pressed on the same day using state-of-the-art continuous cycle systems at controlled temperature, thus obtaining cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil with authentic and unaltered sensory characteristics.
The product obtained from the pressing of the olives can be defined as unfiltered oil and undergoes only a slow process of natural decantation; any cloudiness further attests to the genuineness of the product, preserving flavors and sensations typical of the fruit that are absolutely unmistakable. For this reason, the product can be likened to a true fruit juice from olives.