In the interest of honesty when blogging I have to tell you that our
first lot of olives that Ads preserved are headed for the compost bin. Poop. We have noticed them gradually getting browner and softer despite changing the water religiously. Yuck!
Our neighbour said this happened to her lot last year and she had to compost hers too. It's so disappointing, particularly when we have no idea why they worked last year and not this year.
Not to be deterred, we set off this morning to pick olives for pickling and for our Hilton Harvest / Earth Carers communal press.
We picked 67 kgs in two days. Not bad hu? We think the key is to find small trees that are laden. That way you don't need ladders and its good and quick.
This is Quin's artistic impression of us picking complete with in themed t-shirts: me with a worm shirt and Ads (on a ladder) with a bike shirt. Cute!
My first lot of olive preserves I fed to the chooks but since then got a recipe from an old Italian family and that works fine, also much easier and less water! Will email it to you.
ReplyDeleteHello Wilma, if you would kindly share your recipe it would be appreciated as we hope to have our own first olives to brine next season. Thank you, Merryn@merrynsmenu
DeleteWhat lovely photos. Your olive trees are delightful while the harvested olives are colourful and magnificent. Shame about composting them but we have the occasional misfortune. We preserve them in a 20% salt/water ratio. My South African friend pours boiling salted water over his and the result is quite different but successful.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping Wilma might graciously share her recipe with me as well. Kind regards Merryn@merrynsmenu