Processing of olives isn’t for the faint-hearted. To make it in this market requires capital and expertise. Olives can’t be eaten straight from the tree. They need either to be processed to make table olives or the oil needs to be extracted from the fresh fruit. Most growers sell their…

What happens after the olive orchard has been planted? Irrigation is essential in modern olive orchards. The yield and fruit quality of table olives (for pickling) and oil olives are improved significantly by well-managed irrigation. But too much, or poorly scheduled, irrigation can lead to all sorts of problems, including…

Although the hardy, evergreen olive tree can survive for centuries with no attention, it will only produce economically viable crops if given the necessary care. Here’s some background and the basics. Table olives and olive oil are, like wine, associated with an element of mystique, yet the successful cultivation of…