It takes a couple of hours and three people to harvest one olive tree by hand. One person, who stands on top of the ladder (which must be repositioned dozens of times) slides the olives gently down the branch like beads sliding off a necklace. The two people below drop the fruit into a basket (brucatura). A mix of green and black olives makes the most flavorful oil. Read more about olives and olive farming 100 years ago and today in Tazia and Gemma (see NOVELS).
