Picking Olives in Umbria

Unlike last year, when I picked olives with friends in warm and sunny Croatia in October, it was a cool 50-55 F and the ground was still damp, when I picked olives yesterday after waiting for the olives to be dry enough. But until 5 pm, that temperature was comfortable for picking, climbing the ladder and shaking the tree to try to shake the olives down that were out of reach.

There were two of us picking.  We started with the guy on the ladder, which I realize was a bit sexist on my part.  Plus, he’s younger, so I was also being ageist.  However, I ended up on the ladder sometimes because I am taller so could reach beyond where he could.  So that makes me….nothing, just taller!

And sometimes, we climbed beyond the ladder, and became what felt like just two kids climbing trees, something which I have not done for a long time!!

As with any activity, the best part was the company.  I picked with a young man who is a friend of the family here, and he is a refugee from Eritrea.  Hearing about his life and his journey to get here made me realize yet again how lucky I am – born in Canada, educated, traveling by choice and for fun.  And yes, he did have the choice to come to Italy, but he chose for very different reasons – because that was how he could live i.e. not die, be killed or imprisoned for no reason, and he also chose to be free, something which I take for granted.

We did talk of other things, too, and laughed, usually at ourselves and things like the olives flying under our collars, or my glasses falling off my head to be suspended somewhere in the tree.

And aside from the accomplishment of seeing the crates of picked olives, the best part will come when I can actually taste the olive oil that comes from them!