One of the things that comes with the package tours we are on is that you make some "tourist" stops: stops which are places for you to shop (and likely have some kind of relationship with the tour company). They are usually informationally based as well and not really over selling, so I have not minded when we do them as sometimes they get us to be able to see things we would likely not otherwise see (the vineyard we stopped at was on of those places).
Thus it was that we arrived at the Magna Grecia Olive Grove.
The company is family owned and, like many California vineyards, figured out that having dining, tours, and a store is a great way to further drive business. They also get to do some fun things; the vegetables below, for example, are both organic and used in their kitchen.
We actually got to go into the production factory. For me, being an small scale agricultural nerd, this was practically nirvana.
The initial processing. Here the olives are washed and destemmed.
From there they are moved into the initial grinder, which mashes them up (pits and all) and sends them inside.
After going through a press, the oil is moved to tanks for storage.
From there, it is bottled.
As you can imagine as a tourist stop and restaurant, the grounds are well kept.
What is a tour without a little lunch?
Although typically never include myself (ever, now that I think of it), the picture below is offered as proof that I am actually there. Yes, that is me, in Greece drinking wine, toiling diligently on your behalf.
Enjoying this series in Greece a lot TB, any idea of the number of acres/hectares or number of trees? Ahhhh....taste testing, it's a dirty job but someone has to do it....... :)
ReplyDeleteNylon12, I am glad. It is great to share it.
DeleteSo from their website, they say they have 4500 olive groves, but there is no definition of what "an olive grove is". Even at 10 trees a "grove" (I am sure it is more, that would be 45,000 trees.
In terms of taste testing - I happily sacrifice myself on behalf of my audience.
Cheers !
ReplyDeleteYour posts on Greece make me consider the thought of traveling there too. I'll take rural landscapes over bustling metropolis any day of the week.
Nothing wrong with quiet.
It was a really enjoyable trip - to be fair, we went to a great many places that most tourists (at least Americans) do not go. Or as our guide said, most Americans think Greece is The Parthenon and the island of Mikonos and never get much beyond that.
DeleteHighly recommended. You should go.
TB, so glad you were willing to work so hard for our benefit. :) And I have to say, that I truly benefit from your various trips; always interesting. Also have to say that while I'm not big on commercialism, I would definitely be interested in the culinary products of any country. And I'd definitely be willing to spend my tourist dollars there.
ReplyDeleteTwice I've tried to grow olive trees that were advertised as suitable for my growing zone, but sad to say, neither of them made it.
Leigh, it is a sacrifice, but I am happy to bear it on the behalf of others.
DeleteI will say that the tours we have taken have given me a new appreciation for the smaller "culture" of countries, and something that I would do again, even if I were planning a trip on my own. The more I see things outside of the big cities and national capitals, the more interesting things seem to be.
In theory, we can grow olive trees here in New Home. In practice, I doubt it as I have never seen any. Where I grew up had many olive trees. I am not sure if they can be grown at The Ranch (I fear the altitude is a bit high) but they would be a great benefit. Olives are frightfully useful things.