Everywhere we go at the moment, the locals are in the fields spreading their black nets around a choice olive tree. This is not the olive harvest for oil; that happens in December. This is the precursor, the choosing of the best olive tree for the olives to cure, store in jars, and eat. And the reason why there is such enthusiasm this year? Fat olives. In fact there are not just fat olives on the trees, the acorns are fat too which is good news for small mammals laying down their winter stores. The bad news? There are not many of the fat olives, not many olives at all for oil. A poor harvest means a difficult winter.On the roads, we pass many vans towing their small trailers filled with olives. These are taken to the local cooperativa where the olives are processed. The olive harvest is generally poor this year, the farmers are anticipating less income as their crops are much reduced. The olives will be good for eating though. The local way is to cure them in brine, then eat them with bread and oil and a touch of salt. Pablo considers our jars of olives with puzzlement, filled as they are with lemon peel, herbs, cloves of garlic. 5 to remember
por todas partes – everywhere
gordo/a – fat
en este momento – at the moment
los vecinos – the locals/neighbours
el precursor/a – precursor