“READING A BOOK” ABOUT OLIVE PICKING

The method is simple: shake the tree and pick the olive. Simple but hard. Every year the family of our youngsters gathers to pick the olives from the field that belonged to their parents, grandparents and ancestors. Because the important thing is not to collect the olives to make oil, but rather to collect them so as not to break with the tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Álvaro, Leyre and Celia, the youngsters coming from the Alto Palancia region (Spain), shared with us what the harvesting process meant to them. All three share this family tradition and wanted to tell us about it, how it is and what it means for them. Year after year, even if they have other plans or parties, none of them fail the family and they are there accompanying the family in the process. 

During our stay in L’aria, the three young people involved by Europimpulse Network became books for a day and shared with us how going to pick up the olive involved more than it may seem. Not only does it mean physical effort, it means family time.

No one wants to get up at dawn or is looking forward to the effort involved in picking olives, but they made us understand without words what this family ritual means to them, as well as how happy they are when they get home after a hard day's work.