| Olive trees, 'Olea europaea,' are the oldest fruit trees | | | | shown through carbon dating that the volcanic eruption |
| and certainly are one of the most important fruit trees | | | | occurred between 1660 and 1600 BC and may have |
| in history. Olive tree culture has been closely | | | | contributed to the total destruction of the advanced |
| connected to the rise and fall of Mediterranean | | | | Minoan civilization (Atlantis) on the isle of Crete and |
| empires and other advanced civilizations throughout | | | | may have led to the formation of the Sahara desert in |
| the ages. Because olive trees offered wealth and | | | | North Africa after vaporizing the native forests there. |
| future food supplies to established civilizations, the | | | | The fragrant flowers of olive trees are small and |
| agricultural nations became stable societies, resulting | | | | creamy white, hidden within the thick leaves. Some |
| from a secure expectation from past experience of | | | | cultivars will self pollinate, but others will not. The |
| an uninterrupted food and olive oil supply. This factor | | | | blossoms usually begin appearing in April and can |
| was a necessary requirement for population growth | | | | continue for many months. A wild, seedling olive tree |
| and increase. Dependable fruit production and olive oil | | | | normally begins to flower and produce fruit at the age |
| production means that olive trees must exist in a | | | | of 8 years. The fruit of the olive tree is a purplish-black |
| stable society and a peaceful environment. That | | | | when completely ripe, but a few cultivars are green |
| stability must extend for many years, since most | | | | when ripe and some olives turn a color of |
| ancient seedling olive trees required eight or more | | | | copper-brown. The size of the olive fruit is variable, |
| years before ever producing the first crop of fruit. | | | | even on the same tree, and the shape ranges from |
| Productive orchards of olive trees meant that a | | | | round to oval with pointed ends. Some olives can be |
| foundation of the great empires of Greece and Rome | | | | eaten fresh after sun-drying and the taste is sweet, |
| had arisen and developed into complex economic and | | | | but most olive cultivars are bitter and must be treated |
| political forces. It is interesting to note that the historical | | | | by various chemical solutions before developing into |
| decline of these empires corresponded to the | | | | edible olives. If the olives are thinned on the limbs of the |
| destruction of their olive tree orchards that reduced | | | | trees to 2 or 3 per twig, the ultimate size of the olives |
| the available supplies of olives, olive oil, olive wood, and | | | | will be much larger. The fruit is gathered in mid October |
| olive soap. In connection with the destruction of olive | | | | and should be processed as soon as possible to |
| orchards, it is interesting to note that in the Israeli wars | | | | prevent fermentation and a decline in quality. |
| with Palestine, 50,000 olive trees were destroyed by | | | | The leaves of olive trees are gray-green and are |
| Israeli bulldozers. That act of agricultural destruction | | | | replaced at 2-3 year intervals during the spring after |
| resulted in considerable anger and unrest along the | | | | new growth appears. Pruning yearly and severely is |
| Gaza strip and the West Bank, because the economic | | | | very important to insure continued production. The |
| livelihood of many Palestinian farmers depended on | | | | trees have the unproductive limbs removed, "so that it |
| their products from the uprooted olive trees. | | | | will be more fruitful" John 15:2. An olive tree can grow |
| Additionally, the olive tree was historically a 'peace and | | | | to 50 feet with a limb spread of 30 feet, but most |
| goodwill' symbol, and when the olive trees were | | | | growers will keep the tree pruned to 20 feet to assure |
| leveled near the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of | | | | maximum production. New sprouts and trees will |
| Jesus and the "Cradle of Biblical History," that | | | | emerge from the olive tree stump roots, even if the |
| elimination of olive trees seemed like a deliberate | | | | trees are cut down. Some olive trees are believed to |
| provocation to end the 'peace' with the Palestinian | | | | be over a thousand years old, and most will live to the |
| settlers and farmers. | | | | ripe old age of 500 years. |
| Medical properties of olive oil were reported by many | | | | Olives generally are beaten off trees with poles, |
| ancient Greek writers and philosophers, their | | | | harvested mechanically or by shaking the fruit from |
| importance in creating nutritional benefits and wealth | | | | the trees onto canvas. Most ripening olives are |
| for Greek citizens continues abundantly today--some | | | | removed from the trees after the majority of the fruit |
| Greek olive tree orchards containing a million or more | | | | begins to change in color. It is important to squeeze out |
| trees. Aristotle wrote extensively about the accepted | | | | the olive oil within a day after harvesting or else |
| methods of successfully growing olive trees. | | | | fermentation or decline in flavor and quality will occur. |
| Greek mythology records that Athena, the Goddess | | | | The olive oil can be consumed or used in cooking |
| of wisdom and peace, struck her magic spear into the | | | | immediately after its collection from the press. Olive oils |
| Earth, and it turned into an olive tree, thus, the location | | | | are unique and distinct, each brand of olive oil having its |
| where the olive tree appeared and grew was named | | | | own character, as determined by many factors, like |
| Athens, Greece, in honor of the Goddess, Athena. | | | | those unique flavor differences found in fine wines. |
| Local legend tells us that the original olive tree still | | | | Prepared commercial olive oils can vary greatly in |
| stands growing after many centuries at the ancient | | | | aroma, fruit flavor; whether the taste is, flowery, nutty, |
| sacred site. Citizens still claim that all Greek olive trees | | | | delicate, or mild, and the coloring of olive oil is quite |
| originated from rooted cuttings that were grown from | | | | variable. |
| that original olive tree. Homer claimed in his writings that | | | | Olive oil produces many health benefits when used in |
| the ancient olive tree growing in Athens was already | | | | cooking or when poured over salads. The use of olive |
| 10,000 years old. Homer stated that Greek courts | | | | oil can improve digestion and can benefit heart |
| sentenced people to death if they destroyed an olive | | | | metabolism through its low content of cholesterol. |
| tree. In 775 BC Olympia, Greece, at the site of the | | | | Experts claim that olive oil consumption will cause a |
| ancient Olympic stadium, athletes competed and | | | | person to grow shiny hair, prevent dandruff, prevent |
| trained, and winners were triumphantly acclaimed and | | | | wrinkles, prevent dry skin and acne, strengthen nails, |
| crowned with a wreath made of olive twigs. Ancient | | | | stop muscle aching, lower blood pressure and cancel |
| gold coins that were minted in Athens depicted the | | | | out the effects of alcohol. |
| face of the Goddess, Athena, wearing an olive leaf | | | | Olive trees can survive droughts and strong winds, and |
| wreath on her helmet holding a clay vessel of olive oil. | | | | they grow well on well drained soils up to a pH of 8.5 |
| The Greeks began olive cultivation in 700 BC. | | | | and the trees can tolerate salt water conditions. In |
| The sacred lamp that was used in ancient Greek | | | | Europe, olive trees are normally fertilized every other |
| culture for lighting dark rooms at night was fueled by | | | | year with an organic fertilizer. Alternate bearing can be |
| olive oil. Aged olive oil was also used in sacred | | | | avoided by heavy pruning and generally the trees |
| anointing rituals of the church at weddings and at | | | | respond to this very quickly and favorably. |
| baptisms. Herodotus wrote in 500 BC, that the growing | | | | Olive trees should be purchased that have been |
| and exporting of olives and olive oil were so sacred | | | | vegetatively propagated or grafted, because the seed |
| that only virgins and eunuchs were allowed to cultivate | | | | grown trees will revert to a wild type that yields small |
| orchards of olive trees. The first documented plantings | | | | olives with an insipid taste. Olive trees are more |
| of olive trees may have occurred during the Minoan | | | | resistant to diseases and insects than any other fruit |
| civilization on the island of Crete and are believed to | | | | tree and, therefore, are sprayed less than any other |
| have been growing around 3500 BC. That civilization | | | | crop. |
| predates the discovered Mycenae olive fossils from | | | | Even though commercial production of olives in the |
| 1600 BC and later in the Greek empire. Sturt Manning, | | | | United States is only 2% of the world market, great |
| an archeologist from Cornell University, reported in Live | | | | interest in growing olives throughout the South has |
| Science Magazine (Apr 28, 2005) that the most | | | | been stimulated by the recent introduction of promising |
| devastating volcano in 10,000 years occurred on the | | | | cold hardy olive trees from European hybridizers. Many |
| Greek Island of Thera, after which the city of Akrotiri | | | | European immigrants to the United States grow their |
| was totally buried by the falling ash. The finding of olive | | | | own olive trees in large pots, that can be moved in and |
| wood and olive seed fossils buried near the site has | | | | out of the house during seasonal changes. |