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| Just back from the field. We went right to dumping the olives into the gigantic bin as there was a huge line behind us. |
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| The olives then shoot straight up from this conveyer belt that is connected to the bin. |
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| The intricate ladder like belts that sort out the olives for perfect Extra Virgin Olive Oil. |
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| Falling into the "blower." |
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| This is the first step. It removes the leaves and twigs that were collected during the process. The bar rotates and wind is blown (just strong enough for the twigs and leaves to fly away but weak enough so the olives continue on their journey). |
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| The olives then go here, where they are seperated from any rocks. |
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| About to enter the cooperative |
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| These are the crushed olive seeds. They are re-used for stoves and other heating devices; it makes excellent kindling. |
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| The first of three filters. It was at least 85 degrees inside and a lot of noise. Here, the olives are squished until they ooze out the oil! (There are two more filters, but I don't have those pictured.) And after the filter part of the process, you have... |
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| Olive Oil! This is extra virgin, the purest type of oil there is. I put my finger under the waterfall of the yellowish color and tasted the 1-second-old olive oil. It was great! |
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| It then heads to storage awaiting its mostly Italian customers, who then sell the oil under a different brand while marketing it as "made in Italy." |
