This is a collective effort on behalf of each family, often including help from the extended family and depending on how large the farm outside helpers as well. Traditionally workers brought from outside were paid in olive oil, and even to this day there are many people who prefer to be compensated with this liquid gold instead of money in the paper variety!
By and large, the traditional method is still followed. The olives are picked by hand, not by machine, so this maintains the quality of the fruit. Large sheets are placed on the ground to catch them. In the olden days people would take their fruit to the mill, which was a basic stone press. The best oil producers press their olives as quickly as possible, some within 6 hours of them being picked, producing a superior oil exceptional on the palate.
These days, there are 'modern' presses available, mostly in centralised locations where they can service a particular locale and these are indicative of the olive rich regions; Sibenik, Razine, Brodarica, Perkovic, Vodice, Tribunj, Primosten, Siroke, Skradin and the islands of Murter and Prvic. When we refer to modern, there is no extra processing carried out than before; the olives are put through the press one time, and it is this 'first', cold pressed, virgin oil that is the end result.
As with domestic wine making, most households make the olive oil for their own personal use throughout the year. Some of the locals sell it to tourists during the summer months, and it is beginning to fetch higher prices. In Vodice this summer domestic olive oils from the surrounding villages was reaching 100 Kune a litre.
The quality of the olive oil in the Sibenik-Knin region is without a doubt the finest quality there is. We like to think we are not biased much, but who knows, maybe we are?! However, certain boutique olive oil producers from the region have gained notoriety, not just on a national level but through international recognition. Many are winning medals and awards for their oil through organisations such as the International Olive Council and are being published in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil World Guide (L'Extravergine, published out of Rome).
Local, award winning producers from Sibenik county in Dalmatia to keep an eye on are: from Skradin, Josip Silov and Drago Laca; from Bicine, Pero Skoric; from Vodice, Vinko Gulin and Lola Skoric; and from Sibenik, Ivica Burazer and Nikola Burazer. The quality of the oil demands prices up to 25 Euros a litre.
An impressive effort, seeing as in a tradition stemming back to pre-Roman times Croatia had as many as 40 million olive trees, but a decline in numbers since the Second World War through to the recent Homeland War sees a more recent figure of around 6 million trees. However, through funding and rebates to growers, this number is again on the increase with a goal of 10 million trees being set for Croatia's entry to the EU.
Olive trees, native to the Mediterranean basin, are believed to have been cultivated for 7,000 years making it the first cultivated plant. And, these amazing trees can live for a few thousand years. In Croatia there are three famous ancient olive trees; one in the Brijuni Islands and another in Kastel Stafilic (stara maslina, meaning "old olive") both thought to be around 1700 years old, and in Lun on the island of Pag is one of the world's largest concentrations of wild olive trees, some aged over 1500 years old.
The other amazing thing is that even though the best production years of an olive trees is during the first couple hundred years of its lifetime, it can still continue to bear fruit - in smaller quantities - for a couple of thousand years that we know of!
If you are in awe of these truly graceful trees, a special gift to mankind, and you are interested in visiting some olive groves and perhaps take part in olive picking and making, we can arrange this on private farms direct with the owners who happen to be our good friends, for an authentic and traditional experience. Contact us for more information.
Old olive grove - one of many - Kornati Islands.
Typical Dalmatian landscape dotted with olive trees, fig trees and grape vines. Location: Sibenik-Knin county
Wild olive trees growing near an old Roman spring, Sibenik-Knin region.
Cultivated olive trees, grown not far from Skradin, already yielding a good amount of olives.
Young olive plantation, in the Sibenik-Knin county.
Young olive tree.
Olives in August, the end of summer, still three months away from being picked.
The olive tree on Brijuni Islands, over 1700 years old.
Boutique olive grove, producing superb quality extra virgin olive oil, not far from Vodice.
Olives ready to be picked and pressed, mid October, olive grove near Vodice.
Olive picking
Hand picked olives, first weekend November, 15km from Vodice
Olive picking, private farm
Olive picking
Olive picking
Olive picking
Olive picking
Olive picking
Olive picking
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