Archive for the 'Ecology | Environment' Category

09 Oct

Olive harvesting in Umbria, Italy, drips with tradition

Making olive oil at harvest takes time, muscle and a bit of guidance. Visiting mills in the region, known as 'Italy's green heart,' provides a lesson in its history and a chance to sample the season's offerings.     Reporting from Civitella, Italy— The anonymous stone building on the outskirts of Civitella, my Umbrian hilltop [...]

07 Oct

Gold in Australian olive trees

  A CURIOSITY over old olive trees growing on historic farms has turned into gold for a northeast couple. Over the past 20 years Eberhard Kunze and Maureen Titcumb have propagated tens of thousands of olive saplings to save old genetic stock.   This year, oil from their priola trees, a variety they discovered and named, [...]

07 Oct

Jordan Ministry to help farmers market Olive Oil

With the imminent advent of the olive harvest season, the agriculture ministry on Wednesday said it will employ marketing procedures to help farmers sell their olive oil.   Ministry of Agriculture Secretary General Radi Tarawneh explained yesterday that even if there is a surplus of olives and olive oil this year, the ministry will help [...]

06 Oct

Can Olive Leaf Extract cure high blood pressure?

The olive tree is a traditional symbol of abundance. Its cultivation is economically significant in the Mediterranean region, with attention focused on olives and olive oil. At the same time, uses are being sought for other parts of the olive tree. During pruning and harvesting, many olive leaves and small branches are collected. Given the [...]

05 Oct

Bell Carter Foods in Corning, CA is bustling

  The olive plant is the largest ripe olive producer in the world. The company processes 52,000 tons of olives a year on average, keeping it's 400 employees hard at work. But this years olive crops are falling a bit short thanks to mother nature. " Weather we're having now can offset next years harvest, [...]

03 Oct

Olive harvest season in Spain

  In September Spain traditionally begins harvesting of table olives. Harvest will last until November and will end by the olive festival. Olives is the pearl of the Mediterranean. In Russia the olives from the sunny Spain are very popular and are appreciated for its good taste. Due to the wide diversity of varieties and [...]

03 Oct

New test to detect color adulteration of green olives

Researchers from the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) have proposed a new procedure for the detection of illegal color additives in green olives.   Writing in the academic journal LWT – Food Science and Technology, the Spanish researchers noted that because certain processing techniques alter the color of olives, certain manufacturers add a food [...]

02 Oct

Palestinian ‘olive trees uprooted’ in West Bank

NABLUS, Palestinian Territories — Israeli settlers invaded Palestinian olive groves in the West Bank on Saturday and uprooted 200 trees, Palestinian witnesses said. The settlers from Yitzhar, near the northern city of Nablus, attacked the groves around the villages of Hawwara and Ein Nabus, the sources said. Late on Wednesday, dozens of Palestinian olive trees [...]

13 Jul

Olive water study in Australia

A rural Industries Research Development Corporation study has shown that olive growers can reduce their irrigation without sacrificing yield. The study also suggests the characteristics of the olives are not affected by reducing water volumes. The study, Olive Crop Management for Optimal Sensory and Chemical Quality Project, was carried out over four years at a [...]

19 Jun

Australian Olive growers face low yields

By Kim Woods, Harvest, which began in mid-April, is wrapping up after severe frosts last week. Wagga Wagga, in NSW, is home to about 55,000 trees owned by investment companies and small growers. The Riverina Olive Growers Association has 45 active members picking fruit from up to 30,000 trees. Association secretary Vici Murdoch said unseasonal [...]

17 Jun

Olive growers’ crops looking sparse

By Julie R. Johnson, Officials are scratching their heads as to why this year’s olive crop is the pits. “The crop looked really good early on,” said Doug Compton, assistant commissioner of the Tehama County Agriculture Department. “But then we began hearing reports of poor fruit set from olive growers.” Across the state, Tehama County [...]

11 Jun

McEvoy Ranch in northern Marin unveils windmill

By Rob Rogers, Photo Frankie Frost, Publishing heiress Nan McEvoy hopes a once-controversial 98-foot-tall windmill on her northern Marin ranch will become an inspiration for farmers and others interested in leaving fossil fuels behind. “I know there is nothing my mother is prouder of,” said Nion McEvoy, who spoke on his mother’s behalf during a [...]

04 Jun

Scientists Use Olive Industry Waste to eliminate heavy metals from sewage

The waste obtained from olive during the oil extraction process can be used to eliminate heavy metals from sewage or waste waters of productive activities. Olive pits, pomace and remains (from olive tree pruning) present an outstanding capacity to retain the lead present in this water, which confirms their capacity as biosorbents for their application [...]

22 Apr

CIA-UC Davis World Olive Oil Conference

Take part in one of the top flavor-discovery experiences of the year, Beyond Extra Virgin 2009: An International Conference on Excellence in Olive Oil. This unique event, scheduled for June 21 to 23, will be held at the University of California at Davis and the California campus of The Culinary Institute of America. Conference highlights [...]

14 Apr

Herbal Spotlight: Olive Leaf Extract

By Nadia Brandon, Olive leaf extract has been widely used, is considered safe, and is well researched.  However, as with all herbal medicines, caution should still be exercised when using any herb as part of a treatment or nutritional plan. The following information should not substitute for medical advice or conventional medical treatments.  Before taking [...]