Enthusiastic olive growers in Central Otago have marked Saturday May 17 as the date when their careful pruning, watering, fertilising and harvesting will seem worthwhile.

Approximately 30 growers, who have anywhere between five and 50 trees on their properties, will bring up to 300 kilograms of freshly picked olives to a Community Press Day.

Growers will see the olive press in action and be rewarded with low-cost 250ml bottles of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) proportional to the weight of their olives that go through the press.

“The day has become really popular among the numerous lifestyle property owners across the district who would otherwise have an olive crop which is uneconomic to process,” Central Otao Olive Growers (COOG) chair Michael Hope said.

“With the price of high-quality extra virgin olive oil reaching up to $100 a litre because of the worldwide shortage of the crop, these hobby growers love the opportunity to get some locally grown product in their kitchen, the fruit for some of which may have come from their own back yard.”

Central Otago’s hot, arid summers and dry winters combined with a plentiful water supply from the Clutha/Mata-Au River means olive growers can bring more than 30 kilograms to the community press, Michael said.

On the day they’ll be able to watch the olive pressing as hosts Steve and Olivia Morris of Olive Press Central Otago supervise the crushing of the harvested olives. 

After that the olives will sit while the oils and natural juices seep out, a process called “malaxation.” 

The oil will then be separated and filtered before bottling and distributed to COOG members or sold to the public through local markets.

All Central Otago olive growers are welcome on the day whether or not they are COOG members.

Michael encouraged growers to join COOG and “become part of a sociable passionate and supportive group with one thing in common – olives”.

The Community Press Day will take place on Saturday May 17, from 10.30am to 2pm, at 125 Smiths Way, Pisa, Cromwell. Registrations can be made to COOG ([email protected]). The cost for the day is $20 for COOG members or $40 for non-members.