The olive harvest in rural Portugal is the culmination of the year, and it brings the whole community together. In our mountain district, the process has hardly changed since the time of Noah! The olives are knocked off the tree with long chestnut poles, the younger and more nimble participants climb into the trees, and shake the branches. The olives fall upon netting, which is strategically placed below the trees, and the olives are physically detached from the small twiglets and leaves before being deposited into bins. We take the olives to our local olive mill, where they are pressed into extra virgin olive oil, and the producers can pay for the milling with a percentage of the oil. This way, no money changes hands.
Throughout history, the olive tree has been a symbol of endurance and longevity, peace and resolution. We hold out an olive branch to offer restitution after conflict. The olive tree is deeply resilient, with a tremendous ability to regenerate itself, after damage from infestation or fire. The main trunk can be sawn away, and a new one will grow in its place. With ageing, the main trunk can rot, and become hollow. The tree can even split into two or three parts, and each one will have an independent existence. Even in its appearance, the olive tree seems ancient. The oldest fossil specimens of olive trees have been found in the Levant dating back 45,000 years. Each tree has a story, a history, and it plays a part in the cultural identity and the ancestry of the families whose lives are tied to their olive groves.
For the Sumerians, the Egyptians, the Hebrews, the Assyrians, the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Christians, the olive tree has represented wisdom, fertility, strength, and peace, and the oil of the olive has been a symbol of goodness, purity and light. In the Hebrew story of the great flood, the first symbol of the new world was an olive leaf brought by a dove.
Medicinal Use of Olea Europea
Olea Europea has been used as a medicine for millenia. The leaves of the olive are astringent and antiseptic, and are a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Olive leaf tea or extract help to fortify the immune system, harmonise digestive function and promote detoxification.
This powerful plant medicine was introduced as a homeopathic remedy in 1995. Every homeopathic remedy is a vibration or energetic pattern, and it can heal when the pattern of symptoms in the patient is very similar to the pattern in the remedy. The type of patient who most needs Olea Europaea is a person who perceives the world as confusing and troubling, and feels separate from the themes that dominate. The olive as a symbol of peace provides a valuable clue. We are now heading towards deepening conflict and destruction, possibly on a global scale, and those of us who dream of peace on Earth will feel increasingly alienated by this direction of flow. The remedy Olea Europaea will provide support for navigating through the disappointment, despair and anguish that comes with such awareness, and help us to transform our awareness into inspiration, hope and determination.
Culinary use
To prepare table or eating olives requires time and patience. The bitter tannins are extracted through washing and brining, and they can be flavoured with the addition of herbs and spices. Olive oil is a delicious and nutritious nectar that is considered a gift from the gods, and has been the backbone of local and international commerce for millennia.
At Vale das Lobas, there are more than 300 olive trees to harvest, in the discovery and the well-being areas. We look forward to welcoming you to participate in the Celebration of the Olive Harvest in December 2025. This will be a keystone event in our agricultural calendar, and one of the major celebrations of the year.