OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Welcome to Outdoorking Forum HELP Area Introductions Intro

John, a retired computing and Industrial Arts teacher. Sometime olive grower and processor. Currently with the property on the market, but need to maintain the place so it looks as if someone loves it ... Have a Greenfield Evolution - Fastcut 36 as well as a Cox Mini Tractor 09F3 model. Have some questions about both but for now, just a quick "Hello!" Cheers John

G'day John

Some great folk on here that will be able to help with your machines, that's not me, but hoping to get some hints on olive processing / curing which I have been doing for a few years.

Cheers
wce

Any q's about olives welcome (have been growing/processing for 20+ years and have a Grad Dip App Sc - Oleaculture) - Oleaculture, that be "olive growing". ;)

Hi John and wce
a warm welcome to these forums.

I have learnt the word 'Oleaculture'. Thank you.

I have a Mediterranean palate and I wonder whether climate change
will favour the expansion of olive growing in AUS.

Cheers
---------------------
Jack

As I understand it, my location (Tamworthish) is not your "standard" Mediterranean climate, but the olives do well provided that you can keep the water up to them during the year - with an emphasis on the winter season as that's when the buds decide whether to make growth or babies (and babies are the fruit). We have had 20+ years of acceptable results here, the past few years were exceptional, with near as dammit zero harvest for 2019 and 2020. My understanding of it is that the traditional Mediteranian climate will gradually move Southwards, meaning that Tasmania and places in Southern Victoria might become closer to the traditional med climate ideals. As I'm definitely NOT a meteorologist, I'd take that all with a grain (or several) of salt! My feeling is that the groves in Northern Qld, and even into the central regions of Qld, will struggle as global climate change affects the rainfall and temperature profiles.

Hello John
Many thanks for that considered and thoughtful reply.

I have read about the dangers of rancid olive oil and poor
quality imported olive oils. It seems to be a complex issue: -

LINK: - https://fivethirtyeight.com/feature...-about-how-much-rancid-olive-oil-we-use/

Is the best advise to buy Australian olive oil and store it
correctly and use it as a use-buy product?

Cheers
------------------------
Jack

Jack, It is ALWAYS better to buy a local product. It is always better to store it in a cool place (not over the stove!) and in a green bottle to avoid light damage. IF we were to get all anal about it, we'd purge the bottles with Nitrogen before we filled them to avoid any oxidation, but our customers use the oil before that becomes an issue. We DO, however, store our bulk oil under a nitrogen blanket so that the surface of the bulk oil is not exposed to oxygen. The bigger producers, like Red Bend, Cobram Estate etc do everything right! BUT, if you can find a small, boutique, local grower/processor, that'll be better - and give them a boost to continue on their quest for the perfect oil. Our product doesn't last that long on the shelf. Example ... at today's market, I had bottled 10 * 500ml bottles and 7 * 250ml bottles. We came home with just 2 * 250ml bottles from the oil pressed 3 weeks ago. Cannot get fresher than that! Fact is, wrt olive oil, our harvest season is just now in full swing, having started in northern areas of Qld earlier, and running into the later winter the further south you get. Imported olive oil will have been harvested (at best) just after Xmas just passed. So, by now it is at least 5or 6 months old. Italian olive oil, the "ideal" oilve oil according to some, could be from North Africa, as some Italian companies use a quirk of the tarrif regime there to import North African olive oil as a "fruit juice" - which it actually IS - and repackage it as "Product of Italy" Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They then export it as "Italian Olive Oil". Fun fact ... Italy exports more olive oil than they produce, and they use almost ALL of their local production. We, as oil producers, put a 2 year "best before" on our oils. We could, in theory, stretch that to 3 or 4 years, but that'd be really unfortunate, and would not do our product (or our customers) any favours! Cheers John

Hi John
Once again, many thanks.
I have found this great info from an 'insider'.
You have given us insight as to claims - like ''Italian' olive oil.
This is, once again, caveat emptor stuff.

I certainly get the message, and I do feel you have residue
- but still fresh - olive oil in your veins.

Brilliant!
------------------------
Jack