Olive trees, ‘Olea europaea’, are the oldest fruit trees and undoubtedly one of the most important fruit trees in history. The culture of the olive tree has been closely related to the rise and fall of the Mediterranean empires and other advanced civilizations throughout the centuries. Because olive trees offered wealth and future food supplies to established civilizations, agricultural nations became stable societies, as a result of a confident expectation of past experience of an uninterrupted supply of food and olive oil. This factor was a necessary requirement for population growth and increase. Reliable production of fruit and olive oil means that olive trees must exist in a stable society and in a peaceful environment. That stability should last for many years, as most ancient seedling olive trees required eight or more years before producing the first crop of fruit.
The productive olive groves meant that a foundation of the great empires of Greece and Rome had emerged and developed into complex economic and political forces. It is interesting to note that the historical decline of these empires corresponded to the destruction of their olive groves which reduced the available supply of olives, olive oil, olive wood and olive soap. In relation to the destruction of olive groves, it is interesting to note that in the Israeli wars with Palestine, Israeli bulldozers destroyed 50,000 olive trees. That act of agricultural destruction sparked considerable anger and unrest throughout the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, because the economic livelihoods of many Palestinian farmers depended on their products from uprooted olive trees. Furthermore, the olive tree was historically a symbol of ‘peace and goodwill’, and when the olive trees were razed near the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and the “Cradle of Biblical History”, the removal of the olive trees seemed a deliberate act. provocation to end “peace” with Palestinian settlers and farmers.
Many ancient Greek writers and philosophers reported on the medical properties of olive oil, its importance in creating nutritional benefits and wealth for Greek citizens continues abundantly today – some Greek olive orchards contain a million or more trees. Aristotle wrote extensively on the accepted methods of successfully growing olive trees.
Greek mythology records that Athena, the goddess of wisdom and peace, struck the Earth with her magic spear and turned into an olive tree, so the place where the olive tree appeared and grew was named Athens, Greece, in honor of the Goddess, Athena. Local legend tells us that the original olive tree continues to grow after many centuries on the ancient sacred site. Citizens still claim that all Greek olive trees originated from rooted cuttings that were grown from that original olive tree. Homer affirmed in his writings that the ancient olive tree that grew in Athens was already 10,000 years old. Homer stated that Greek courts sentence people to death who destroy an olive tree. In 775 a. At Olympia, Greece, on the site of the ancient Olympic stadium, athletes competed and trained, and the winners were triumphantly acclaimed and crowned with a wreath made of olive twigs. Ancient gold coins that were minted in Athens depicted the face of the Goddess, Athena, with a crown of olive leaves on her helmet holding a clay pot with olive oil. The Greeks began the cultivation of the olive tree in 700 BC. C.
The sacred lamp that was used in ancient Greek culture to illuminate dark rooms at night was fed with olive oil. Aged olive oil was also used in the church’s sacred anointing rituals at weddings and baptisms. Herodotus wrote in 500 BC. That the cultivation and export of olives and olive oil were so sacred that only virgins and eunuchs were allowed to cultivate olive groves. The first documented olive tree plantations may have occurred during the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete and are believed to have grown around 3500 BC. This civilization predates the olive fossils of Mycenae discovered in 1600 BC. C. and later in the Greek empire. Cornell University archaeologist Sturt Manning reported in Live Science Magazine (April 28, 2005) that the most devastating volcano in 10,000 years occurred on the Greek island of Thera, after which the city of Akrotiri was totally buried by falling ash. The find of olive wood and olive seed fossils buried near the site has shown through carbon dating that the volcanic eruption occurred between 1660 and 1600 BC. C. and may have contributed to the total destruction of the advanced Minoan (Atlantis) civilization on the island of Crete and may have led to the formation of the Sahara desert in North Africa after vaporizing native forests there.
The fragrant flowers of the olive trees are small and creamy white, hidden among the thick leaves. Some cultivars will self-pollinate, others will not. The flowers generally begin to appear in April and can continue for many months. A seedling wild olive tree normally begins to flower and produce fruit at the age of 8 years. The fruit of the olive tree is purplish-black when fully ripe, but some cultivars are green when ripe and some olives turn copper-brown. The size of the olive fruit is variable, even on the same tree, and the shape varies from round to oval with pointed ends. Some olives can be eaten fresh after drying in the sun and the taste is sweet, but most varieties of olives are bitter and must be treated with various chemical solutions before becoming edible olives. If the olives are thinned on the tree branches at 2 or 3 per twig, the final size of the olives will be much larger. The fruit is harvested in mid-October and should be processed as soon as possible to avoid fermentation and a decline in quality.
Olive tree leaves are grayish green in color and are replaced at 2-3 year intervals during the spring after new growth appears. Annual and severe pruning is very important to ensure continuous production. Trees are stripped of unproductive branches, “to make them more fruitful.” John 15: 2. An olive tree can grow up to 50 feet with a 30-foot branch span, but most growers will keep the tree pruned at 20 feet to ensure maximum production. New shoots and trees will emerge from the roots of the olive tree stump, even if the trees are cut down. Some olive trees are believed to be over a thousand years old and most will live to be 500 years old.
Olives are generally removed from trees with sticks, harvested mechanically, or by shaking the fruit from the trees onto a tarp. Most ripe olives are removed from the trees after most of the fruit begins to change color. It is important to squeeze out the olive oil within a day after harvest or else fermentation or decreased flavor and quality will occur. Olive oil can be consumed or used in the kitchen immediately after its collection in the press. Olive oils are unique and distinct, each brand of olive oil has its own character, determined by many factors, such as the unique taste differences found in fine wines. Prepared commercial olive oils can vary greatly in aroma, fruity flavor; if the flavor is floral, nutty, delicate or mild, and the color of the olive oil is quite variable.
Olive oil produces many health benefits when used in cooking or when poured over salads. The use of olive oil can improve digestion and can benefit the heart metabolism due to its low cholesterol content. Experts claim that consuming olive oil will make a person grow shiny hair, prevent dandruff, prevent wrinkles, prevent dry skin and acne, strengthen nails, stop muscle pain, reduce blood pressure and nullifies the effects of alcohol.
Olive trees can survive droughts and strong winds, and grow well in well-drained soils up to a pH of 8.5 and trees can tolerate salt water conditions. In Europe, olive trees are normally fertilized every two years with an organic fertilizer. Alternate production can be avoided by heavy pruning, and trees generally respond to this very quickly and favorably.
Olive trees that have been vegetatively propagated or grafted should be purchased, because seed-grown trees will revert to a wild type that produces small olives with a tasteless taste. Olive trees are more resistant to disease and insects than any other fruit tree and therefore less sprayed than any other crop.
Although commercial olive production in the United States is only 2% of the world market, the recent introduction of promising cold-hardy olive trees from European hybridizers has stimulated great interest in olive cultivation throughout the South. Many European immigrants to the United States grow their own olive trees in large pots, which can be moved in and out of the home during seasonal changes.
