Harvest Eve: Where Work Meets Wonder
“From fruit to oil, from labor to joy.” —Virgil
I’ve written in the past, in far more detail, about the whirlwind of harvest preparations — how the to-do list can feel endless: booking milling appointments, scheduling picking crews, arranging transport, cleaning stainless tanks, tagging crates, laying nets, and, most importantly, gauging the perfect moment to harvest each olive variety in our grove. But there’s another side to this story, one that gets to the heart of why, at Luretík, we do what we do. It’s the moment when passion and deep satisfaction converge—the moment of harvest itself.
Luretik groves at dawn
November 1st, 2025
The night before the first harvest arrives quietly. With the sun sinking earlier and lower in the autumn sky, few sights are as captivating as trees heavy with fruit, catching the soft, slanting light. Wandering the grove in the evening calm brings a much-needed sense of grounding, easing the edge of a year’s worth of work and worry. Nets are laid, and bright yellow crates are tucked beneath each tree across the expanse of the orchard. I breathe easier as I take one last look across the horizon and pause to marvel at this incomparable gift the earth has given us.
For anyone who has never taken part in an olive harvest, it’s hard to imagine the excitement and joy that make it unforgettable. The crew arrives before dawn, bundled against the morning chill, their mood bright and joking even before the work begins. Throughout the day, hands move quickly—stripping olives from branches, pulling and resetting nets, guiding the rakes that reach into the trees. Filled crates are carefully stacked onto the truck, and the cycle repeats.
Harvest is always a race against time. Getting the olives to the mill as quickly as possible is essential for producing the freshest oil. By 7 p.m., the fruit has been transformed into what can only be called liquid gold—pure extra virgin olive oil. And in the darkness of evening, we can finally rest. The first harvest is complete; three more await.
