Olive Harvesting in Calabria- Life Imitates Art

Ciccio's Olive Groves

In this week’s edition of Cibo & Cinema, a look at olive harvesting in Calabria with one of my favorite short films- Luigi Di Gianni’s 1967 “Tempo di Raccolta,” which documents a day in the life of Calabrese women as they work in the olive groves of the region.

The majestic trees, Di Gianni’s evocative use of traditional music, and the interplay of sun and shadow on autumn days transform the film into a rich visual and auditory experience. Scenes of women from different generations working side by side—the elders filling baskets while the younger ones carry them away—create a portrait of harmony and fulfillment.

I talked with Pennsylvania-based, Calabrese olive oil producer Giuseppe “Pino” Pugliano who co-founded Ciccio's Olives with his wife, Laura. Their family farm is located in Vena di Máida, which is located in the province of Catanzaro. He told me about the modernization of harvesting olives and how the process has changed since Di Gianni made his film in the late ‘60s. "They used to hand-pick in the 1960s," he said. "Now, we lay nets around the trees. So, we kind of shake the tree and the olives fall in the nets and then we fold the nets." He also shared the reasons why the climate of southern Italy is perfect for producing high quality oil. Olive trees don’t like a lot of rain,” he explained. The actually like dry hot weather and it’s the perfect weather in the South because we have the heat, it’s hot during the day, and then cools down a little bit.”

Check out our interview and visit their website- www.cicciosolives.com.

Watch "Tempo di Raccolta" on YouTube..

- By Jeannine Guilyard

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