October - December

October through to December are probably our busiest months to be honest.  It is during these months that we pick the Olives followed by trim back the trees, fight the good fight against the ever present weed invasion and last but not least collecting/cutting firewood.

Because we are predominantly non mechanised, (we do have a few machines to help us work our farm but for the most part we use the tried and tested methods our ancestors used as we have found they really do work better) our main stay at this time of year is the trusty long handled saw.  Of course a willing volunteer, (in this case Molly) is very useful too, especially as we have well over 200 Olive trees on our farm.

 

Spreading huge nets beneath the trees to catch the olives that we either pick by hand or knock from the trees using the saw (it reaches where hands cannot) we also occasionally cut back the trees at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is during the wintertime that we collect firewood (that we've previously cut) from the land, loading into our little trailer for transport up to the house.  Thank fully our son Christopher is usually on hand to tow the trailer up to our home as I really do find it difficult to reverse the car with it on.  (no jokes about women drivers please, or I'll cry)

 

 

 

 

Tanner showing us how tough they make them in Colorado.

Of course there comes a time when modern machinery does have its place, the chainsaw and piles of logs in need of cutting is just such an occasion.  

 

 Our log pile at its finest.