Donna
The overriding emphasis this month at the farm was olives. Olives, olives everywhere! However, this year with so many strange weather patterns, the vegetation and fauna suffered tremendous altercations. On one olive tree there were ripe black olives, young green olives, and half dried up olives. This has not happened before and it became pertinent to harvest the olives sooner rather than later. We began on November 1st, collecting Cordovil olives from the heavy laden trees behind the cabin. Next day, we began a full harvesting operation with the help of our battery operated shaker!! This shaker is truly a gift from God! A few days after our trip to the olive press in Spain, the sun did return , so on Thursday we were back in the race to get the olives harvested and to the press before the weather changed again. In three days we had over 550kgs loaded in crates and bags int the van and were off at 6 am, Sunday morning to the local press. It just so happened that there was a backlog of vehicles who did not get their olives pressed on Saturday and so we had to wait in line for 23 hours before we could unload our own olives into the press. It was a matter of determination and unfailing will and Jorge arrived home at 5 am on Monday morning with 56 liters of organic, extra virgin green olive oil all collected in our little “quinta”. The oil is very green and supposedly very nutritious since the majority of green olives have a lower water content and thus a higher quality of healthy fats ,antioxidants and polyphenols, etc. It sure was a marathon , and we could have gotten more if we had had just a little more stamina …Next year!
We had lots of extra olives so we soaked and brined a few jars full.
After the harvest it was a good time to prune the larger olive trees so that next year they can bring forth more fruit! This takes quite a lot of time and is a learning process.The trees in the front area are finished and we will continue the process in the beginning of next year. After we pruned one fig tree we had five small saplings with roots; three were planted alongside the pond and two near the baby olive trees. Jorge also finished the fencing along the back of the property and a bed full of garlic was planted.
We came back to Lisbon near the end of the month. Gloria finished her final exam which will qualify her for choice in a medical specialty next year . We attended the Hippocratic Oath ceremony for the recently formed doctors. Present were many distinguished guests besides the new doctors including parents, friends and directors of the various medical institutions and the President of the Republic of Portugal. It was very touching and inspiring.
Jason is very busy studying and training. He is also co-coaching games on the weekend with Estoril.
Cristiana and Nuno are preparing for a big move and baby Afonso is alive and kicking with 2 new teeth! He enjoys eating his nicely prepared lunch every day and is very excited about every new thing in life! We are so very thankful for all the blessings our good Lord has given us and every day is a day of Thanksgiving! “Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good:for his mercy endureth for ever.“ Psalm 106:1.
