The harvest is generally a time for socializing, characteristic of country tradition. It can be done manually or mechanically. For us it was a joyful family reunion. In fact, this year my family from Alcamo visited and joined in on the manual harvesting of the olives. For my parents who I only see occasionally, and who had never been to Favignana, it was an ideal opportunity to visit the renowned Egadi island. They were absolutely amazed by the beauty of this still untamed island. In particular, my mother vividly remembered a song from her childhood, of a passionate romance in which the Castle of St. Catherine in Favignana is mentioned. My mother was moved to finally see the Castle which towers over the port of Favignana as we arrived by hydrofoil. My wife and children came along too and helped between one game and another. For them it was an extra holiday in the sun. They delighted in singing and running through the olive groves and over the expansive lawns of beautiful Casa Faro.
Following the harvest, the olives were transported to Trapani for the oil extraction, since there is no olive mill on Favignana. This phase takes place directly in the mill. The olives are freed from any impurities, thoroughly washed and arranged in crushers. The grinders tear the flesh from the olive to facilitate the release of the oil. These machines can count on a thousand year old tradition that has also managed to evolve with the new requirements of hygiene and production. Hence the work can be done with stone mills or metal tooth grinders. Historically the wheels of the crushers were made of wood and pulled by animal force. Today they are motorized stainless steel blades.
Our extra virgin olive oil is obtained exclusively from olives, by a cold mechanical process in conjunction with the use of mild heat to facilitate the oil extraction without changing properties of the oil itself. In addition to the process of washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtration, our olives do not undergo any other treatment. The extra virgin olive oil can therefore be considered to all effects and purposes a real fruit juice. Considering all the health giving advantages and benefits, I consider it as precious as gold. It’s always an exciting event to watch the sublime emerald green oil with golden hues flow out accompanied by the intense scent of olives. Our extra virgin, wholesome, and healthy olive oil is produced for the sole purpose of offering a special surprise to our guests at Casa Faro and a warm welcome to Sicily.
One Comment