OLIVE HARVEST  

ATTENTION! THIS PART IS NOT UPDATED.
its just useful as information how it usually works

The olive harvest is one of the best peaceful agricultural activities here.
It is also a social gathering of families and friends. The harvest season is tough, but at the same time a feast, there is always good lunch under the trees and dinner in the big tent.
Everyone who likes to help us is invited.

this year we run two oliveharvest workcamps.
you can enroll as a volunteer with different international volunteering organisations, or as a wwoofer with WWOOF (see:www.wwoof.it)

oliveharvest workcamp 2019 october-november


OLIVEHARVESTWORKCAMP 1 2020     5th october - 19th october
OLIVEHARVESTWORKCAMP 2 2020     22th october - 5th november
                                                                   

WORK
olive harvest is a nice and calm work in the oliveyards. we don´t work with machines. we believe that the traditional handpicking in olivenets leads to a better quality of the oil, the sourounding and the human life of the people involved. no machines means no stress and no noise. ther´s room to talk, to sing or to rest.
the harvest days are long and hard days. we try to start as soon as humidity permits (usually between 8 and 10am) and if It´s raining, as soon as it stops and dries up. we will have good lunches toghether under the trees and continue picking until almost darkness (around 5pm). then we take our little tractor to bring up the olives to the farm. under the roof in the workshop we clean them from the leaves, weigh and store them. the big goal is to make 400kg as soon as possible, best in one ore two days for high oil quality. thats why during harvest days we have really to concentrate on the work. its no stress but we need to push to make the goal.
in the time some of the group does the olive cleaning some others cook dinner, lights the fires, does the table, the dishes and prepares for next day. one by one can take a fast shower. than we eat all toghether in the big tent. if there´s someone who likes to play guitar or some other instrument it would be welcome.
once we have reached the goal of 400kg next day in the morning we bring the olives to the oil mill. each time one by one can come to visit the mill. (there´s only one place in the little landrover truck). when we come back we taste the new green oil on fresh toastet bread over a little olive wood fire. we take this day off and use it to sit around the fire or the table and talk togheter and answer all questions you have. maybe next day we continue to work, or its a complete free day. we will see this when we are toghether. we will adapt to personal and agricoltural needs and the weather. If it rains, days are off.
olive harvest is not a hard work but its countinous same thing day in and day out.
Its hard to decide one year in advance about the perfect time to start with harvest. thats why we are running two consecutive workcamps. maybe first workcamp passes some days with preparing trees as cleaning them from bushes waiting for best time to harvest. or maybe we start right away. maybe second workcamp stops earlier with harvest work and goes on with net fixing and collecting prunings.
this depends on the season and can not be decided yet.

you can subscribe for workcamp 1  or 2  or both

we expect all of you to be interest and involved in the work. we will be a team and we will have a goal to reach. everyone brings in what he has and does what he can.
we don´t expect professionals or hard workers but we expect joy, engagement and dedication.
it would be good if your´e able to stand on a ladder or climb on a small tree, but there is also enough work from the ground.
you should be interested in agricolture: the more you are interested the better it is. you will have many questions to ask and we will try to give many answers.
you should be interested in alternative lifestyle: we lead a free life. mostly outside. what we do, we do it for oureselves.
you should be interested in team work, our single forces gives the power to all.


ACCOMMODATION
accomodation will be in shared small roomes in the house. if the weather is good you can also choose to sleep in a tent outside. we will provide: sheets, covers, pillow and optionally tent and matrass. in the house there is a spartan bathroom for common use. (farmers included).  there is hot water but please be mindful while taking showers. water is available but limited.
there is also an outdoor shower and a compost toilet is available outdoor as well.
a big common tent will be there as common place for all of us. there is no other space in the house.
we will prepare food together in our outdoor kitchen, there is also an outdoor fire place and oven... we eat togheter in the big common tent.
every day we choose a team for cooking, kitchen and bathroom service.
please note that electricity in the farm is limited, therefore you will not be able to use hair  drier, electric shavers or whatever. there is no washing machine. clothes must be washed by hand. hot water for clothwashing must be heated on the kitchen fire.
you will be able to charge your phones, tablets etc. there is a wireless connection available eventhough it is not real fast and limited to necessary use. for long chats there´s a wireless place in the village.
the day of departure, roomes must be cleaned and left in perfect conditions. if you take the first bus in the morning this can be done the night before.


WHAT TO BRING
- first of all: comfortable working clothes... like long sleeves shirts and trousers like       jeans to avoid injuries and good shoes.
- usually we provide workinggloves, but if you bring them on your choise you may be     more comfortable.
- mosquito season should be over but if you are sensitive an anti-mosquito protection     will make you happier.
- if weather is fantastic and you´re easy sunburning an uv-sunlotion and sunglasses     are helpful.
- a torch or flashlight is very useful, at night everything around is dark.
- last year weather was so good we went to have a swim in the sea: swimsuit!


ADDITIONAL COSTS
it´s important to know that we don´t recieve any money for hosting the camp. your remuneration to us is your workinghelp. we must count on that. the money you paid for subscription is eaten by the volunteering organisation and ensurance. we are not paid.
thats why for special expences like e.g. a barbecue party or a tour to the sea we must make a small fundrising collection.


ARRIVAL
arrival days are 7th october or 23th october. depature 21th october or 6th november
you must arrive to meetingpoint “Bar On The Road“ in ROCCATEDERIGHI.
there are trains from ROMA, PISA and FIRENZE to GROSSETO.
there are buses from GROSSETO railwaystation to ROCCATEDERIGHI. but attention: there are only two buses around noon and two in the evening, and no buses on sunday. last departure is about 6pm. book your flights in order to be able to get there in time. (or come a day or two earlier). for leaving, there are two buses in the morning (about 6 and 9 am) from ROCCATEDERIGHI to GROSSETO.
(we can send you exact bus timetables later before your arrival or you can find out at buscompanys homepage www.tiemmespa.it)
if necessary for booking reasons, you can also stay a day or two longer.
(anyway oliveharvest will not be over at the end of the camp. if you would like to continue we can arrange that with our home volonteering organisation “wwoof“ without extra costs for you)


APPLICATION FORM
to be accepted as a volunteer for oliveharvestworkcamp at our farm you need to fill out a short application form that we will send you if you are interested.
First please see all parts of this website, we would really like to invite you to read the text: "hello wwoofer". it is not concerning you directly if you come as a workcamp volunteer and not as a wwoofer but you will find there many explications about us and the farm.
you really should be interested in our place and the work before you decide to come!

please ask for any help or further information you need!
looking forward to heare from you soon!

info@onorate.com