The Pits...

   Over the weekend our family and "friends" got together and picked a few olives. Prior to our get together I scouted a couple locations. Normally we just go pick where we want and never ask for permission. I must be all grown up as this time I asked for permission and was told they (the olives) were already spoken for..bummer. While out driving on Friday I ran across a tree in Petaluma that was perfect for Picking. I left a note on the door asking if we might pick the olives and that evening a rather giddy lady called me and gave us the green light.
    We met up at ten with ladders, buckets, and customized picking buckets (gallon milk jugs with rope collars) and headed to Petaluma. We met the homeowner who was elated to have us pick the olives..offering water and snacks if we wanted. Usually olive picking goes like this....you show up and start picking olives then someone drives by and sees you picking. If they have olive trees they usually stop and ask ..how much do you charge to clean the olives out of a tree? Can we come do their tree next? Too Funny.
     We picked fifteen gallons of medium sized olives and headed back the the house for a snack and start the curing process. The snack was smoked salmon, smoked tuna bellies, cream cheese, and crackers  served along with local caught canned albacore sandwiches on white bread with real mayo.
     As for the olives we are using the lye curing process that is a mix of what we have done for years mixed with a process we got off the internet  www.cureolives.com. So far (day three) things are looking good. We have had failures in the past so keep you fingers crossed.....more to follow.
    

Sounds like fun!  Are you going to bring some on the next NCKA's hookup? 

The snack was smoked salmon, smoked tuna bellies, cream cheese, and crackers  served along with local caught canned albacore sandwiches on white bread with real mayo.

Rub it in, why dontcha?  Sounds good!  The olive pickin' and the snacks, I mean...

Otobe Kenobi reports always look like a blast.  And so wholesome!

I love those things, (especially stuffed with garlic)...  good luck!

Great non-report report!   

Kewl.   

Can't wait to here how it goes. Would love to try it myself. Where did you get the lye?

Where did you get the lye?

Funny you should mention that. The local big box hardware stores did not have it as in the past but we found plenty at the local True Value and Ace stores. Seems as though some idiots were using it to make illegal drugs (crank would be my guess) so it was pulled from the shelves for awhile is what I was told. As for salt...kosher (non-iodized) is best.

thats what I assumed. Hey if the olives don't make it you can always start a meth lab! Fishunter would make a hell of a drug mule!

Otobe Kenobi reports always look like a blast.  And so wholesome!

I love those things, (especially stuffed with garlic)...  good luck!

we will have lots to share......but not stuffed, just soaked in Garlic&Chili....and ?

and you are 100% correct!! Allen knows how to have a blast, even while showing us OliveNewbs, how to do the olives right!
THANKS Pa! mine are in rinse cycle and needing a taste test today....and wait til MrsFH sees herself on the WWW
.......stand by for further pics&taste results

Sounds like fun!  Are you going to bring some on the next NCKA's hookup? 

Sony.....iGOTyouCOVERD

Hey if the olives don't make it you can always start a meth lab! Fishunter would make a hell of a drug mule!

How cool! I used to pick olives with my dad down in SoCal-the trees were planted as ornamentals along a university street-no one ever picked them except for us!
He would brine the olives and often green cherry tomatoes too. As a kid I liked both.

Stuffed, plain, green, black, they are all good as far as I'm concerned (I support biodiversity! )
Thanks for the report.

Stuffed, plain, green, black, they are all good as far as I'm concerned (I support biodiversity! )
Thanks for the report.

got you covered, if i have any left, next year?!

Great job on the olive scouting! I have A few trees I pick every year! The best one being @ the oneil forebay! I usually pick around December. As for the curing process I usually get boxes of ice cream rock salt and dump on top. After A couple of days flip the bucket and drain the juice! Thanks for the post im getting all amped up now!

Can't believe I've been eating something made with lye. I prefer the black olives.

"Black olives" are still cured with lye... and then dyed black with ferrous gluconate.  If you're really so squeamish about lye, you'll need to look for brine cured olives, usually in the refrigerated section of specialty stores.