Olive trees are very important in the Greek beliefs and traditions. We call it  "olive tree, the blessed tree".
 It is the symbol of prosperity, longevity and peace .Olive harvesting  has a long history in Greece rooted in ancient times and flourishing  until today.

•  The olive tree (botanical name: Olea europae) is an evergreen and everlasting tree that has its origin approximately 6,000 -7,000 years ago in the Mediterranean region. In different places of Greece a visitor can find olive trees  even 2.500-3.500 years old! In our town there is a 2.500 - year-old tree still alive.
• Picking olives  in Greece is a tradition that dates back generations.  It is one of the most fascinating experiences you can enjoy in Greece. It is an annual ritual that takes part in November and it involves the entire village!Olive harvesting is a family affair in much of Greece. It is often family members or friends living in cities who come to help pick the olives by hand. Therefore, the day should start with a good breakfast so that everybody can give their best in the olive grove.

Olive picking in Greek villages 

• Τhe pupils of the 4th grade had the opportunity to live this experience in their schoolyard.  They participated in the olive harvest picking the olives  from the olive trees of our school.  The process started in the mid of November and was completed a few days ago with the oil bottling. Now they have got their own olive oil at home and they feel very proud because they have worked very hard  for this.They started from scratch, picking the olives and they reached as far as designing the tag for the name of their olive oil  by themselves! They even made their own biscuits and orange lanterns using this olive oil.

Olive picking in our school ...nothing has changed!



Here it is! Our olive oil with its name tag on the bottle!



Healthy olive oil biscuits and orange lanterns 

 Thank you Sweden for this bright idea!
We only added some  cloves and our own olive oil!

 

• A short flashback in the past. ...

As we said its origins go back to ancient times and to Eastern Mediterranean. However it was first grown in the European Mediterranean area by the Greeks.

Olive harvest depicted on an ancient Greek vase, 6th century B.C

• In ancient Greece the olive tree was the gift of Goddess Athena to the city of Cecrops which gave her the victory over Poseidon and her name to the city,Aθήνα, Athens. It became the symbol  of the city with Athena's sacred bird, the owl.  

 

• During  the Olympic Games the prize for the winners was a wreath  made of a wild  olive tree branch "kotinos" while the athletes spread olive oil over their bodies.

• Olive trees are considered to have been blessed by Christ Ηimself. Once he sat under an olive tree to find peace from his percecutors and his tears watered the roots of the tree blessing the olives and the olive oil. Ηe also prayed to His Father in an olive grove before His arrest and crucifixion. The olive tree was also blessed by His Mother, Virgin Mary.
• The olive tree has been also praised by important poets and authors in Greece . A very important Greek poet and Nobel Prize Laureatte, Odysseas Elytis, has said that Greece can be reborn  with an olive tree, a grapevine and a boat. "She" is the most beloved daughter of the sun according to our national poet, Kostis Palamas.
• Olive oil is the cornerstone of the healthiest diet of the world,the Mediterranean diet, an essential nutritional mainstay for the world's longest -living cultures.The health benefits of olive oil are unrivaled and numerous. Olive oil has been found effective against many diseases.
• Last but not least it gives great taste to our dishes!

• Let's go back to our young pupils' activities now and watch what they have done!

 

Our olive oil ready to travel abroad, to our Erasmus partners and their schools!