University of California Cooperative Extension FFirstirst PPressress

Newsletter of Oil production and Evaluation

Volume 3, Number 3 Spring 2008 SENSORY DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS

Figure 1. Evaluation Mission Cultivar Harvested 11-18-07 (MI-3.8) Grown in Sonoma - Tasted 2-22-08

Overall Quality

Balance

Complexity

Aroma Intensity

Total Flavor Intensity

Fruit Intensity

Bitterness

Pungency

Sweetness

Astringency

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Descriptive analysis is a sensory method by which the attributes oil using a trained panel of experts. The University of California of an olive oil are identifi ed and quantifi ed using specially trained Research Taste Panel, led by Paul Vossen, has been meeting sensory panelists. The analysis can include all aspects of the oil such about every two weeks for three years in Santa Rosa, California as aroma intensity, bitterness, pungency, fruit intensity, total fl avor, at the UC Cooperative Extension offi ce. This panel has been using sweetness, astringency, color, texture, complexity, balance, fi nish, descriptive analysis to categorize olive oils and identify common and overall quality (see fi gure 1). Normally it also includes the characteristics by variety, growing conditions, location (terroir), identifi cation of defects, if any are present. It also should include fruit ripeness, and by processing method. In 2005 a new UC the notation of the intensity of specifi c characteristics that describe 15-Point Profi le Sheet was developed for more detailed analysis the positive attributes of an oil in detail. These might include the of extra virgin olive oils. It uses a 15 point scale for positive typical fl avors used internationally to describe oils, such as: ripe attributes and it records the tasters’ impressions of additional olive fruit, nutty, fl oral, buttery, tropical, banana and berry; or aspects, including the harmony and complexity of the oil. Data green olive fruit characteristics such as: fresh cut grass, collected from olive oil artichoke, herbaceous, green apple, green banana, green tea, characterizations done Subscribe to First Press In this issue mint, eucalyptus, tomato by the UC Research Taste leaf, spice, wood-hay- Panel have been entered (It’s free!) straw, or other (see fi gure into a new File Maker Send an email to Vicki Rios (vsrios@ Sensory Descriptive Analysis 1 2). Sensory descriptive database that can store ucdavis.edu); please include your Lodi Course Info 3 analysis precisely and retrieve data on name, address and phone number. Chile & Argentina 4 Don’t forget to tell your spam fi lter! identifi es and measures each oil that has been Calendar of Events 5 the perceived sensory evaluated. Special Report 6 properties of an olive (Sensory cont. on p.2) 1 First Press NewsleĴ er of Olive Oil Production and Evaluation Spring 2008

(Sensory, cont. from p.1) Figures 1 and 2 are examples Figure 3. Varietal Trial Spanish 10-12-05 Bitter of bar graphs 2.5

Berry Pungent used to display 2 the results. Similar work 1.5 has been done 1 Almond Fruity

in Spain, Italy, 0.5 and Australia to characterize oils 0 using a spider Artichoke Walnut Husk web type graph (see fi gure 3). A lot of work still needs to be done here in California to fi ne tune the methodology and to collect enough data on the infl uences of variety, growing region, processing method, etc. International cooperation in this eff ort is also very important in order Tomato Green leaf to make sure we are using the same vocabulary to describe the fl avors found in diff erent olive oils. The panel evaluations go way beyond just Grassy identifying if an olive oil has a defect or not; the tasters also give a Descriptive analysis with a trained taste panel is a powerful tool detailed descriptive analysis of an oil’s positive characteristics. Like that provides valuable information that cannot be obtained by all panels a minimum of eight tasters is usually necessary to get a any other analytical methods. For example an oil that is unbiased and statistically valid evaluation. Every olive oil has a unique identifi ed as “extra virgin” with a free fatty acid level below 0.4 sensory fi ngerprint. Qualitative aspects of an olive oil combine to and a peroxide level below 15 may be going fl at, starting to defi ne it by aroma, fl avor, color, and texture, which diff erentiates it from turn rancid, and not appreciated by consumers. Or conversely, others. Quantitative aspects defi ne to what degree each characteristic an oil may be characterized as having a large number of is present in the oil being evaluated. For example, two oils may have complex fruit fl avors, adequate pungency, but excessively high very similar or the same qualitative descriptors, but diff er signifi cantly bitterness that makes is unpalatable to most people. These oils in the intensity of each, thus making them very diff erent oils. might be able to be blended in with other oils or various (Sensory cont. on p.3)

Figure 2. Olive Oil Flavor Characteristics Mission Cultivar Harvestd 11-18-07 (MI 3.8) - Sonoma 3 Ripe Fruit

Green Fruit 2

1 Flavor Strength

0 R O N F B T B O G G A H G G G M E T S W O i u l u r a t r r r e r r r u o p t p t o o i o h t t n h e a t r e e e n c m i h e t r t p i b c o e a a e e s c e e e t a e y e a e d r l i r n s h a n n n l r O r c n y t ( y o c / R a a O ( A B T o ( h s l f e p s i i l k a p v p l r o p a e t L p i e e u y e e v p n a e e e s u s / c e l a a c s F h s e i F n f i t f r F f r y u r C a y u r a ) i ) i u u w " t t i t " n t ) c e i n t t n l e a " m o n Specific Flavor Characteristics "

2 First Press NewsleĴ er of Olive Oil Production and Evaluation Spring 2008

(Sensory, cont. from p.2) means taken to avoid these problems in the future. Knowing the specifi c characteristics via panel descriptive analysis can Olive Oil Sensory Research help a producer select which varieties to grow, change irrigation levels on the trees, harvest earlier or later, or to manipulate the at UC Davis paste fi neness, malaxation time and temperature, and or the Professor Jean-Xavier Guinard from the UCD Science oil storage conditions. It can help new producers learn how to Department is leading two research projects designed to enhance evaluate their own oils, make better oils, and gain recoginition the quality and economic viability of California olive oil. The for the oils at competitions. It can also teach consumers about project will develop sensory criteria for the evaluation of olive positive oil fl avor characteristics, how to diff erentiate between oil, and educate consumers on the characteristics, uses, and olive oils in the market, and how to appreciate diff erent oil fl avors health benefi ts of California olive oil. The fi rst research project with diff erent types of . focuses on the sensory properties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It entails the development of a descriptive analysis methodology, an One of the most complex dilemmas we will be facing in the investigation of the construct of sensory quality, as measured by near future with our projected increases in olive oil production members of your industry and by experts (IOOC Taste Panel), and in California will be to diff erentiate our oils from similar priced a study of consumer preferences for olive oil. To this end, we are imported products available in super markets. The fl avor of our gathering a set of extra virgin olive oils that covers the range of California oils will be the key diff erance and descriptive analysis sensory properties found in EVOO (from diff erent styles, varieties the key tool used to help convince American consumers to buy and origins - local oils and imports). If you would like to contribute the better product. your oil(s) to this study in exchange for the results of the research, in the form of scientifi c publications as well as data fi les in which your product(s) would be identifi ed, we would need 3 cases of 12, 375-mL bottles of oil or the equivalent total volume. We will be UC Production Course capping the number of products for this study at 25. The second project investigates consumer perceptions of EVOO and 2008 Information it uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand perceptions, usage, attitudes, knowledge and beliefs of consumers toward EVOO. It involves substantially less tasting of the oils and for that project we are seeking a donation of 1 case The powerpoint presentations from the recent Olive Production of 12, 375-mL bottles of oil or the equivalent volume. Again, we for Oil short course in Lodi are available on my website at: would provide you with the results of the research in exchange for http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu You can view the following your donation. presentations from each of the speakers: If you are interested in participating in those important research • The New Olive Center at the UC Davis Robert initiatives, please contact researchers: Claudia Delgado (cdelgado@ Mondavi Institute - Dan Flynn ucdavis.edu), Metta Santosa ([email protected]) or Jean-Xavier • What is Happening in California and the Olive Oil Guinard ([email protected]) World - Paul Vossen • New Cost Studies for the Super-high-density Olive Oil System - Karen Klonsky • Modern Olive Oil Production Systems in Spain - Joan Tous • Harvest Machinery for Oil - Louise Ferguson • Olive Orchard Establishment - Joe Grant • Irrigation Management Oil Olives - Joseph Connell • Irrigation Quality for Oil Olives - Joe Connell • Nutrient Considerations for Oil Olives - Joe Connell • Orchard Floor Management for Olives - Tom Lanini • Oil Olive Varieties - Paul Vossen • Pest Control for Olives - Bill Krueger • Olive Fly Control - Marshall Johnson • Market Outlook for California Olive Oil - Alan Greene

3 First Press NewsleĴ er of Olive Oil Production and Evaluation Spring 2008 What is Happening in Chile and Argentina? I had an opportunity to travel to Argentina and Chile to do some olive trees. I also had the opportunity to observe the machine work on olive harvester evaluation and to observe a portion of harvesting both Arbequina and Barnea trees for oil as they were their industries. I was there in late February – early March during getting it and the mill ready for oil harvest season. About 50 of these the harvest season for Manzanillo table olives, which would be machines are being used now in Argentina, Australia, and Europe equivalent to late August – early September here. with success. Argentina: Argentinian growers have planted about 250,000 The Colossus is essentially an alternative method for harvesting acres of olives in the central and north west provinces. The large 14 ft (4.3 m) tall trees that were planted about 20 ft. (6 m) apart primary area I observed was part of the Catamarca province near instead of using trunk shakers. The machine is large, heavy, and La Rioja. I must admit seeing some of the most beautiful orchards complicated. It is also quite sturdy and removes 95-99% of the fruit I have ever seen. Most of the orchards were very large – over with effi ciency. The machine we observed had been operating the 1,000 acres, had been planted by absentee investors, and were last two years close to 24 hours/day for several weeks, requiring only being managed by skilled agricultural technicians. Not much periodic maintenance. It can only be used on well drained soils and new planting is occurring at the moment, but there is certainly level fi elds where rainfall and slope do not pose a risk to movement a lot more available land to plant even within most of the farms during the harvest season. The growers I talked to were very happy already growing olives. If they wanted to they could easily plant with their Colossus machines. The mills that I observed in that area another 250,000 acres. of Argentina were quite large, but in proportion to the size of the very large ranches. All were using very modern continuous fl ow To their credit they have taken desert soils covered in scrub brush processing systems. and cactus, applied water, and made olive trees grow to 14 ft tall and 12 ft wide (4.3 x 3.7 m) within 6-8 years. Most of the trees I Chile: The industry in Chile is much smaller with about 25,000 acres saw in this part of Argentina were being trained into the open planted into oil olives. About half of that was planted over the last 15 center form spaced at about 6 x 4 meters (19.7 ft. x 13.1 ft.). They years into wider spaced orchards using Frantoio, , Pendolino, were being hand pruned to thin out branches and they were , and varieties. I observed one large organic orchard being topped and hedged periodically with large mechanical (2,000 acres) being planted to those same varieties at a spacing saws. of about 20 ft. x 10 ft (6 x 3 m). The other half of the industry has Their production was consistently high at over 6 tons per acre in most years on most oil varieties. In some cases they were doing better than that. They had problems, however, growing Frantoio in that area probably due to the variable climatic conditions, but Coratina, Picual, Arbequina, , , Manzanillo, and Barnea were performing very well. Very little of the new super- high-density system was observed or being contemplated there. One of the primary reasons for going to Argentina was to assist Extension Specialist Louise Ferguson at UC Davis in evaluating an over-the-row harvester called the Colossus on large table

been planted to Arbequina, Arbosana, and Koroneiki in the super- high-density system quite recently, all within the last fi ve years. Many orchards are still being planted with plans to plant many thousands of acres more within the next few years – much like California. The new plantings of olives are going in from areas quite north of Santiago (La Serena) to quite south of Santiago (Talca) primarily in the western hills on very large 1,000 acre plus ranches. The orchards I observed were being planted where most other crops would not grow; on shallow soils onto berms with drip irrigation in areas with little annual rainfall. The cost of establishing a new super-high-density orchard in Chile is about $4,500 - $6,000, the fi rst year, including the cost of the land.

Several new mills are being installed or are in the planning stages to accommodate the new plantings. All are ultra modern continuous fl ow systems. All of the oils I tasted in Chile were of excellent quality that could rival some of the best oils of the world. 4 Upcoming Educational Events

• Santa Rosa Junior College, Production and Evaluation Of Olive Oil, Section 9019, SUSAG 118 Thurs. June 19 & 26 6:00 to 9:00pm, Lark Hall, Rm 2070 or Friday June 20 & 27 8:00am to 2:30pm,

Shone Farm, Thomas classroom, Call (707) 527-4685 or visit www.santarosa.edu http://www.santarosa.edu/app/getting-started

• Single Varietal Olive Oils for California : An Educational Tasting, Thursday July 17, 2008 6:00pm NovaVine, 6735 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, email or call Lori @[email protected] or (707)539-5678

PUBLIC NOTICE:

Proposed US Standards for Grades of Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace Oil (Document ID: AMS-FV-07-0080-0007) Comments due by August 1, 2008 1. http://www.regulations.gov 2. http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocumentDetail&o=090000648060bd5f 3. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfi le?dDocName=STELPRDC5069526 - You may have to type in “olive oil standards” into the search box. Then click on the PDF document: DISCUSSION DRAFT FOR REVISION OF THE US STANDARDS FOR GRADES OF OLIVE OIL AND OLIVE-POMACE OIL

Yes, the USDA is fi nally ready to implement standards for olive oil First Press is produced by in the United States. This is your opportunity to comment on the University of California regulation. The proposed standards are very much in line with the Cooperative Extension 133 Aviation Blvd, Suite 109 standards of the International Olive Council (IOC). The proposal defi nes Santa Rosa, CA 95403 the methodologies for both sensory and laboratory analysis. The nine 707-565-2621 proposed grades are: www.cesonoma.ucdavis.edu Paul Vossen, Farm Advisor Articles published herein may be 1. US “Extra Virgin” reprinted, provided no advertisement for a 2. US “Virgin” commercial product is implied or imprinted. Please credit First Press, University of 3. US “Lampanta Virgin” (not fi t for human consumption) California Cooperative Extension Sonoma 4. US “Refi ned” County, citing volume and number, or complete date of issue, followed by inclusive page 5. US “Olive” numbers. Indicate © [date] The Regents of the 6. US “Olive-Pomace” University of California. Photographs may not be reprinted without permission. 7. US “Refi ned Olive-Pomace” © 2007 The Regents of the 8. US “Crude Olive-Pomace” University of California

The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Vietnam era veterans, or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities. University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University’s nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affi rmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94607, (510) 987-0096. 5 University of California Cooperative Extension FFirstirst PPressress Special Report Newsletter of Olive Oil production and Evaluation Modern High Density Spacing and Mechanical Harvest: Options for the Future in California The modern California olive oil the long-range prospects for the orchards. option that has been largely overlooked industry has made enormous progress In a presentation in Lodi in April, Joan in the California olive oil industry: in the past decade and a half, going Tous of IRTA Reus, Spain, outlined modern high density (HD) planting from a handful of small boutique some of the challenges and solutions. for mechanical shaker harvest. Shaker growers in the mid-90’s to over 650 As the orchards age, the yields seem to harvest is widespread in other parts producers including several very large level off and then decrease. Because the of the world, but was not given much companies. The production of olive oil system is new, there is no experience consideration in the early years of the is conservatively estimated to reach with managing SHD plantings more California olive oil renaissance. over one million gallons by the end of than about fi een years of age. In Spain, There are probably several reasons the decade. where the system originated, Dr. Tous for this. Terrain may have been a factor: Most of the growth in olive oil said growers are experimenting with many of our early growers lived in the production and acreage in the past six various approaches to revitalizing hilly areas of coastal California where years has been in super-high-density the orchards: removing every other access may have been an issue. There (SHD) plantings of Arbequina, Arbosana row, severe rejuvenation pruning, and was also the strong infl uence of romance and Koroneiki. The SHD system has replacing the trees entirely. on the young industry; the image of successfully addressed two of the Most modern oil olive plantings in a big noisy machine belching diesel problems that have bedeviled fumes in the orchard didn’t the olive oil industry since the square well with la dolce beginning: the long period to vita. The technology was full production and the high also probably a factor; the cost of harvest. A SHD orchard existing shaking equipment can be expected to produce a in California was mostly crop by three years of age and for nut crops and prunes, be in full production by fi ve. and would require some The high cost of harvest is modifi cation for olives. alleviated by the use of over- Since olive farming in the-row mechanical harvesting California had been geared machines. This greatly increases so long to table olive the speed and reduces the cost production, the challenge of of harvest. harvesting physiologically SHD production is not immature fruit for table without its limitations, olive processing may have however. The olive cultivars been a stumbling block. that are suitable to the low vigor/ A side-by-side shaker harvester grabs the trunk of an olive tree And fi nally, most of the high precocity needs of the system while the catch-frame moves into place early growers of oil olives are currently limited to the three California were done on what is referred in California probably mentioned above. Work is being done to as modern high density (HD) spacing, underestimated just how badly the developing new varieties, but large- with trees from 8 to 20 feet apart and high cost of hand harvest would impact scale availability is a few years away. rows spaced at 16 to 24 feet. Pruning them. SHD production also requires level or was usually to an open vase, with some The HD system presents some nearly level ground and very intensive use of multiple trunks. Harvest was by serious economic issues. A well-managed management. Pruning, irrigation, hand, or assisted-hand using pneumatic orchard can not reasonably be expected fertilization, pest management: all of the combs, mini-shakers or other devices to to yield any substantial crop until it is cultural practices associated with olive speed the process. Collection was with fi ve or six years old, and will reach full orchards must be carefully manipulated nets on the ground or buckets. The cost production at eight to ten years. Clearly, to manage vigor and maintain of harvest by hand ranges from $300/ton the return on investment is going to be productivity. The establishment costs to $600/ton, and more. slower than SHD. And the disadvantages for SHD are also high. An olive oil producer concerned of hand harvest are obvious: cost is high One unknown in the SHD system is with the bo om line does have another and availability of labor is o en an (cont. on p.7) 6 First Press Special Report Spring 2008

(cont. from p.6) issue. But there are some important that gets pulled around the orchard by advantages to HD production as an ATV and is manually unfolded and well. folded. The HD system is adaptable to any The other approach is the side-by- variety of olive. There are hundreds of side shaker system. This consists of olive cultivars to be found, producing two vehicles that drive down opposite an incredible array of olive oil fl avors, sides of the row and interlock around and HD spacing will accommodate a tree. One side grabs and shakes, the any of those varieties. California other side collects and conveys. This has the opportunity to produce system is faster since it is continuous innovative and enticing premium and there is no time spent in deploying olive oils, blending varieties from the umbrella. all over the world. Since California The wrap-around umbrella-type catch frame is one Leandro Rave i of Modern Olives produces a mere 1% of the US’s option for collection with a shaker harvester. in Australia recently compared a number consumption of olive oil, so there is of diff erent mechanical harvesters on reduction in harvest speed, it could well no shortage of market out there. SHD Picual and Barnea trees, spaced about be off set by the very high yields that density Arbequina will certainly be the 13 x 20 . The fi ve machines were an characterize well-maintained, older olive dominant domestic olive oil but there over-the-row New Holland/Braud grape orchards. is plenty of room in the marketplace for harvester, an over-the-row Gregoire All the advantages of HD production other varieties. The parallel o en drawn 113V olive harvester, a modifi ed over- are eclipsed by the cost of harvest if with the California wine industry works the-row spindle coff ee harvester from mechanical harvest cannot be employed. well here: a consumer is most likely Timbercorp/Hasle , the Colossus over- Hand harvest is too expensive to be a to start on something aff ordable and the-row spindle harvester and the COE/ desirable option, although it will always approachable. Branching out into more Hasle side-by-side shaker harvester. have a place in awkward terrain, for adventurous—and more expensive— The parameters that were evaluated certain varieties and in very small-scale bo les will come with time. were speed of operation, harvesting production. Mechanical harvesters The HD system is also more forgiving; effi ciency, trunk damage, canopy damage can be confi gured in numerous ways. it is much easier to manage and requires and hourly rate. The trial harvested trees Because table olive harvest is another less intensive inputs. Traditional olive of two diff erent sizes: three-and-a-half- topic altogether, so we won’t address the tree spacing was huge—30 x 30 year-old trees that were just coming into huge rotating spindle harvesters that are or more—because the trees were dry- bearing, and full-sized trees. The trees being experimented with for table olives. farmed and each tree needed to mine a were trained to an open vase shape. That leaves over-the-row harvesters (the large area to get enough water to survive. Only the Colossus and the COE standard for SHD production), Colossus Modern HD spacing is predicated on were able to harvest the full-sized (another over-the-row type—see the irrigation for the orchard, so the trees are trees. Although the New Holland and article on page 4), and trunk shakers. much closer together, but the irrigation the Gregoire were the fastest and had Trunk shakers take many forms. Some management is not nearly as critical as it good effi ciency in the smaller trees, the are designed for large old trees and can is for SHD production. Sustainability is amount of damage to the canopies in the grab the scaff old branches rather than an important consideration these days, larger trees was high. The COE had the the main trunk. The fruit in such cases and HD olives have good sustainable lowest level of canopy damage, followed is usually caught by nets spread on the potential. At a time when water is a critical by Colossus. The hourly rates for the ground. Since we are aiming for speed issue for our state, it is prudent to think equipment were very similar based on and effi ciency, we will look at systems that about the possibility of water shortages. average contracting and operating costs integrate the collection system with the Establishing trees with strong, extensive in several groves in Victoria, Australia, shaker. Nets on the ground are always a root systems might be good insurance in in 2007. possibility, but then someone has to pick the event of future cutbacks. Rave i’s conclusion was that over- those nets up and tote the olives around, Modern high-density spacing has the-row grape harvesters were an seriously compromising effi ciency. been in use for many years so there is a excellent option for fi rst and second The most fl exible style, because lot of experience with the system. The crops. For the second and third crop it works on a tree-by-tree basis, is the economic viability of an orchard can be years, the Gregoire 113V with its greater umbrella catch-frame. Various levels measured in decades; very high yields headroom and the coff ee harvester were of automation exist, ranging from the and easy management can be maintained reasonably eff ective, but they tended to completely integrated and mechanized 3 for at least thirty years. In Europe, shaker max out on trees over 25m . umbrella that wraps itself around the tree, harvest is used on orchards of all ages. catches the fruit and funnels it to a bin, to Very large older trees may require some the simple small umbrella catch-frame adaptation, but even if there is a (cont. on p 8) 7 First Press Special Report Spring 2008 (cont. from p.7) negotiate an orchard, it should be fi ne for a to harvest and very popular for shaking. A er the third year, the best side-by-side harvester. Others, like Koroneiki, have very high choices were Colossus and the COE Tree training is critical. Shaker harvest removal force and is probably best le to side-by-side, each showing diff erent requires a single trunk of 36–42 inches the over-the-row beater bar harvester. strengths. Colossus had the highest for starters. Because the possibility of There clearly remains much to be fruit removal effi ciency in almost all mechanical harvest was not a consideration done to determine the best practices for cases, with similar speed and canopy when many growers planted their trees, the California HD production. We need to damage to the side-by-side shaker. The issue of training was almost entirely focused experiment with variety selection, tree limitations of the Colossus are related on light exposure and ease of hand harvest. training and orchard layout. Bill Krueger, to its size, diffi culty of transport and As a result, many of our trees branch very farm advisor in Tehama and Glenn cost. It is probably only practical in low—18 or 24 inches—or have multiple Counties, is planning an experimental large-scale plantings. California’s rainy trunks. Shaker harvest also requires a fairly orchard designed specifi cally for fall weather may also be a problem upright structure: scaff old branches should shaker harvest. Louise Ferguson, UCCE be around 45 degrees. specialist based at Kearney Ag Center in Erick Neilsen of Erick Parlier, has also been doing research on Neilsen Enterprises is mechanical harvest of olives for years. experimenting with his shaker California has fi nally earned a seat design over the summer with at the table as a producer of world-class the hope of doing some trial extra virgin olive oil. We are making harvesting of oil olives this great single varietals and blends, fall. According to Erick, there applying our adventurous West Coast is very li le overlap between spirit to creating unique and exciting the pistachio harvest and products. It is time to put that ingenuity the olive harvest; it is worth to work on the practical and economic experimenting to see if the side of oil olive production. Modern same machines could work high density planting of many diff erent for both crops. olive varieties, spaced and trained for More information about shaker harvest, is an option well worth The fruit collects in the valley formed by the shaker and collector and is conveyed to a bin. the suitability of specifi c exploring. olive varieties is needed. —Alexandra Kicenik Devarenne with such a heavy machine. To be a good candidate for effi cient With thanks to Bill Krueger, Louise The side-by-side shaker off ered the shaker harvest, a variety should have Ferguson, MaĴ hew Coe, Erick Neilsen, most fl exibility. It is easy to transport low removal force (the amount of force Leandro RaveĴ i and Paul Vossen between groves but still provides good required to pull a fruit off the branch) and speed and removal effi ciency with reasonably upright growth. Varieties with For further reading: minimal damage. The cost of harvest an extremely pendulous growth habit, for (in AU$ in 2007) was approximately “Olive Tree Density Debate” in First example, will be harder to shake effi ciently. Press NewsleĴ er, Vol. 2, No. 3, Spring ‘07 0.05 to 0.08 per kilogram. That is Some varieties are known for their low http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu approximately $52 to $84 per US ton removal force; Picual is famously easy SpecialtyCrops/Olives.htm (using the current exchange rate). The side-by-side shaker may be a good option for the small and medium-sized growers in California. According to Ma Coe of Coe Orchard Equipment, there is quite a bit of latitude in orchard spacing with the side-by-side confi guration. The minimum between rows is 17 but 20 is preferable. The space between trees can be li le as 8 to 10 . High density orchards in California are o en planted on 9 x 18 or 10 x 20 spacing, so these orchard spacings could accommodate a side-by-side shaker. The side-by-side shaker is also capable of operating in orchards with a substantial slope. The machinery is much less top-heavy than over-the- The side-by-side shaker harvester moving row confi gurations; if a tractor can into position on an olive tree 8