Caltech’s olive trees have been an occasional food source for many people over the years. Although the trees on the Olive Walk were, until recently, sprayed with pesticides making them unfit for food use, the other trees on campus were quite usable. Tom Apostol, Professor of Mathematics, used to make Greek olives from the trees by preserving them in salt water and rinsing them to remove the tannins. The Caltech grounds department joined the project, gathering olives and sending them to the Regalo Extra Virgin Oil company, a non profit organization, who pressed the oil. The grounds department labeled and then bottled the oil. Once the oil was packaged it was presented to the administration. Soon a group of Caltech staff and administrators, along with the president of the Santa Barbara Olive Company and a financial consultant, began meeting to plan the first annual festival, which took place November 2, 2007.
This year’s Olive Harvest will take place on Friday, November 9. We hope you will be able to join us for a fun-filled day of harvesting! The harvest will take place between 8:30am and 2:30pm.
Buckets will be provided for olive harvesting. They will be located on Olive Walk between Ricketts and Fleming Houses.
2012 Olive Harvest Event Schedule
8:30 am – Harvesting begins on Olive Walk near Ricketts and Fleming Houses. Donuts will be provided until they run out. Note: Caltech students will need to report to the check-in table prior to picking.
Mid Morning – An infused olive oil tasting station will be located near the weigh-in tables.
11:30 am to 1:00 pm – A Mediterranean themed lunch will be available for purchase outside of Page House (students on the Board Program will not have to pay).
2:30 pm – Harvesting ends. Closing remarks; undergraduate House and Graduate Team contest winners will be announced; raffle drawing will take place.