Organic Olive Oil - The long way off the tree into the bottle
![Produktion 1 Taking care of our olive trees](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-1.jpg)
In organic farming absolutely no benefit of chemical agents is made, neither to fight diseases nor for fertilizing. We fertilize our olive trees individually and only with natural manure.
![Produktion 2 Harvesting olives by hand and with nets](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-2.jpg)
The harvest is crucial for the production of good quality olive oil and the methods vary depending on the region and altitude. The harvesting of the olives in our region is done either by tapping the branches or by using vibrating machines. For collecting the olives huge nets are laid out under the trees.
![Produktion 3 Collection of ripped olives](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-3.jpg)
The olives are roughly separated from branches and leaves by a large screen, bagged and transported to the mills for further processing.
![Produktion 4 Smash olives to get the oil](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-4.jpg)
It is best to collect the olives when their color has changed from green-yellow to purple-black. Only then will the olives have reached the ideal ripening stage. In the oil mill the olives are removed and washed of the remaining leaves and branches. At least two days after the harvesting heavy oil mills out of stainless steel crush the olives to a wet slurry.
![Produktion 5 Separating olive oil and water](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-5.jpg)
In a big metall centrifuge, the oil is separated and filtered from the water.
![Produktion 6 Preparing olive oil for transport](https://www.dafni-sitias.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Produktion-6.jpg)
After settling the oil is filled up in bottles or cans and prepared for transport.