The first olives have been harvested and pressed for oil. Many of the trees are in remote locations, and the olives must be brought out by camels to the nearest road.
The olive trees at Arbain are old, and the olives produce a rich oil.
The olive trees at Bostane are not as old, and these produce less oil.
The olives are fed into a mill, which turns them into pulp. This is stirred for a set time, after which the oil is separated through a centrifuge.
Fresh olive oil has a mineral fragrance and a rich, complex taste.
Father Michael is in charge of the olive oil production. Friends of his entered the Sinai olive oil into international competitions, where it won gold medals for its flavour and health qualities.
Dear Father Justin,
How old are the olive trees and how is water supplied to them?
Is the olive oil produced available in the USA?
With best regards,
Richard
The oldest olive trees have been there for many centuries. The monastery is located over a natural aquifer, which forms an oasis, the site of Moses’ well where he gave water to the seven daughters of Jethro. The water table is thirty feet below ground level. Wells throughout the garden supplied water, once brought up by cantilevered buckets. Today, the ancient cisterns are still used, but now filled with electric pumps. And black rubber hoses have replaced the ancient channels that carry the water from the cisterns to the areas of the garden. Everything must be irrigated in the summer, since it only rains in the winter. The oldest olive and cypress trees have roots that penetrate to the ground water.
Most of the olive oil is used within the monastery or given out as gifts. There are times when we also have some available in the gift shop.
Beautiful photos and words. Well done to Fr Michael and all involved in the olive oil production!
Dear Father Justin,
Thank you so much for the photographs.
I was passing everyday by the trees (as long as I was at Sinai), and saw them with great love, wondering how vivid and fresh they were. I noticed that there must be plenty of ground water there —