Olive Harvesting at Casa Mandello
- 21/10/2026
Traditional methods, olive harvesting and olive oil production
at Casa Mandello
A tradition that lives on
Between October and November, the olive harvest begins on Lake Garda, marking one of the oldest and most characteristic agricultural traditions of the region. This is the time of year when olive groves are prepared for harvesting the fruit used to produce extra virgin olive oil, also known as the “gold of Lake Garda”.
Olive cultivation along the shores of the lake dates back to Roman times. The mild climate of Lake Garda plays a key role in making this possible. Among the most common olive varieties are Casaliva, Frantoio and Leccino, which produce an oil that is generally delicate and fruity, with a distinctive almond aftertaste.
How are olives harvested?
In the past, olives were harvested entirely by hand using a technique known as "brucatura" (hand-picking): olives were carefully removed from the branches, one by one, and collected in baskets or on sheets.
Today, the process has been partly simplified thanks to tools such as rakes, olive combs and electric olive harvesters, which make it easier to reach higher branches and speed up the work.
The harvest begins by spreading nets beneath the olive trees, carefully positioning them to cover the ground around each tree. Olive combs are then used to work along the branches, allowing the olives to fall onto the nets below. Once harvesting is complete, the olives are gathered, separated from leaves and small branches, and placed in special ventilated crates.
These crates allow air to circulate and prevent the olives from being crushed under their own weight.
From Harvesting to Olive oil production
Once harvested, the olives must be taken to the olive mill within 24–48 hours to preserve their quality. Here, they undergo several processing stages: first cleaning and washing, followed by crushing, during which the olives are ground into a paste. The next step is malaxation, a process that allows the small droplets of oil to combine. Finally, mechanical extraction systems separate the oil from the water and solid parts of the fruit.
The result is extra virgin olive oil, one of the most representative products of Lake Garda’s culinary tradition.
At Casa Mandello, olive harvesting is also a tradition that has been passed down for many years.
Every autumn, we prepare the nets, harvest the olives from our trees and carefully place them in ventilated crates, ready to be taken to the olive mill for processing.
It is an activity that still preserves much of the traditional harvesting method and allows us to follow the different stages of production directly, from the olive tree to the finished oil.
This is how Casa Mandello’s olive oil is produced, through an agricultural practice that continues to be part of the history of our home and the local heritage of Salò, on Lake Garda.
Tebaide Media