11 May The mignole, olive treasures

From the floral buds of the olive tree, between mid-March and early May, sprout the “mignole,” small clusters of flowers that will bloom in the following month.

Among the stages of the olive tree’s life cycle, “mignolatura,” immediately preceding flowering, is crucial for future fruit set as the transformation of flowers into fruits.

Weather conditions and the olive farmer’s ability to understand the plant’s needs and take care of it can strongly influence the vegetative-productive balance of the tree and the future success of the annual production.

The old farmer’s proverb “April’s mignola is seasoned with the barrel, May’s mignola only for tasting, June’s mignola, take just a handful” teaches us that from early or late flowering, one can predict a bountiful or meager harvest.

However, the unpredictability of natural events does not allow us to have certainties until the last day of harvest.

This is what we prepare for every year, with the skill of knowing how to welcome events and the experience of knowing how to manage them.