Room N. 2 represents the traditional olive harvest.
"A San Martì, s'éndrisa en pè le scalì"
This proverb in the dialect of Limone means: “On St. Martin’s Day the ladders are straightened”.
It describes the beginning of the traditional olive harvest, which often coincides with St. Martin’s Day, on the 11th of November.
During the harvest, the typical wooden ladders, called “scalì”, were securely stuck in the soil near the olive tree, placed on the tree itself, and tied with a rope.
The olives used to be harvested manually and the fruits were collected in a traditional container made from goat or donkey skin, the “grumiàl”.
The olives that fell on the floor were rapidly picked up by women and kids.
Nowadays specific tools are used in order to accelerate the process, such as special pliers and nets to collect the olives that fall.
Afterward, the olives are transported to the oil mill, where they are pressed with traditional millstones to produce the precious extra virgin olive oil.
Did you know about this tradition in Limone? Let us know in the comments!