Olive Production Support Project: Autumn Harvest Grown Together with the Community

Students harvesting

Carefully hand-picked

As part of the "Olive Production Support Project" (led by instructors Atsushi Mitsumoto, Suguru Toda, and Yukari Ishida), one of the Regional Academic Collaborative Projects, olives were harvested at the Minori no Sato Togane Roadside Station on October 15th. Students from five faculties participated, including students enrolled in the program as well as volunteers such as exchange students from Korea. In addition, approximately 60 people cooperated, including students from JIU Wellness College Program, staff from the Minori no Sato Togane Roadside Station, and staff from the Agriculture Policy Division of Togane City Hall.

This project aims to promote the appeal of olives through student activities in response to Togane City's efforts to brand the region since 2014. Togane City is a city with a thriving olive cultivation industry, and since 2014 the Togane City Olive Association has been promoting cultivation and working to develop the city into a production area. Currently, approximately 2,000 olive trees are grown in the city, and efforts are ongoing daily to brand the area and expand production. Approximately 40 olive trees are also grown at the Minori no Sato Togane Roadside Station, and for the past four years, students participating in the project and the local government have been working together to harvest the olives during the harvest season in mid-October.

Harvesting members receiving an explanation of the sorting method

Students sorting

This year, we focused on the Mission variety grown at the Minori no Sato Togane Roadside Station, carefully hand-picking each and every ripe, glossy black fruit and refreshing yellow-green fruit. After harvesting, we proceeded with the sorting process, removing the stems and checking for insect damage. The harvest volume for this day was approximately 200 kg. As oxidation begins immediately after harvest, the oil was extracted on the same day.
One of the students who participated said, "Even though I was involved in the project, I rarely had the opportunity to touch olives until the harvest. I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to experience this."

Professor Mitsumoto teaching how to make olive crowns

Students from the Regional Studies Collaborative Creation Project making olive crowns

In addition to harvesting, the students are creating "olive crowns" using olive branches and leaves, and are devising ways to make the most of the olives' appeal. These crowns are also used in ways other than for food, such as being presented to winners of the Togane-Kujukuri Surfing Half Marathon and the Shinshu Azumino Half Marathon, held in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture, Togane's sister city.

The olives harvested this time will be salted and used on Menu at the roadside station's restaurant, "Cafe & Ristorante Toccino." They will also be made into olive oil and sold at the roadside station, Minori no Sato Togane. Furthermore, at the "JIU Festival" to be held on November 8th and 9th, there will be an exhibition, production, and sales booth for this project. Please stop by if you are visiting.