I’ve always wondered about the various competitions, sports and passtimes created around the world and this is a new one for me; Italy has just announced the winners of the National Olive-tree Pruning Championship.
Central Italy is covered with the silvery foliage of olive trees and with the country coming into growing season, I can only assume that this is the prime time for pruning championships.
The idea of the competition is to get back in touch with nature and revive an agricultural craft that is being lost.
The competition is organised by the Marche Food Farming Service Sector (Assam) in collaboration with the regional government and business newspaper Sole 24ore.
Italy’s central regions of Umbria, the Marche and Molise finished on the podium, with Lazio and Sardegna also appearing in the top ten.
The rules are quite strict, allowing only the use of hand pruning and specified equipment on three adult trees with a maximum time frame of 30 minutes.
This is the first spring event for the olive-oil making sector, to be followed by the fifth national show and tasting of mono-varietal oils.
Taking place from the 30th of May to the 2nd of June, 370 oils will be on display, 90 more than last year.
Something to think about next time we pop into the supermarket to grab a can of what we think is simple olive oil.