Interview: Eid Fghali

Olives_in_a_bag

Aley Mount Lebanon

PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Personal Background
(personal background of the person interviewed, not too much detailed, it depends on the context).

Eid Fghali works in trading field. He started squeezing olives after taking the squeezer and improving his technique thanks to the support of his neighbor. He himself is a farmer, and plants olives (which is the main reason why he got interested in this new field). He loves all natural and local food and products. He has one of the most developed squeezer in the area.

ENVIRONMENT

Description of the environment where one of the activities listed above takes place:
(Please, specify: 1 – name of the local area, 2 – if it’s a place well-known for a specific activity and – if so – which one; 4 – information about plants and landscape related to Mediterranean environment linked to the activity; 5 – any relevant information linked to the research). If it’s possible, take pictures/shoot video of this place.

Bsous Aley Lebanon, 450 meter above sea level . Bsous is one of the famous areas in planting olives and in olive oil production due to large farming areas available. Every family has its own planting area, and you can surely find olive tree planted in front of every house. Years ago, there were around four local factories for squeezing olives for olive oil production, but nowadays only one is still working. This local olive squeezer was 2 years ago an old one where rocks where used to squeeze olives, and to make it work 11 employees were needed. Now it has been replaced by a new modern electrical machine where only one employee is needed.

TECHNIQUE/METHOD
Description of the technique/method/practice implemented. Please, specify – if it’s the case – the timing, the steps and the aim of the activity (to have more material: pictures + video shooting of the usage if it’s possible).

Eid started to work in squeezing olives long time ago, however his main job is in trading.
Squeezing olives is one of his hobbies as he himself is also a farmer and has lots of olive farms in Bsous.
By old way olive oil production can take around an hour or more. However, thanks to this new technique he uses, the process takes around 30 minutes.
Mainly, the machine works without the support of any another element.

PRODUCTS

List of natural products (fruits, vegetables, plants, fish and so on) depending on the activity/the activity is done for and related to the Mediterranean Diet. Promotion of the territory. Promotion of biodiver Promotion of slow and 0% consumptionif it’s the case, how the 0 Km production is working at local level: Region, if it’s a place famous for a specific activity, why and so?

Olives – one of the main common ingredient in Mediterranean Diet – are planted mainly in most Mediterranean Basin.
Lebanon is famous in planting olives and in olive oil production

TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE LOCAL ACTIVITY

If it’s an activity related to the promotion of the territory, the biodiversity and the slow and 0% consumption, please, describe how it works at local level (if it’s related to traditional practice or traditional organization of the food distribution, promotion of territory or 0% consumption).

Olives – one of the main common ingredient in Mediterranean Diet – are planted mainly in most Mediterranean Basin.
Lebanon is famous in planting olives and in olive oil production
During the harvest of olives, people gather there olives and take them for squeezing at the local squeezer. There, they are cleaned in order to remove all dirt and leaves, then olive seed is removed and the process continue to produce olive oil. Then, it is stored and used all over the year. Some also produce soap from olives.
Olive seeds are also presses well and will be used in winter for stoves, chimney etc.

MEDITERREANEAN SOCIETY AND ENVIRONMENT

How did you learn this method/technique/practice?

Learned from his neighbor and friend.

Season (season this activity is specifically carried out)

In olive harvesting season, mainly in autumn

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