In September, the Trás-os-Montes olive grove begins to change color. The olives, which have been light green for weeks, begin to show the first purplish spots. This phenomenon is compared to the work of a painter transforming the landscape of the olive groves.
This moment marks an important change: farmers call it "a safra virou," which means the harvest season has begun. It is the signal that the olive oil is forming inside the fruit, with each day bringing new fat deposited in the olive.
In the region's mills, the quiet preparation of the olive harvest season now begins. Producers are preparing for the intense period of work ahead, when the harvested olives will be transformed into olive oil.
