On October 6, we (Shipleys and Bill & Colleen) drove our rented auto down from Madrid to southern Spain. We were in the neighborhood to visit Norwegian friends Lars Helge & Tove Brunborg and to help them with their almond harvest. Also joining in the harvest, and the attendant merry making, were Rasmus and Kari. They bunked at Casa Emilie, villa of Lars Helge & Tove. We stayed in the villa of generous Norwegian friends Bj\u00f8rgulf & Berit Haukelid in the nearby little Spanish village of Itrabo.<\/p>\n
We began the picking on the morning of the day 7th. For a few of the smaller trees, the almonds could just be plucked from the branches, but for most, the almonds were persuaded to release by beating the branches with long sticks. A large net lain underneath the tree collected the proceeds which could then be coaxed into large plastic tubs. The byproducts of the process include leaves and bits of twigs as well as outer husks, so the tubs are taken up for sorting on a table outside of the villa.<\/p>\n
We spent the morning of the 8th picking more almonds, and then all went for a short walk in the neighborhood. That evening, the Americans made dinner.<\/p>\n\n\t\t