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Although some leaves naturally fall with the olives, seasoned olive pickers can pick olives with fewer leaves. We were all pretty careful, and cleaned as we went along. I’m told a few leaves are fine as they impart a good taste. Here I am removing any stray leaves, and here is a penny tiny snail that was clinging to one of the leaves.

Picked olives range in size and color; they can be green, purple, yellow or black, and they differ from tree to tree.