Grinding Away

Millstones

One of the greatest products of the missions was olive oil. The picture here is of a olive mill. Olives gathered by the children were poured into the cement circle. A small, blindfolded mule was attached to the wooden beam and led around the mill. This turned the giant stones at the bottom, crushing the olives. Women sat next to the mill and scooped the crushed olives into sacks. When they were done, they put the sacks into an olive press which sqeezed the oil out. The oil was stored in large clay jars.