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"رحلة إلى المزرعة زيتون / Trip to the Olive Farm" by Ben Schmida

"رحلة إلى المزرعة زيتون / Trip to the Olive Farm" by Ben Schmida

During the fall semester I was lucky enough to be taken on a daytrip to an olive farm in the north of Jordan with Amideast. It was a great experience spending time with a Jordanian family on their olive farm, helping them harvest olives as well as enjoying a lovely home cooked meal with them. After spending time at the olive farm, we visited an olive oil factory and got to see how the process of making fresh olive oil is made. Below are some of the photos I captured during this experience.

The quaint dirt road leading to the olive farm. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Children of the village run around and play on the road. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

The olive tree before harvesting. Tarps are laid down in order to more easily collect the olives. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Harvesting the olives by hand. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Collecting the olives and sorting them into large canvas bags. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

The northern Jordanian landscape, very reminiscent of the Italian countryside. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

A boy and girl pose for a photograph outside of the olive oil factory. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Farmers smile and laugh outside the olive oil factory. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Fresh olives are dumped into this press which turns olives into olive oil. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

The olive oil factory. Shot on 35mm film with Fuji Superia 400. Photo credit: Schmida, 2021.

Benjamin Schmida is a junior at American University studying on the Area and Arabic Studies program in Amman, Jordan for an academic year.

"Moroccan Clothing and Fashion" by Colleen Daley

"Moroccan Clothing and Fashion" by Colleen Daley

"Wadi Rum’s Ancient Rock Art: A Story of Desert Survival" By Glenn J. Corbett

"Wadi Rum’s Ancient Rock Art: A Story of Desert Survival" By Glenn J. Corbett