We follow the biodynamic calendar, pay attention to lunar cycle, but what propels us forward is the power of the sun.
We are thriving to create the best condition for our trees to nurture and defend themselves. At this purpose we are using for over 10 years efficient micro elements, tiny ‘beneficial’ bacteria that digest the soil, transform our fertilizer and act as caretakers of our animals. Such creating a ‘rich organic’ condition of our soil.
A careful pruning at the beginning of the year is immediately followed by the fertilizing of the soil. This fertilizer is produced in-house via combining and fermentation of equine manure, chipped pruning and olive mash. Starting April we open the gates and our horses graze in the olive grove, naturally controlling the growth of grass.
In August we prune the watershoots, monitor for potential ‘olive fly’ (Bactrocera oleae) infestations by hooking traps into the tress made from ammoniac and protein. In 20 years of farming, we have never used neither Dimetoato nor heavy metals like copper. Instead, we finetuned an approach to agriculture that is based on self defense and variety. By planting lots of lavender, medicinal plants and typical Tuscan flowers on the boarders of the olive grove, we successfully attract a rich variety of insects, offer nutrition to our bees, and attract a lot of birds who feed on the various insects.
We harvest our olives between the middle of October and the middle of November. We process the olives between 8 and 2 hours after harvest, while exercising always a strict temperature control.
Right after the harvest we allow our chicken to roam the olive grove in order to ‘clean’ of the soil from left over olives who can potentially house and attract the dangerous olive fly and larva for hibernation in our soil.