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2011 Cont(1) @ Oregon Olives™ |
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Oregon Olives |
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Think global - buy local. |
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Oregon Olives |
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Oregon Olive Oil |
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Oregon Olive Trees |
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David Lawrence: David@OregonOlives.com |
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To contact us: |
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July 24, 2011
Peak Bloom Well, we are finally there! For our trees in the ground, right about now seems to be the peak of blooming. It didn't really turn out as we had thought with different cultivars blooming at distinctly different times; but rather just an extended blooming season with each tree continuing to open new blossoms once it started. Interestingly, the cultivars we consider the best adapted (Arbequina, Leccino, Pendolino, Frantoio) are all amongst the last to start blooming. That may be just another way of saying that we started with olive trees with smaller olives traditionally used for making olive oil, and then expanded into dual purpose cultivars with larger fruit; one would expect to have these sorts of cultivars to have earlier bloom (and a longer growing season). That's not a problem by the way - there is very little chance of olive blossoms being damaged by freezing temperatures here in Oregon, IMHO! After all, wow, we are talking July this year! Could it ever possibly be later than this?
Coratina (same tree featured in last year's blooming reports, and see June 6 2011 below too): |
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Aug 11, 2011
Farming is a hard way to make a living The winds in the olive groves are telling me that north coast California is going to have yet another poor low yielding year; e.g. a very light crop at McEvoy Ranch, and Ridgely Evers of DaVero has declared a "crop failure" due to poor pollination. It struck me as passing strange that when I was down in California giving a lecture on olive growing, that what the Californians most asked about were pollination problems. Well, I was at a loss for answers: we don't have any pollination problems here! I can't help but think the climate zones are moving north, more and more to favor Oregon as the years go by.
Arbequina, Reken Estate 08/11/11: |
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Aug 12, 2011
But, is it worth it? A while ago I was down in California giving a lecture "Growing Olives on the Edge" at a California Rare Fruit Festival. One old guy in the audience kept heckling me every five minutes or so: "But, is it worth it?" To this day the only thought I have is that he must have been a real "dollars and cents" guy.
Recently, I posted on an internet forum, the "cloudforest", where people pushing the climate limit of plants hang out, and darn it if the same thing didn't happen! A board member posted back at me essentially the same question: "But, is it worth it?". Strange world we live in, to this day I am still not sure what he objected to either.
Because the answer is: "Yes, of course it is worth it to me, or I wouldn't be doing it!" Call me an ambiance and feel guy, gentleman farmer, lifestyle farmer, or whatever; I simply enjoy walking out and looking at my olive trees. Let alone that my daughter loves our home made olives, and my wife the olive oil.
But it did get me thinking; at what point would it "not become worth it"? Well, the worst that can happen is that we set a new record low temperature of all time, which would pretty well wipe out my groves (old trees, say maybe 50+ years, would probably survive and push new growth from their roots, as happened in the great historic freezes of the old world; for one example, see here. It is said there was not a green olive leaf left in all of France after this event, but a lot of the olive trees came back from the roots).
So, I now am putting together a varietal collection of every cultivar I have (60 and counting), in pots, such that I can protect them and bring them through such a devastating event.
And so now, I can't think of another way it would ever become "not worth it" to me!
Currently, 42 cultivars in my olive tree varietal collection: |
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Aug 12, 2011
Growing olive trees on the U.S. East Coast I get a fair amount of email from people on the East Coast wanting to grow olive trees. I help them as best I can (seeing as how I grow in a Mediterranean climate on the west coast), but strongly emphasize that even the best young olive tree cultivars are not cold hardy below 15 F. So, for the mid-Atlantic states north, I emphasize that in my opinion three season outdoor growing in pots, moving them to a "cool" greenhouse or such in the winter, is going to be the best approach.
Well, there is an operation in New Jersey that is following this exact approach: Cream Ridge Olive Oil Company LLC. Eric was kind enough to send me a picture of his 200 olive trees. He plans to add another 200 olive trees next year, up-pot them as necessary, and make olive oil. Looks like Eric is on the right track to me!
Cream Ridge Olive Oil Company LLC, early August 2011, in New Jersey: |
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Aug 12, 2011
Table Olive Cost Analysis For those interested in making table olives for commercial sale, here is an analysis:
This study looks to be a bit dated (about 2006 or so?), but things haven't really changed a lot if you are just looking at a guide to follow to develop your own cost analysis. |
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Aug 20, 2011
Stripping ain't easy Sounds like a name for a good Country and Western song, eh? But I am talking of stripping olives off of olive trees (too much pollination). We decided earlier this year to do the right thing and strip all the olives off our young olive trees. But it is a lot of work - more than harvesting them, being as they are so small, and with no immediate gratification! Even stripping the small trees in our nursery is a lot of work. This small Ageezy Shami tree had 85 olives on it. I will admit to leaving half a dozen on the tree - this is the first year it has fruited. |
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Aug 20, 2011
So, tell me, how are things really going, growing olive trees in Oregon? Every once in a while somebody asks me that question. The best answer I have is "Come out and see for yourself!". We will be open for end of summer tours and olive tree sales in September. See Oregon Olive Trees for details. We will have olive trees of about 20 cultivars for sale, and prices for olive trees as low as $5.00 each (seconds). So, if you want to learn more about what is really happening with olive trees in Oregon, and especially if you have thought about planting some olive trees yourself, I hope you can come and visit! |
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Sept 16, 2011
When to pick olives? This year we intend to pick all of our olives "green ripe" for table olives; for several reasons. A long slow start to the summer is leaving us a bit short of growing season, and this is an "off" year (olives are naturally alternate bearing. California is having a really bad "off" year: see NASS and DaVero reports of the 2011 season). Picking of the very earliest table olives, Sevillano, has already started in California (see Penna Olives). But when should we harvest in Oregon?
Reken Estate Sevillano and dime, Sept 16 2011: Pretty big! But, how much bigger will they get? |
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Green ripe olives, in spite of the name, are picked by size, not by ripeness. Olives are one of the few fruits that must be processed to become edible, and one of the very few fruits where the flavor profile is not dominated by "sweet". So and thus, they can be picked strictly based on when they get as big as desired, after pit hardening and before veraison (color change, when they are no longer green and firm textured).
So, when to pick here in Oregon? Especially in a late year, we probably want to wait as long as possible, since they keep increasing in size the longer they hang on the tree (until just about the same time as the color changes).
So, sounds like time for another science experiment! Pick 100 olives, once a week, weigh them, and harvest when the average weight is no longer increasing. So, here we go! For the sample of Arbequina olives picked today, the average weight is 0.45 grams.
Last year, we see from the Dec 05 2010 write-up, Arbequina had an average weight of 0.90 grams at harvest time. Stay tuned, the next sample will be taken Sept 23!
100 Reken Estate Arbequina with U.S. dime for comparison, sampled Sept 16, 2011: |
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"Don't mess with our Sevillano!", saith Rosie the guard cat. |
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Sept 23, 2011
Great idea A bunch of small olive trees in pots can be a real pain to deal with in the winter. Especially moving them in and out of a sheltered area (barn, garage) repeatedly during storms. A great idea from R. Adams in Roseburg OR: put them on a flat bed trailer! It then becomes trivial to wheel them into a barn to protect them, and to move them back out after the winter storm has passed. |
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I have always thought that the Roseburg area would be one of the best places in Oregon to plant olive trees.
This weeks data on Arbequina olive size: 100 olives averaged about 0.55 grams each.
09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight. 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight.
An interesting blog post from Sicily on last years olive crop:
Curing Nocellara del Belice Olives
Doesn't it just make you want to go out and pick some olives?! |
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Sept 30, 2011
It's all about Advertising, Marketing and Sales. What a great country! It is no longer good enough to plant a fall cover crop of "Soil Builder Economy" blend seed. Now I can plant "Eco-Sustain" cover crop seed. Wow. That makes me feel better already. Exact same fine product, but now with a name I can proudly share with the world! No more cringing needed that I am not so wealthy and use an economy blend. Where would I be without these people?! |
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Eco-sustain 65% oats cover crop: 15% winter peas 10% Oregon vetch 10% crimson clover
This weeks data on Arbequina olive size: 100 olives averaged about 0.56 grams each. Not much happening out there in the fields this week it would seem; stay tuned for next week! Last years end of season's number for Arbequina was an average of 0.90 grams weight.
09.30.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.56 grams weight. 09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight. 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight. |
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Oct 07, 2011
Veraison in southern Oregon D. Adams supplied these pictures of olives taken this week in southern Oregon, just to the west of Roseburg:
Left: Leccino starting to turn color. Right: They are getting big down there! Some Leccino are already up to an inch long. |
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Speaking of size, this weeks data on Arbequina: 100 olives averaged about 0.62 grams each. Last years end of season's number for Arbequina was an average of 0.90 grams weight.
10.07.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.62 grams weight 09.30.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.56 grams weight 09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight |
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Oct 14, 2011
The annual "Battle for the Grapes" between The Grape Guys and The Birds has started. So far though, it seems much more subdued than last year. By both parties: The Grape Guys aren't putting nearly the effort into it that they did this time last year, and The Birds are only small and scattered flocks. I have heard that the pinot noir grapes wont be ready until very late this year: the thinking is harvest the last week of October. We shall see how it ends here shortly, I guess.
Interestingly, "grape degree days", the measure of accumulated heat used in the wine making industry, ends Oct 31. Maybe that's just when it doesn't make a difference anymore? Or, nobody has ever had a reason to harvest grapes later than that? Not sure… anybody out there know the answer?
In so far as olives go, they do continue to ripen and change color. We shall see what the end of the season brings for the olives here shortly too, I guess! |
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This weeks data on Arbequina:
10.14.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.65 grams weight 10.07.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.62 grams weight 09.30.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.56 grams weight 09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight
Last years end of season's number for Arbequina was an average of 0.90 grams weight. Somehow, I just don't think we will get there this year... |
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Oct 13, 2011
News Flash! Harvest of Nocellara del Belice (by the real Sicilians) to make olive oil has started!
While we intend to make table olives out of our Nocellara del Belice, it is good to know that they can and are harvested really early in their area of origin. Some day, maybe soon, we will get enough of these olive trees so that we can make table olives and have enough to mill for oil too. Soon, very soon. By next year we should have enough NdB (as they are affectionately known around here), to supply ourselves and everybody else who wants to try and plant them: 400 more trees coming next spring! |
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Oct 16, 2011
Coloring up A few cultivars are starting to change color. Most are turning a slightly yellower shade of green, but Nocellara del Belice is starting to turn a characteristic reddish brown color.
Which means we should start harvesting olives soon! And re-evaluating which olives to turn into table olives, and which to grind up (to make olive oil), as it is getting clear most of the olives are not sizing up well this year. |
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Oct 21, 2011
Go-fer Gal at work Thanks to Carmen, the latest expansion grove at The Reken Estate now looks very neat, with each olive tree having a pile of winter earth mulch mounded up around it: |
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Some people use sawdust for the same purpose. But you really have to watch out for voles nesting in organic material next to the trunk - and girdling them. Just seems easier and safer to take a lesson from the gophers and make dirt mounds.
Some interesting press this week, for those into olive oil:
California's Olive Oil Challenge Europe's Beyond extra virgin … olive oil
And some even more interesting analysis as to what it's all about:
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This weeks data on Arbequina:
10.21.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.66 grams weight 10.14.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.65 grams weight 10.07.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.62 grams weight 09.30.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.56 grams weight 09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight
Last years end of season's number for Arbequina was an average of 0.90 grams weight. So, OK, the best laid plans must change - instead of making the bulk of our olives into table olives, I think we are gonna mill some oil in November... |
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Oct 24, 2011
You will never see olives like this at Oregon Olives: |
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These are ugly, machine harvested California Arbequina olives brought in by another Oregon olive mill to run their machine. It's truly hard to imagine how anybody can make an extra virgin olive oil out of such old, bruised, damaged and fermented olives. Let alone that it looks like there is some olive fruit fly damage (up to 10% olive fruit fly damaged olives, with olive fly grubs in them, are allowed in California; the olive fruit fly is not present in Oregon).
Uggh!
We don't even want such olives on our mill site, as the most likely way the olive fruit fly will get to Oregon is by being brought up in fruit like this. This is just one of the many reasons Oregon Olives is committed to use only 100% Oregon grown fruit!
And of course, pity all the sad consumers tasting the resulting olive oil and imaging this is what Oregon extra virgin olive oil really tastes like.
Sigh. Educating people is hard enough, without this sort of unscrupulous activity going on.
OK. Rant over. But if you want to bring olives to our free Custom and Community milling days, don't bring old junk like this. |
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Oct 28, 2011
Green bullets They started harvesting the main pinot noir groves on our hill today. This year, the grapes have apparently matured faster than the olives. Last year, olives were ready for green ripe table olives slightly before they picked the pino. Not so this year - all the olives are still as hard as green bullets and unsuitable for making green ripe table olives, let alone olive oil.
This weeks Arbequina size data:
10.28.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.69 grams weight 10.21.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.66 grams weight 10.14.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.65 grams weight 10.07.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.62 grams weight 09.30.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.56 grams weight 09.23.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.55 grams weight 09.16.11 100 Arbequina olives average 0.45 grams weight
Still gaining weight, slowly, ever so slowly.
This week I have left the picture at a larger size (see below), so a better comparison can be made to the machine harvested California olives shown second below. Differences to note:
Oregon grown Arbequina are clearly greener and less ripe, as is to be expected. My estimate over the years is that we are approximately one month behind California, most all years.
Oregon grown Arbequina are clearly smaller than California fruit, as is again to be expected. Sunshine is the energy powering olive groves, and we just don't get as much sunshine as the California olive growing districts do. By the way, this fruit size issue may not be as apparent in other cultivars. This year we will again be publishing an olive size pinwheel to illustrate what Oregon grown olive cultivars can achieve. Right now, Nocellara del Belice looks to be a standout for size.
Hand harvested Oregon fruit (the 100 sample picture) clearly shows no handling damage as compared to the machine harvested California fruit. And, thank all goddess's of good fortune, no olive fly grub damage!
And something hard to see: the Oregon grown Arbequina are hard as rocks, and totally unsuitable for milling. So, if you see anybody claiming to be milling "Oregon Olive Oil" now, don't believe it. While milling California fruit and calling the result Oregon olive oil is not exactly illegal, it is smack dab in un-ethical. |
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Oct 29, 2011
Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of the Year This award is from Flos Olei, and goes to Azienda Agricola Biologica Titone in Sicily. Of interest, this superb olive oil, "Titone DOP Valli Trapanesi Biologica" is made from 80% Nocellara del Belice and 20% Biancolilla.
Charles Quest-Ritson in his book "Olive Oil", also praises this oil, calling it "stunning".
Well, as for me, it makes my mouth water to want to taste it! But I will have to settle for a walk amongst our own very young Nocellara del Belice olive trees, dreaming of the day when I can make olive oil from their fruits. And I've just got to locate some Biancolilla and add them to our collection of olive trees.
They say dreaming can make you young again, don't they?
Reken Estate: Nocellara del Belice on planting day, Sept. 2011: |
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Nov 01, 2011
The Oregon olive harvest has started! It may still be too early to harvest for green ripe table olives this year, but we decided we have waited all the way to November, and it is time to get going. So we harvested two of the cultivars that are the most advanced.
Reken Estate, Nocellara del Belice. 100 olives, average weight 3.8 grams: |
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Also from the older trees at the Reken Estate are these Amfissa. These particular fruits are all off of the same tree, and just beginning to get a yellowish blush. Aren't they pretty?!
Reken Estate, Amfissa. 100 olives, average weight 3.7 grams: |
