Originally there were two beautiful olive trees on Rancho del Cielo. They had been planted by the previous owners and left to the elements in the salt air, and hot summers with no irrigation. Being olive trees, they thrived. Olives exemplify the idea of “drought tolerant” but to us they became both inspiration and demonstration because one of our dreams had been to plant an olive grove.
We decided that we wanted to harvest an olive crop which yielded fruit that had complex and interesting flavors. To that end we made a wide selection of trees from the Mediterranean -- trees with fruit rich in a variety of tastes.
In the summer of 2004, we planted a wandering grove of over 200 young olive trees on the south-facing hillsides of Malibu Rancho del Cielo overlooking the ocean. The trees, from Italy, France, and Spain, were chosen for their suitability to the rocky soil, seaside climate, and their characteristics for olive oil production. They include:
Leccino from Tuscany, a rustic variety known for its earthy taste..
Frantioio, another Tuscan variety, which is very fruity, notably aromatic, and of high quality.
Pendolino, which plays a crucial role as an excellent pollinator, both for table and oil cultivars.
Maurino, The oil is delicate and not overly fruity and a native of foggy hillsides.
Carboncella, a rustic Tuscan variety known for its deep violet fruit.
Hojiblanca, an exceptional oil from Spain which was highly prized by the invading Moors.
Picholine, the most popular olive in France. This rustic variety is not just a beautiful source for olive oil, but is famous as the ubiquitous cocktail olive.
Coratina, from the Puglia region of Italy on the Adriatic. In the 4th Century BC, these olives were the source of great wealth amongst the Romans.
Farga, a sweet oil from Spain, which the Romans introduced as they expanded their empire.
Arbequina, the most important variety in Catalonia -- known as the “sweet bride.”
Cornicabra, which in spanish means “goats horn”. This fruit from Andalusia, highly prized for its oil and strong flavor.
Canino, the fruit is emerald green with tones of gold, worshipped by the ancient Etruscans and given as gifts in specially made amphoras.
Cailitier, the main variety of the alpes maritime region near Nice. When cured they are known as the “nicoise”.
Rosciola, from the coastal plain known as the cradle of Rome and the birthplace of Latin. This ancient fruit is known for its authenticity and robust aroma. |
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Our eventual plan is to plant trees from Greece and North Africa. In North Africa it’s said that if a family has an olive tree, they will never go hungry. As we began our research we realized that there is much truth to this idea. To this day, olives are prized, revered, and recognized as one of the healthiest of foods. The history of the venerable olive mirrors the rise of Western civilization. Olea europaea, were first cultivated around 6000 B.C.. The olive tree and its oil were the economic basis for great civilizations. Olive oil was used for food, lighting, skin emollients, and leather preservation. Great ships sailed around the known world with cargos of this liquid gold. Priests and kings were anointed with it. Gladiators bathed in it. Yet to this day, the olive branch is the universal symbol of peace. Some olive trees are known to be over 2000 years old.
Our little trees grew slowly but surely, and now, five years later, they are ready for their first harvest. It is our hope that the Malibu Rancho del Cielo trees will thrive for many millennia…
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