This year’s harvest is looking incredibly promising! Back in the spring, our groves were a sea of delicate blossoms. Today, those flowers have transformed into countless tiny, green olives, soaking up the Portuguese sun and growing larger by the day. If all goes well, they will soon become our signature, delicious extra virgin olive oil.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and the harvest in October and November. Until the nets are laid out and the crates are filled, we are keeping a protective, watchful eye on our "babies."
Protecting the Groves from 40°C Heat
Just recently, we faced a brutal heatwave with temperatures soaring past 40°C. When it gets that hot, we have to act fast to protect the trees.
Think of it like putting sunscreen on your kids before they run out to play in the backyard. To shield our olive trees, we sprayed them with a natural clay (called kaolin). This leaves a light, powdery white coating over the leaves that acts as an organic, multi-purpose shield:
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Beating the Heat: The white clay film reflects harsh ultraviolet (UV) and infrared radiation. This lowers the temperature of the leaf surface, which reduces water loss and helps the trees conserve precious moisture during the hottest hours of the day.
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A Natural Pest Shield: It disorients the notorious olive fruit fly (bactrocera oleae) and other pests. Because the leaves are coated in white, the insects can’t easily recognize or land on the olives to damage them.
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Boosting Oil Quality: By taking the edge off the heat stress, the clay protects the tree’s natural photosynthetic activity. A happy, stress-free tree is able to produce healthier olives, which ultimately leads to a much higher quality olive oil.
Eco-Friendly Fly Traps
In keeping with our organic standards, we are also using a simple, traditional trick to naturally combat the flies.
All around the groves, you’ll spot recycled plastic water bottles hanging from the branches. Inside, we’ve placed a sweet, tempting treat at the bottom. The flies are lured inside by the scent, keeping them far away from our developing olives without us having to use a single drop of chemical pesticides.
For now, the summer days are long and our olives are thriving. Let’s hope everything keeps going—and growing—just as beautifully as it is now.
Fingers crossed for a wonderful autumn harvest!
