Celebrate – It is Spring

Time to think about digging in the dirt, planning and planting your garden, and eating fresh vegetables.

Today it is softly raining and we have not yet finished mowing the olive groves. Some of the flowering mustard is as tall as my tractor. Nick, our assistant miller and super helper, keeps the tractor working, filling it with gas, and then sending me back out to mow some more. It is perfect in the grove. The olives are just about to begin blooming. The red wing black birds follow the tractor to pick up worms and bugs. No cell phones. No calls. Just me and the trees and the tractor. Happiness.

Nick and Araldo, our super work guy, have finished the raised vegetable beds. These raised beds are a showcase in front of the olive mill, all 34 of them. Each bed is 4’ x 10’, with chicken wire in the bottom to deter the gophers. This week we spent time planting radishes, onions, beans, chayote, and LOTS more. We envision a profusion of vegetables for our cooking classes and for our olive family. Our Chef is delighted that we are planting the raised beds behind the Visitor Center for herbs, cilantro, parsley, thyme, basil and tiny cucumbers (because they are so cute).  We use Baker Creek Seeds because of their sustainability and their commitment to wonderful products. I get lost in their catalogue, beautiful pictures and planting suggestions (www.rareseeds.com).

Tours of the gardens will be great fun as we watch all things green grow and mature. The new green house is warm and tidy and little tiny sprouts of seeds are popping up.

With great delight, I have been talking to garden clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, and Chambers of Commerce, in Northern California. I have presented our Olive Farm and how we grow olives and make olive oil. We have had some lively discussions about the problem of adulterated olive oils, and how to pair good food with certified extra virgin olive oil. I have met some wonderful people, whom I now consider my friends.

Much thanks to Nick and Araldo for all their hard work building the raised beds and moving dirt.

Come play in the dirt, and watch us grow.  The radishes are up and growing.

Ciao

Ann