Olive Oil Adventure

After much gnashing of teeth, our latest issue of the Sylverleaf Press is now available. If you’re a regular customer, you’ll see a copy in the mail or in your e-mail Inbox. If you’re not on the list, what are you waiting for?! You can grab a copy from our website too.

Enjoy!

It’s true.

I can hardly believe it, but Paradise is currently being evacuated… I don’t mean to make light of the situation, but this must be the end of the world.

The tiny town of Paradise, CA was evacuated a few days ago due to raging wild fires. It is a small, hip town, located in the center of olive country. We would like to wish everyone up there the best and hope that losses are minimal. Stay safe.

We have been running non-stop lately. With the warmer weather comes the daily grind of chores in and around the orchard. Everything is growing quickly and profusely and we struggle just to keep up.

The olive bloom is finished for this year. The bloom was very strong with large bunches of flowers on the end of each twig on the tree. I don’t recall any previous flower set that could compare with this year’s. (Well, two years ago, the bloom was very nearly as good, but the weather took that bloom far too quickly.) There are already tiny olives developing on the trees as I write this. Many are about 2mm in diameter and growing quickly.

The weather, especially the harsh wind, has been rather unpredictable this year. The timing for the recent rains and our mini heat wave were right in the middle of the bloom, so we’ll see how the crop set goes. If I had to guess, I’d say that we’re in for another small harvest…

Mother Nature sure is making this difficult.

This spring was looking to be one of the nicest that I can remember. The temperature has been a near perfect 75F with only puffy clouds in an otherwise blue sky. In fact, it has been so nice that we need to get the irrigation system up and running as soon as possible.

Mother Nature was just playing with us. The temperature went from 87F to below freezing in less than two days… Many of the local tree crops, such as almonds, prunes and cherries were severely damaged. Some farmers will not even be able to harvest their trees this year, since the small and developing fruits froze and are now falling from the trees.

We thought that we escaped any damage, but now we can see that’s just not true. There are tiny, not yet fully formed olive flowers that should be a healthy fluroescent green color. They’re brown and shriveled. It still might not affect the crop more by more than 20%, but it’s not good news. Only time will tell if the damage is significant, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

I hope that you can discern the good flowers and the brown, wilted flowers on this branch…

It’s been a busy few weeks around Sylverleaf. (I think that I say that often…)

We have been trying our level best to keep everything under control at this crazy time of year. It seems like there are 50 chores to do at every moment and I think that we are falling further and further behind… But, there is one thought and one distraction that can relieve the pain. First, the thought: The work will still be there tomorrow. Now, the more interesting thing is the distraction. And these distractions do happen quite often. They’re called visitors!

We have hosted quite a few visitors lately. Firstly, Beth’s mother came to Sylverleaf for a really nice (but short) visit. Next up, were the enterprising local pomegranate farmers at Lyon Pride Pomegranates. These folks are truly searching the world for the perfect pomegranate. Did you know that there are more than 100 varieties of this ancient fruit? That visit was followed by two of our most esteemed Orchard Crew members, Chris and Craig. I’m not sure, really, why Craig continues to come to our farm… Maybe it’s the punishment. Without his help, our bottling room walls would barely be up. Before these guests departed, we were treated to a visit from our favorite Portlandian, Blake and her friend Kristy. If you’d like to see some amazing jewelry, made by an equally amazing artist, check out magma. Buy something beautiful from Blake while you’re there too!

All of these people do force us to slow down a bit — only a bit. Their company is a welcome relief and they remind us that it isn’t only about the hard work…

There are not too many things in life that make me more angry than thievery. But the fact is, it happens. Unfortunately, I have many (too many) stories of personal theft. But I will focus on some thieves I would never have expected.

I am forced to write about these thefts, because they all involve random instances where Sylverleaf olive oil has been STOLEN!

I will not get too direct or divulge too much information, but I have recently received news that some of our very treasured Verde never made it into the hands of a special recipient. It turns out, after a bit of investigative work, that this person’s Verde package was delivered. It appears that some mean roommate decided to keep it for themselves, leaving our customer thinking the package was never delivered. She has since then moved out, with no way to reclaim her Olio Nuevo.

There was also the situation at our local club (a community non-profit) - two bottles of very limited and precious Sylverleaf Estate oil were purchased and accidentally left behind by a loyal friend/customer. It seemed amazing that folks regularly leave lighters, cigarettes, clothing, wallets and /or cash laying around. Those items could always be found, even weeks later, behind the bar. But somehow, no one knew what happened to the Sylverleaf. It was if the olive oil simply disappeared… After a couple of days, one of the bottles was returned-unopened. The other-never to be seen again.

But my personal favorite instance happened a few years ago. We have a local EDC (Economic Development Corp) and we have been involved with and members of this wonderful organization for some years now. The EDC displays some of their members products at the entry way to the offices. We placed two bottles of Sylverleaf olive oil on the display and apparently, after a meeting one day (with some very prominent local figures) one of the bottles of Sylverleaf was gone!!! But the best part is this - the bottle was filled with water and clearly marked “For Display Purposes Only“!!

There have been multiple reports of Sylverleaf olive oil going “missing” or generously given away (by accident). I have heard countless stories of people telling me that so and so came for a visit, and how they shared the olive oil at dinner. The next thing they knew, their olive oil walked out the door with their guests/children/or other relatives.

I was told by a dear neighbor that she loves her olive wood coasters so much, that she writes her name on them so no one will steal them! Crazy stuff, huh!?

I find it sooooo facsinating, in a twisted sort of way, that Sylverleaf is worth stealing… If you have an interesting tale about your Sylverleaf olive oil, we’d love to hear about it!!

November 2007

When I think back on the choices I’ve made in my life, I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d be in the pair of shoes I wear today. It’s not to say I haven’t worn work boots before, because I certainly have. I enjoy working, as a matter of fact. So this blog goes out to anyone who can relate.

I have always made and had my own source of cash. When I was just old enough to babysit for the neighbor kids, I did, so that I could buy my own stuff. That work ethic has continued throughout my entire life. Gene and I didn’t even share a bank account until well after we were married. Call me weird or independent, but I like my own money, in my own pocket!

When I quit working (for someone else) in mid-May of this year, I felt so free and lucky. It felt like the ultimate “American Dream” to be fortunate enough to work for oneself. The first few weeks flew by. I kept myself busy enough to forget about how many hours I used to drive into town, do my job and come home. I began to “get into” my new role. I had to learn ways to keep myself occupied and helpful around the farm. It is exceptionally difficult to stay out of my husband’s office, when his office is in the house. Gene works for someone else (a 40 hour a week job) and it’s taken some discipline for me to not bother him while he’s actually working. I am much better now than I was in the beginning. Thankfully, there is never ever a reason to be bored around here. There is SO much to do that sometimes it’s difficult to know where to start.

It is a different world for me, now that I’m out of the paid workforce. I honestly think that while I’m learning how to wear these shoes that I work harder than ever. And the part that I haven’t learned how to grasp yet- I don’t get paid. I mean I don’t get paid monetarily. I don’t have my own money in my own pocket. This is going to take some getting used to…

8/16/07

There’s nothing like being a damsel in distress. I’ve just realized that I’m not very good at it. I was merrily on my way home from a farmer’s market when the unexpected happened. My truck started losing momentum, almost like I was running out of gas. But I had more than half a tank, so I was befuddled. Downshifting, I realized I had better get off the highway, for I was seriously losing power. I pulled onto the side of the highway, barely off the road, and better yet, on a bridge. Thank goodness for AAA and cell phones. It did not feel nice to sit there, helpless, with trucks and cars whizzing by, waiting and wondering how the rest of this day was going to go. And as I waited, of course the mind wanders and I began thinking about all the stories of just such a scenario where someone rams into the parked, broken down vehicle and- oh, don’t think about this anymore… Is it safer in the truck or out on the bridge itself? And it doesn’t hurt to note that every time the big rigs flew by, the entire bridge shook. This happened at least every second or two.

AAA shows up in very respectful time and tows me into Vallejo to a “car clinic”. Meanwhile, I’ve tried to call my husband a half a dozen times. This will be a difficult task because I know he’s out working in the orchard, and won’t likely listen to the messages for some time. I begin plan B and call a friend to prepare them to drive to my house and tell Gene what’s going on. They were not near the phone either, but did get back to me quickly. If I had AAA Plus, the tow truck driver informs me, he could drive me all the way home. Not the case… We arrive at the “car clinic” at approximately 3:15 PM and they won’t even look at my truck until the morning. Great, and I am two hours from home, loaded with my week’s worth of precious veggies, fruits, cheese, etc… And to think, it had been SUCH a good day, WHY? After a few more tries to contact my husband, he finally answers. His first response was “You’re kidding?” Well, naturally, I wish I were… What to do? Thankfully he calls a friend who has a friend with a car trailer and they will be down to get me and my truck full of goodies. And MAYBE we’ll be home before dark. I’m doing my best to remain calm (in an uncomfortable situation) and patient, but one cannot avoid the unbelievable frustration. I know my faithful truck well enough to know it’s probably nothing major, but that does me no good sitting here in this dismal parking lot, waiting for how long. But the real picture isn’t so bleak. I am not stuck on the bridge, nor flattened by a haphazard driver. I will be rescued and I have plenty of wonderful produce to eat while I wait. It’s not too hot or too cold and it’s daytime. In a situation such as this it is difficult to find the positive, but what are ya gonna do? Plus I get to sit and reflect and write- all is not lost! And before too long, I will be headed home, safely, and this temporary setback will be behind me. Heavy sigh…