Agriculture & Farming
// The Land & Use, Heritage and Today
Restoring Roscialesco to Production
The grounds at Roscialesco are in a severe state of neglect, but a long history of cultivation and habitation has shaped the place and creates opportunity for rejuvenation. Walking the grounds one discovers old paths, walls and ruins, lost gardens, and many olive trees.
Roscialesco is home to 180 olive trees in a few groves across the property. Most of these are 30-40 years old, but there are several heritage trees that are much older. These trees have been neglected for decades, but they are resilient and healthy enough to restore to production. We are in our second year of rehabilitation of the olive groves. Our strategy balances careful pruning with fertilization, and ongoing restorative care to return the trees to peak health and productivity.
The autumn of 2026 is on track to yield our landmark milestone: the grove's first official harvest in modern history—producing a pure, site-specific extra virgin oil that restores to this ancient site a major part of its historic use.
The Evolution of the Grove
Photos showing the progress of the olive grove restoration.
New Growth — April 2026
April inspection. The trees are healthy, growing and flowering!
Flowering — April 2026
We anticipate an initial harvest in autumn 2026. It will be small, but it will be a major milestone for the project.
A Vibrant Canvas — April 2026
The canopy is filling in nicely. The trees are healthy and thriving, and the new growth is a promising sign for the future of the grove.
Spring Pruning — March 2026
This year the trees needed more pruning to open up the canopy and remove dense brushwood growth. This will help to maximize long-term yield efficiency.
Making room to grow — March 2026
The grove is well sited and the trees are healthy, but they had been left untended for decades. Opening up space for growth is the main goal of this stage
Clearing the grounds — March 2026
Clearing the grounds is an important part of the rehabilitation process, both to ensure good access to the trees and to promote healthy growth.
Initial State — 2022
The main grove was planted/replanted around 40 years ago and has been left untended for decades.
Neglected and Overgrown — 2022
The trees needs significant pruning to remove the dense brushwood and secondary canopy growth.
Intact but unproductive — 2022
The trees were healthy, but had never been pruned or cared for, and had never produced a harvest.