Homestead Olive Ranch
Another year and another harvest. 2024 was a good year, the crop was over 5 tons of olives that gave us about 130 gallons of oil. On 4 November We harvested the Leccino olives and some Mission olives to make an Early Harvest Mission oil and then the rest of the Mission olives on 30 November. Thanks to both of our local grandchildren, Grace & Sam, both fluent Spanish speakers, who are a great help communicating with the harvest crews. Virginia is big help with that also but she doesn't get around like she used to.
We had the oils tested at Baker Wine and Grape Analysis in Paso Robles. Free fatty acids were 0.08%, for the Mission oils and 0.06% for the the Leccino The limit for Extra Virgin olive oil is 0.5%, obviously well below the limit. Likewise for Peroxide the limit is 20 meq/kg and both oils were well below, 6 for the Mission and 7 for the Leccino.
The total polyphenol value was 758 mg Tyrosol/kg for the Early Harvest Mission oil and 607 for the Late Harvest Mission. 615 for the Leccino oil. All higher than last year. Those numbers are considered to be "very high" providing lots of health benifits.
Olive fruit fly counts were up this year, reason who knows? I had gone several weeks in Jan/Feb with very low OFF Counts. But in June the counts began to go up requiring me to spray with GF 120 aka Spinosad. It is considered a natural product, that is approved for use in organic agriculture. Google it for details. Wikipedia has a good write up on it. Late in the summer we sprayed with Koalin clay that keeps the fly from laying eggs in the fruit. Google that one also.
Our main products are extra virgin olive oils but after growing things in our garden since 1978 and having so many successes by treating the soil right we couldn't help but offer a few other products at the local Farmers market; sweet corn, garlic, and walnuts.
We had the oils tested at Baker Wine and Grape Analysis in Paso Robles. Free fatty acids were 0.08%, for the Mission oils and 0.06% for the the Leccino The limit for Extra Virgin olive oil is 0.5%, obviously well below the limit. Likewise for Peroxide the limit is 20 meq/kg and both oils were well below, 6 for the Mission and 7 for the Leccino.
The total polyphenol value was 758 mg Tyrosol/kg for the Early Harvest Mission oil and 607 for the Late Harvest Mission. 615 for the Leccino oil. All higher than last year. Those numbers are considered to be "very high" providing lots of health benifits.
Olive fruit fly counts were up this year, reason who knows? I had gone several weeks in Jan/Feb with very low OFF Counts. But in June the counts began to go up requiring me to spray with GF 120 aka Spinosad. It is considered a natural product, that is approved for use in organic agriculture. Google it for details. Wikipedia has a good write up on it. Late in the summer we sprayed with Koalin clay that keeps the fly from laying eggs in the fruit. Google that one also.
Our main products are extra virgin olive oils but after growing things in our garden since 1978 and having so many successes by treating the soil right we couldn't help but offer a few other products at the local Farmers market; sweet corn, garlic, and walnuts.
Where to find our oils
Homestead Olive Ranch oils are found at this California location:
- Templeton Farmers Market, Saturdays 9-12:30 Templeton Park, 6th and Crocker Templeton
- Or you can call, 805 610 5917 and come out to the ranch.
- I will ship UPS but the cost is pricey.
Contact us
Our ranch is on Homestead Rd. in Templeton, California.
Phone us @ 805 610 5917
E-mail: bob@homesteadolive.com
Phone us @ 805 610 5917
E-mail: bob@homesteadolive.com
Frequently Asked Questions about Olive oil
Why is good olive oil sometimes bitter? An oil that has a peppery/bitter taste is an indication that it has lot’s of polyphenols, strong antioxidants that have a host of beneficial effects.
Can I fry with extra virgin olive oil? Good extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for stir frying and deep fat frying because it’s smoke point, 410 degrees F, is well above the ideal temperature for frying (365 degrees F). Bad olive oil has a low smoke point and is unsuitable for frying among other things.
My recipe calls for butter can I use extra virgin olive oil instead? Absolutely, use ¾ of the amount of butter called for in the recipe. Ex. ¾ cup olive oil in place of 1 cup of butter. One place olive oil will not work well as a substitute for shorting such as in a pie crust. There are recipes for making a pie crust using olive oil but the crust will be crumbly instead of flaky.
How long will extra virgin olive oil last? A good extra virgin olive oil will last for at least 18 months if kept in a dark bottle, in a cool place out of the light. A pantry shelf is a good choice. Olive oil should be used within three months of opening. The stronger the oil is (more polyphenols) the longer it will last.
What dishes go with strong, robust oils? Use these oils for bruschetta, for pasta dressed with nothing but oil, garlic and cheese. For strong salad greens such as spinach, arugula and watercress. Strong oils go with the stronger flavored dishes.
What dishes go with mild oils? Milder oils go with mild meats such as chicken breast. They compliment tender new lettuces, fresh peas and mild cheeses. Mild oils go with the milder flavored dishes.
Can I fry with extra virgin olive oil? Good extra virgin olive oil is an excellent choice for stir frying and deep fat frying because it’s smoke point, 410 degrees F, is well above the ideal temperature for frying (365 degrees F). Bad olive oil has a low smoke point and is unsuitable for frying among other things.
My recipe calls for butter can I use extra virgin olive oil instead? Absolutely, use ¾ of the amount of butter called for in the recipe. Ex. ¾ cup olive oil in place of 1 cup of butter. One place olive oil will not work well as a substitute for shorting such as in a pie crust. There are recipes for making a pie crust using olive oil but the crust will be crumbly instead of flaky.
How long will extra virgin olive oil last? A good extra virgin olive oil will last for at least 18 months if kept in a dark bottle, in a cool place out of the light. A pantry shelf is a good choice. Olive oil should be used within three months of opening. The stronger the oil is (more polyphenols) the longer it will last.
What dishes go with strong, robust oils? Use these oils for bruschetta, for pasta dressed with nothing but oil, garlic and cheese. For strong salad greens such as spinach, arugula and watercress. Strong oils go with the stronger flavored dishes.
What dishes go with mild oils? Milder oils go with mild meats such as chicken breast. They compliment tender new lettuces, fresh peas and mild cheeses. Mild oils go with the milder flavored dishes.
Sustainability
A fundamental principle of our ranch is sustainability. We want the soil our olives grow in to be teeming with microbial activity. Something that can only happen if we allow the bacteria, archaea, fungi, protozoa and earthworms to work under a blanket of chemical free mulch and compost, something we liberally apply. Great soil makes great olives, great olive makes great olive oil, what could be simpler? That's the way it has been done since the time of the ancient Mycenaeans.