Bob & Virginia Roos
Bob retired from the US Navy Submarine force and wanted to live in the country and grow most of his own food. But a subsequent career with the local utility slowed down his farming life. When he retired from that career he decided to expand the gardens and learn to grow olives and make olive oil. The first trees went in in 1998, more in 1999 and 2001. After the trees began producing in 2004 there was "What are we going to do with all of this oil? That made learning marketing a high priority.
Fortunately Virginia shares his passion for growing their own food. When she can spare the time from her long arm quilting business she is out there picking and pruning right along with grandchildren Grace and Sam Oeser. Grace has the sensitive palate and tells Grandpa when he blended oils are just right. Sam is a master at spreading the compost under the drip lines of the trees at just the right thickness. He is also good at supervising the harvest crew.
Fortunately Virginia shares his passion for growing their own food. When she can spare the time from her long arm quilting business she is out there picking and pruning right along with grandchildren Grace and Sam Oeser. Grace has the sensitive palate and tells Grandpa when he blended oils are just right. Sam is a master at spreading the compost under the drip lines of the trees at just the right thickness. He is also good at supervising the harvest crew.
November 2013 Harvest
Bob & Virginia's son Robert and family live in Houston, in late 2013 they came to help with the 2014 harvest. Here they are in front of some of the fruits of their labor. Right to left: Robert, Virginia, Amy, Hunter, Katie and Bob. They and more of the family; daughter Laureen, husband Curtis and their two kids Grace and Sam (see the top of this page) along with a small hired Harvest crew brought in 2,100 lbs. that were rushed to the mill and promptly turned into oil. Looking at the olives it is obvious they are quite ripe making that years oil very smooth.
Every year is different, the 2014 oils were quite different than the 2013 oils. The 2015 oils were a big surprise, so much different than the previous year. 2016 had it's own surprising tastes and the 2017 oils were again different. Likewise for the 2018. 2019 & 2020 oils. That is what makes making olive oil so interesting, the weather affects so much you never know what the oil will be like until you get it harvested.
Every year is different, the 2014 oils were quite different than the 2013 oils. The 2015 oils were a big surprise, so much different than the previous year. 2016 had it's own surprising tastes and the 2017 oils were again different. Likewise for the 2018. 2019 & 2020 oils. That is what makes making olive oil so interesting, the weather affects so much you never know what the oil will be like until you get it harvested.