The Olive Tree
Did you know –
the oldest olive tree, located on the island of Crete, Greece is believed to be over 2,000 years old? Its resilience after so many years is remarkable, and whats even more incredible… it still produces olives!
My curiosity about olive trees began on a tour, given by the Sourdon family at Moulin Saint Jean, in the Provence region of France. This stunning Olive grove has been operated by the family for four generations. This region is known for its rich history, beautiful landscapes and majestic Olive groves. The tour was led by one of the owners, who shared her passion for the olive tree along with the pride she takes in preserving her family’s time-honored traditions for growing and caring for the olives through to the production and crafting of high-quality olive oil.
We started with a walk through their olive grove listening to stories about the family and the traditions they kept while cultivating their olive trees. We heard about the process they used to make olive oil, and then best of all – got to taste their unique olive oil. To say it was exquisite is an understatement – I’ve never tasted olive oil like that!!
Province Olive Grove, 2024
We can all learn
from the olive tree:
Resilience
Olive trees can survive long droughts, and with a strong root system the olive tree is able to regenerate even after hard times.
Longevity
The average age of olive trees is 300-600 years, with trees 100 years or older produce excellent fruit.
Peace
The olive branch has been seen throughout history as a sign of peace and hope.
