The olive trees in Tuscany
The look of some Tuscan hills thickly covered with olive trees is, against popular opinion, a landscape quite recently, in most cases that goes back to the late nineteenth century. The final centuries of the Middle Ages mark a first significant increase in olive cultivation which is encouraged and protected by provisions in the statutes of the towns and rural communities. The olive spread and then in the following centuries reached most of the region. The impetus given by the owners to spread the olive stemmed not only from their desire for consumption but also by their desire to commercialize the product that has continued throughout the modern age.
Between the first half of the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth century Tuscan olive experienced a considerable increase. The cultivation thickened in areas already suited and also spread into areas where previously unknown or poorly cultivated. The most common mistake is speaking of Tuscan oil generalizing it as a single kind of oil; this type of mistake is due to a limited knowledge about how different type of olives trees are in the country.
The olive tree
Since ancient times, the growing of the olive tree has been intertwined with human history and traditions becoming the mark of the Mediterranean landscape. The variety of olives trees in our area is identified in some main types:
- Frantoio Olives: Vigor medium size tree with enlarged and moderately dense foliage. The main branches are gnarled, while those bearing thin and long with the top dating. It fits pretty well in varied terrain.
- Leccino Olives: His great vigor and ability to adapt to most soils are the features that was the principal cause her great success and appreciation; medium-large sized plant, has expanded foliage and dense, the branches have tops going up.
- Moraiolo Olives: Hardy and undemanding medium plant: although prefers hilly land is suitable for various soils. It has a limited vigor, voluminous hair short and moderately thick, the branches with fruits are short and twisted.
- Pendolino Olives: Average plant with vigorous canopy is moderately expanded and somewhat thick. The fruiting branches are quite long and characterized by distinctive pendulous that name the plant, as also make it quite ornamental. It is very cultivated and appreciated as pollinating varieties, peculiarity that facilities the wide dissemination.
Our oil comes from here - the production areas
When autumn comes, comes too for farmers the most awaited moment of the year: the harvest-time. Every year partners of our cooperative rissue traditions of harvesting that have remained unchanged over the centuries. Every little part in the beautiful Maremma gives each year a contribution to the production of the most important food in our culture: the Tuscan extra virgin olive oil.
