We aim to manage our 1200 olive tree grove in the most environmentally-friendly and sustainable way we can.
Some of these practices to date have been:
- a non-irrigated grove
- releasing ladybirds in the grove (ladybirds eat scale insects)
- painting horticultural glue around the trunks to stop the ants climbing the trees to farm the scale insects
- not irrigating – the oil is a product of natural rainfall
- controlling weeds by mulching around the trees instead of poisoning
- applying a biological crop nutrition program, including spraying natural biologically-active nutrients to the soil and leaves
- applying natural untreated animal manure to the grove.
These practices are an extension to the principles we adhere to across the farm as a whole – when we bought the land almost 40 years ago, the farm was a drought-stricken grassland void of any trees. Since then my family has revegetated almost 40 acres of the farm with native flora – and we have plans to revegetate more. It is an undertaking of love and dedication but one that remains absolutely core to our vision.
When he was a child, my grandfather used to go fishing along the creek that is now named after him, and in later years he would tell my mum how beautiful it used to look – a healthy, bubbling creek surrounded by tree ferns, native grasses, wattles and red river gums. There is a long journey ahead to return the creek – and large swathes of the farm – back to its former glory but it’s a journey we are determined to continue.
For further information on the farm and revegetation project, please visit the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HSxh2gW3Ts
Mason's Creek Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
14 March 2011
Spent the morning cutting off suckers. After such a wet summer, the grass needs slashing again already. But I can’t get the tractor too close to the trees or I’ll knock the developing fruit off. The result is long grass growing up into the trees, not exactly ideal with the harvest looming in another few months. Had I poisoned, this would not be a problem. Well, we’ll stick to our principles of being environmentally friendly – we can hand weed around some of the trees while the soil is still moist, mulch around others with the piles of slashed grass, and whippersnip around others.