Our Olive Oil
Five Seeds Farms is a small producer of award-winning, high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Our first planting was in 2018, and included 50 Picual and Koroneiki trees. Multiple plantings later, we now have over 500 trees, including the original Picual and Koroneiki, as well as Arbequina, Pendolino, and Nochellara del Belice.
Our Olives
We like our oil to be fruity, peppery and spicy which comes with picking the olives early in the season. The olives are handpicked, ensuring the best care for the fruit. For quality control, we make at least 2 passes through the grove before harvest to remove any olives that may be compromised. While this impacts yield, the difference it makes in the quality of the oil is well worth it
Planting
After our first small harvest in 2021, we realized fresh, high-quality olive oil was amazing! From that experience we decided to focus on creating and learning more about it. Three plantings later, we have committed 3.5 acres to this pursuit and now have over 500 trees - all planted by hand by Mike and Diana (and Leo).
Harvesting
Our olives are hand-harvested, assuring the best care for the fruit. For quality control, we make at least two passes through the groves before harvest to remove any olives that appear compromised. While this reduces yield, the focus on quality makes it worthwhile.
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On harvest day, the olives are picked and immediately taken to the mill. The entire process - from harvest to finished oil - takes less than 24 hours.
Milling
Our olives are milled in San Ardo, CA, 2 hours north of Santa Ynez. Milling takes about an hour and we observe the entire process.
The filtered oil is pumped directly into stainless steel containers called 'fustis', and stored in a cool environment, where we bottle it on-demand. This process ensures the oil is protected from its greatest enemies - light, heat and oxygen - and maintains quality and freshness.
