Close to the SunCoast Parkway bicycle trail in Brooksville, there’s a small olive grove where you can find some truly fine fresh olives and olive products.
The 5-acre and some, spread is the domain of Cambren and Deirdre Davis, a couple who fell in love with Italy when they vacationed there a few years ago.
In Italy, they saw beautiful manicured olive trees stretching toward the horizon and savored plump, delectable olives and its delicate, fruity, freshly pressed aromatic oil at almost every meal.
It made an impression.
“We wanted to recreate that Mediterranean experience right here in Brooksville,” said Deirdre Davis. And because our winters and hot summers are a close match to that Mediterranean climate, we decided to buy some land and grow our own olives,” she said.
The Davis’ called their venture “The Olive Grove”
That was back in 2011 and in just a few years, the couple has planted over 300 trees that are thriving and producing a good crop of olives every year – enough olives in fact that they now include food tastings and educational workshops to promote the health benefits and full potential of this valuable fruit.
In addition to plantings of olive trees, the couple has also sold over 30,000 trees to customers nationwide.
“Olive trees can thrive on small acreage,” said Davis, “and we have room to grow other organic herbs and vegetables as well.”
All around the grove grow patches of mint, rosemary, sage and lavender, basil and the very aromatic lemongrass. These herbs are harvested, dried and used to make extract.
“We use the extract to infuse into our herbal olive-leaf teas or to blend in our soap and shampoo products,” said Deirdre Davis. “And at weekends, we make fresh olive bread, olive-oil dip, garlic knots and herbal teas for visitors to sample,” she said.
The Olive Grove cures its olives in a saltwater brine and then packs them with its own farm-grown, fresh-picked herbs and spices.
“We never use chemicals so we are very proud to say we are totally organic,” said Davis.
“We originally planted three varieties of trees,” said Cambren Davis. “Arbquina, Arbosana and Koroneiki because they love direct sun, are drought resistant and can also take the odd frosty morning,” he said.
Those original plantings now stand 10 feet tall and shimmer in the sun with their attractive thin, blue-gray leaves. They began producing fruit within two years of planting.
Since then the Davises have added more varieties to their grove — Manzanilla, (Spanish) Coratina and Frantoio (Italian varieties) and the Chiquitita — a cross between the Arbequina and Picual trees.
“We harvest everything by hand,” said Cambren Davis. “Olives start fermenting right after picking so we wanted to capture that freshness and mill our own olives,” he said.
That’s when the Davises decided to buy an olive mill and had it specially imported from Italy.
The olive mill grinds fresh olives, stones and all, into a thick paste. It then applies pressure to the olive paste to separate the liquid oil and vegetation water from the solid material. The oil and vegetation water are then separated by standard decantation.
The Olive Grove offers several varieties of olive oil — straight Arbosana, a Spanish variety, herbaceous, fruity and well balanced; a peppery Farm Blend, 90% Arbequina (a mild, nutty Spanish variety) and 10% Koroneiki (a strong-flavored Greek); and an early-harvest Paso Blend, half Arbosana, half Arbequina.
An aromatic bouquet of lavender, sage, rosemary and thyme welcomes you to the farm shop that is packed full of produce all hand made by the Davises and several colleagues including Wanda Bare and Vicki Davis.
Produce includes highest quality extra virgin cold pressed and unfiltered olive oil, infused olive oil, infused vinegar, cured olives, raw olives, olive oil soap (Castile), olive leaf tea and other olive products, organic spices and mixes, natural extracts, dried herbs, fruit mixes, jams and jellies, sauces, fresh all natural pastas, homemade and handmade items.
In one corner, a sign announces a selection of “Rem-E-Teas – freshly made premixed teas for what ails you or mix your own. Their website has a chart of herbal remedies for aches and pains.
“We especially recommend our Olive Leaf Tea and we have many different blends,” said Davis. This tea has been used for centuries and studies have proven its health benefits,” she said.
“Anything that contains olive oil is good for your skin, your hair and can help lower the levels of cholesterol and blood pressure,” she added.
Apart from helping with care of the trees and making products, colleagues Vicki Davis, Katerina Davis and Wanda Bare also coordinate some of the many workshops offered.
Workshops include making clay potpourri oil-burning lamps, mosaic pots, knitting, living wreaths, sand art, how to care for bonsai olive trees and more. Workshops are held either at weekends or by special appointment.
“A favorite is the Greek Mythology workshop specially for children,” said Bare. “The kids learn through stories, enjoy a healthy snack and get to join a workshop,” she said.
The Davises love interacting with customers and explaining their organic growing practices. Tours of the grove are by appointment only.
When the Davises first bought their property, there was an A-frame house in situ but in poor repair. The house has been totally refurbished and now used as the setting for weddings.
“We offer wedding packages in a casual but magical setting,” said Davis. “And we can provide live music too.”
Olive trees also make great gifts and are a symbol of peace and prosperity. Buy directly from The Olive Grove nursery or order online with free shipping. Prices can start as low as $10 per sapling.
“Olive trees make great indoor plants too and grow well in containers. They’re also popular as landscape plants because of the beautiful color of the leaves,” Davis said.
If you have one spot for a tree in your garden, make it an olive. Especially if the spot is sunny and your house, like the tree, has Mediterranean accents.
IF YOU GO:
The Olive Grove is located on the Suncoast Bicycle Trail at 15016 Rester Drive, Brooksville, two miles north of State Road 50 Trail Head and welcomes bicyclists and visitors at weekends from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Weekdays by appointment only.
The Olive Grove sells and produces fresh pressed extra virgin olive oil, fresh cured and stuffed olives, olive leaf tea and olive leaf powder, Olive oil soap (CASTILE) and other olive products.
Join the Olive Grove Mill Club and get priority purchasing power and savings on all products. Visit their website at floridaconcerts.org/olive-grove.htm for details.
Call DeDe Davis at 352.345.5940 or email her at dedes.rizzo@gmail.com.
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Have a Business Spotlight idea? Hernando Sun correspondent Sue Quigley can be reached at suequigley@hernandosun.com or call her at 727.808.9587.