18/08/2026
Today we checked on the olive trees for the first time since June. We were last here after the flowering season as we intentionally leave the groves undisturbed in summer to let Mother Nature do her work.
It was good to be back on a golden morning and see the olives growing healthily.
And, of course, we couldn’t leave without picking some fresh figs.
The fig trees among the olive trees in this region were planted intentionally generations ago. There was a practical reason for it: figs attract flies, giving them another fruit to go after instead of the olives. A simple, traditional form of natural pest management that works with nature rather than against it.
But also, the relationship between the trees goes beyond pest management.
Olives contain a complex range of volatile compounds that contribute to the aroma and flavor of the oil. The characteristics of the fruit are shaped by the environment in which the olive trees grow — including the diversity of plants surrounding them.
That means an olive grove is more than just olive trees. The figs, herbs, grasses, and other plants growing around them are part of the ecosystem that gives the fruit its character (“terroir”).
And this is one of the beautiful things about olive oil. When you taste an oil from a specific grove, you are tasting more than the olive variety. You are tasting a little bit of the place itself.
In our oil, that can mean finding the fresh, green character of the fig leaves growing among our olive trees.
The landscape is part of the flavor. 🍃 🫒
Ayvalık
