Eco Sicily - WINTER OLIVE PRUNING 2026

With the help of tree expert Gaetano Spezia, "Il Maestro", and our first farm-stay guest, Will Santora, our trees received a vital heavy pruning this year. The goal: create enough space for a bird to fly through the branches. This ensures better ventilation, less disease, and overall improved tree health. Despite record rainfall, our "no-till" efforts are showing evidence of improved soil retention 🙌🤩

Our 2025 olive oil harvest was completed during the first week of October. Taking advantage of lower local temperatures and a week of no rain, we completed the harvest in good time with the help of our local Sicilian team and a group of volunteer friends.  The olives were hand-harvested and cold-pressed within hours at our local mill to protect flavor, aroma and polyphenols.

Winter is the quiet season in our Sicilian olive grove, but the work never stops. 🌿  In this video, we prune our ancient trees, trim winter weeds, and apply organic fertilizer to nourish the living soil.  Every step helps prepare for the next harvest while caring for the health of the land.  Filmed in the Valle Trapani, between Erice and Valderice, Western Sicily.